The most annoying thing in golf, and it's not pace of play

[cardoustie]

Why the pre-mapped 5 or 6 day rotations aren’t the norm is beyond me 

 

7 is no good … you get the same pins if you always play the same days 

[alittleoverpar]

On 6/29/2025 at 6:10 AM, Bad9 said:

 

The other day I had a twosome in a cart ahead of me(walking) and they did this all the time. I caught them on #5. On short 7&8 which are short par 4's you have to lay up to more than 100yds unless you can carry the ball 275+ over water (they couldn't) they waited for the twosome in front to be on the green before they teed off. On 9, a 500yd uphill par 5, they didn't hit until the group in front was on the green. Same thing on 10 another par 5. On 12, a 300yd par 4, they waited for the green to clear before they teed off and promptly hit their drives to 150yds in the right rough with a slice which was typical of how they hit the ball. On 14 and 18, par 5's and yes there are three on the back nine here, they waited for the group ahead to be putting before they hit their tee shots, again less than 200yds. Argh!

 

I can relate.  When this happens I just try to enjoy the day.

 

The other annoying thing about this is that people in carts automatically assume they can play faster than someone walking.  I walk 99% of the time and I catch up with twosomes in carts all the time.  Rarely do they let me play through.  

[Warrior42111]

21 minutes ago, alittleoverpar said:

 

I can relate.  When this happens I just try to enjoy the day.

 

The other annoying thing about this is that people in carts automatically assume they can play faster than someone walking.  I walk 99% of the time and I catch up with twosomes in carts all the time.  Rarely do they let me play through.  

you catch up and there's a gap ahead of them? Yeah that's annoying.

[Fairways_and_Greens]

I would 10000 times over rather play goober pins fast than a 5 hour round with regular pins.

[Jonnielopes19]

The most annoying thing in golf is playing in a group that has an obnoxiously loud speaker and is playing horrible music. I do not mind some music on the course, but nobody wants to listen to Hoobastank or Flogging Molly on the course. Yacht Rock, Country or bust! 

I'd have to say the second most annoying thing has to be poor etiquette. Wanna wear a backwards hat... cool. Do not want to tuck your shirt... be my guest. I am not here to judge. 

BUT

 

Not fixing your ball marks, not raking bunkers, not filling divots, Cigarette butts on greens, spitting sunflower seeds on green, getting really loud when you missed that 20 foot putt for bogey... Not cool. Lower expectations and remember that you chose to be there, if you were getting paid to do it, it would be a totally different game. That s*** drives me insane. 

[ShortGolfer]

On 11/5/2024 at 7:48 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

 

That's insane.  You have to land your drive in the left rough to hopefully stay in the fairway.

No, there is a convenient fairway bunker on the left.  I'm aiming for that bunker!  I'm allowed to grind my feet in the bunker for a better stance.

Edited July 4 by ShortGolfer

[DavetheDuffer]

We have a number of Public courses in my area.  The larger ones are reasonably well maintained, and most players respect the property.  Ball marks on greens are generally repaired leaving them in good condition for other players.  The one smaller public course on the other hand seems to be left to folks who just don't care.  The greens are pock marked with ball marks that are poorly repaired if at all, and in a couple instances I've found huge chop marks where someone obviously had a bad putt and took it out on their club and the green, leaving a large trench in front of the hole.  Having to repair the damage created by others just so I can play really detracts from an enjoyable day in the sun. 

 

Another peeve are players who aren't there to play.  Recently had a fellow who would tee off and instead of moving to his ball, began to wander along the ditch banks searching for and recovering balls as he went.  When he finally got to his ball, he took his next stroke and proceeded to return to the ditch and continue recovering balls.  Once he hit the end of the ditch, he picked up his bag and left the course. 

[Double Mocha Man]

19 minutes ago, DavetheDuffer said:

We have a number of Public courses in my area.  The larger ones are reasonably well maintained, and most players respect the property.  Ball marks on greens are generally repaired leaving them in good condition for other players.  The one smaller public course on the other hand seems to be left to folks who just don't care.  The greens are pock marked with ball marks that are poorly repaired if at all, and in a couple instances I've found huge chop marks where someone obviously had a bad putt and took it out on their club and the green, leaving a large trench in front of the hole.  Having to repair the damage created by others just so I can play really detracts from an enjoyable day in the sun. 

 

Another peeve are players who aren't there to play.  Recently had a fellow who would tee off and instead of moving to his ball, began to wander along the ditch banks searching for and recovering balls as he went.  When he finally got to his ball, he took his next stroke and proceeded to return to the ditch and continue recovering balls.  Once he hit the end of the ditch, he picked up his bag and left the course. 

 

Weird. Guessing he didn't pay to get on the course given that he's a cheap a**.

[bekgolf]

28 minutes ago, DavetheDuffer said:

We have a number of Public courses in my area.  The larger ones are reasonably well maintained, and most players respect the property.  Ball marks on greens are generally repaired leaving them in good condition for other players.  The one smaller public course on the other hand seems to be left to folks who just don't care.  The greens are pock marked with ball marks that are poorly repaired if at all, and in a couple instances I've found huge chop marks where someone obviously had a bad putt and took it out on their club and the green, leaving a large trench in front of the hole.  Having to repair the damage created by others just so I can play really detracts from an enjoyable day in the sun. 

 

Another peeve are players who aren't there to play.  Recently had a fellow who would tee off and instead of moving to his ball, began to wander along the ditch banks searching for and recovering balls as he went.  When he finally got to his ball, he took his next stroke and proceeded to return to the ditch and continue recovering balls.  Once he hit the end of the ditch, he picked up his bag and left the course. 

 

Ball hunting is a disease, they can't help themselves.  The joy of finding a free ball outweighs the joy of a round of golf for those in an advanced stage.  Having to remind a ball hound it's their turn to hit gets old quick. 

[Double Mocha Man]

18 minutes ago, bekgolf said:

Ball hunting is a disease

 

Love that! Unless it's your ball.

 

Here's an item of curiosity: If three people are looking for one person's lost ball is the 3-minute rule a cumulative time? Meaning, only one minute comes off the clock because three humans looking for one ball over the course of one minute equals 3 minutes of ball hunting time.

[bekgolf]

20 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Love that! Unless it's your ball.

 

Here's an item of curiosity: If three people are looking for one person's lost ball is the 3-minute rule a cumulative time? Meaning, only one minute comes off the clock because three humans looking for one ball over the course of one minute equals 3 minutes of ball hunting time.

 

It should, lol.  

 

If it's a ball in play I'll usually make a statement like "I'll help you look but I'm going to hit my ball first".  Four golfers looking for 3 (it usually turns out to be longer) minutes and then going back to their balls to get ready and hit makes for a whole lot of wasted time. 

 

 

 

[avrag]

People who "play 18" on the practice putting green, when there are other people around. 
For crying out loud, do what the pros do, pick a hole to practice on and hit putts to that hole from different angles and different distances!

[Double Mocha Man]

4 minutes ago, avrag said:

People who "play 18" on the practice putting green, when there are other people around. 
For crying out loud, do what the pros do, pick a hole to practice on and hit putts to that hole from different angles and different distances!

 

That's my biggest pet peeve. I do a lot of chipping and putting practice to one hole on the upper reaches of the practice putting green. I can do that for an hour and a half and invariably there'll be some doofus putt up to my hole.  Even if I leave a ball there, resting by the hole, to indicate there's someone utilizing that cup... when I go 30 ft away to chip to it.

[3puttking14]

Hitting out of a divot when you hit the fairway. 

[Jose c.]

The sunflower spitters are no different than a darm goose,crapping on the greens. Speaks volumes of an individual. 

[Ghostwedge]

On 7/11/2025 at 5:53 AM, Jose c. said:

The sunflower spitters are no different than a darm goose,crapping on the greens. Speaks volumes of an individual. 

Years ago I used to play a course and would have to scrap and or flick sunflower seed shells off my putting line. I confronted a guy once in our group for doing this as no else would speak up, I said "WTH is the matter with you ? No one wants to putt through your shells, keep em off the greens, bud " why would anyone put up with that cave man behavior ? Guys that do that play as singles and get away with it I'm guessing.

[Jose c.]

14 hours ago, Ghostwedge said:

Years ago I used to play a course and would have to scrap and or flick sunflower seed shells off my putting line. I confronted a guy once in our group for doing this as no else would speak up, I said "WTH is the matter with you ? No one wants to putt through your shells, keep em off the greens, bud " why would anyone put up with that cave man behavior ? Guys that do that play as singles and get away with it I'm guessing.

I confronted my nephew for doing it,good kid,but obviously clueless. Uncle Joe being a dick again,I was pissed.

 

[ANimz]

Players throwing tantrums on the course.  Throwing clubs and 💩

[Saijin]

3 hours ago, ANimz said:

Players throwing tantrums on the course.  Throwing clubs and 💩

Geezus!! you got people tossing clubs and s***!!?? Did they just put that s*** in like a zip lock bag and carry it with them???

[launcher]

Probably been mentioned, but guys, (friends excluded), that feel they can drop a ball for practice after hitting bad shots. Got paired with a guy that did this on pretty much every other swing, the entire round. Like the golf course is just a glorified driving range. 

[mshills]

34 minutes ago, launcher said:

Probably been mentioned, but guys, (friends excluded), that feel they can drop a ball for practice after hitting bad shots. Got paired with a guy that did this on pretty much every other swing, the entire round. Like the golf course is just a glorified driving range. 

Nothing wrong with playing multiple balls to practice on the course, but I only do that if I’m playing solo in off hours. Great way to practice, but has to be solo when no one else is out there. 
 

Agreed it’s not right to do that any other time. If I’m paired up, no way, and if in a foursome….come on now, no, that is not the time to practice!

[McMunch]

23 hours ago, Jose c. said:

I confronted my nephew for doing it,good kid,but obviously clueless. Uncle Joe being a dick again,I was pissed.

 

 

Keep being a dick Uncle Joe. 

[mshills]

On 7/10/2025 at 10:18 AM, Double Mocha Man said:

 

That's my biggest pet peeve. I do a lot of chipping and putting practice to one hole on the upper reaches of the practice putting green. I can do that for an hour and a half and invariably there'll be some doofus putt up to my hole.  Even if I leave a ball there, resting by the hole, to indicate there's someone utilizing that cup... when I go 30 ft away to chip to it.

Yep, some situational awareness would be good. If I have string out and a couple of tees in the green to make a gate, yes I’m practicing to this single hole and could you please putt to one of the other 13 holes on the practice green? Thanks in advance. 👍🏼

 

It works both ways too. Never, ever leave your practice stuff (string, tees, mirror, etc.) there to “claim” a hole then go inside to get something to drink, talk to your buddy in the locker room, buy some gear in the pro shop…..that is just incredibly rude. 

[LukeCam]

1.  When Tee boxes are out of square.

2. When pins are on a side hill slope

3. when people leave their cart 100 yds from their ball and walk back and forth killing pace of play. 

[Jose c.]

On 7/14/2025 at 7:35 AM, launcher said:

Probably been mentioned, but guys, (friends excluded), that feel they can drop a ball for practice after hitting bad shots. Got paired with a guy that did this on pretty much every other swing, the entire round. Like the golf course is just a glorified driving range. 

I get a good laugh whenever this happens.  Right after they hit,usually hitting a better shot,oh I know what I did wrong? Um, ya whatever, it's called pressure and you had none on that second shot.

[launcher]

I'm sure this has also been mentioned, ( I posted about taking a second shot for practice after the first one goes bad). 

The guy that gets the extreme exactness from his range finder, then finally steps up and skanks it. Pull the range finder again, and more of the same. 

Actually played with a guy once that used his range finder around the green. What a lunatic. 

[mshills]

10 hours ago, launcher said:

I'm sure this has also been mentioned, ( I posted about taking a second shot for practice after the first one goes bad). 

The guy that gets the extreme exactness from his range finder, then finally steps up and skanks it. Pull the range finder again, and more of the same. 

Actually played with a guy once that used his range finder around the green. What a lunatic. 

Lol, no kidding. There has been discussion on this forum of using a rangefinder ON the green. 😆 That is insanity! Do that in the groups I play in and it would get merciless. 

[Ghostwedge]

Had this happen the other day....

Got paired up with a couple guys walking  and it was "cart path only" because we had a lot of rain the day before. Come to a hole with a blind tee shot it's up and over small hill back down to a pond fronting the green. I volunteer to walk the 100 yds up to watch these two clowns in a cart ahead of us, thinking by the time I get there they will be around the pond and we can tee off. 

 

I stand there and see they are both still in their cart, finally one gets out and walks over and chunks his 90 yd shot into the pond, throws down another and does it again, yells at his buddy to toss him another ball, he gets it over into the hay behind the hole. I start to turn around to walk back and the other guy gets out of the cart and strolls over to his ball along the tree line 30 yds left of where his buddies ball was.

So we'll file this under "sorry, but it is pace of play." lol

[Double Mocha Man]

43 minutes ago, Ghostwedge said:

Had this happen the other day....

Got paired up with a couple guys walking  and it was "cart path only" because we had a lot of rain the day before. Come to a hole with a blind tee shot it's up and over small hill back down to a pond fronting the green. I volunteer to walk the 100 yds up to watch these two clowns in a cart ahead of us, thinking by the time I get there they will be around the pond and we can tee off. 

 

I stand there and see they are both still in their cart, finally one gets out and walks over and chunks his 90 yd shot into the pond, throws down another and does it again, yells at his buddy to toss him another ball, he gets it over into the hay behind the hole. I start to turn around to walk back and the other guy gets out of the cart and strolls over to his ball along the tree line 30 yds left of where his buddies ball was.

So we'll file this under "sorry, but it is pace of play." lol

 

Sorry about your experience.  There are people out there who simply do not understand the concept of pace of play... never will.  It's like the rest of us not understanding quantum mechanics.

[david.c.w]

On 7/10/2025 at 10:18 AM, Double Mocha Man said:

 

That's my biggest pet peeve. I do a lot of chipping and putting practice to one hole on the upper reaches of the practice putting green. I can do that for an hour and a half and invariably there'll be some doofus putt up to my hole.  Even if I leave a ball there, resting by the hole, to indicate there's someone utilizing that cup... when I go 30 ft away to chip to it.

 

Hold up.  You are using a common practice area available to all golfers and think that it can be exclusively yours for 90 minutes?  Any anyone who wants to putt to "your" hole for a bit is a doofus?  Entitled much?

 

I have never seen an area of a practice area "reserved" before.