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

[Dan Drake]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Good work. I tend not to think of course superintendents, in general, as this innovative or detailed. I've known many of them personally and played golf with many... great guys everyone of them.  Many with agronomy or turf management degrees but none of them this involved.

 

 

 

Thank you for the kind words and I agree with your sentiment, unless the Super is a hard-core golfer.  Fortunately, I was at an inflection point of getting the new GPS units, my PGM work, being a massive golf dork, and being the Asst. Pro so it fell on me to do these kind of jobs anyway.  

 

There are opportunities out there to make the golf experience better, and some of them don't take much time/effort/money. 

 

Some issues, however, are just downright impossible!

[biker74]

For me it is the “must fix all divots guy”. Played a fancy club in northern Tucson.I always take a divot with my short irons and fill my divots with sand after.This round we had a member of the club join us.Anyways, I guess my sand filled divot wasn’t good enough for him.So he went back after me and was filling my divots again.almost to the point where I was afraid to take a divot.. personally I think if you pay $250 for a round of golf you are allowed to take a divot.

 

don’t be the divot nazi 

[MountainKing]

2 hours ago, Dunk89 said:

For me it is the “must fix all divots guy”. Played a fancy club in northern Tucson.I always take a divot with my short irons and fill my divots with sand after.This round we had a member of the club join us.Anyways, I guess my sand filled divot wasn’t good enough for him.So he went back after me and was filling my divots again.almost to the point where I was afraid to take a divot.. personally I think if you pay $250 for a round of golf you are allowed to take a divot.

 

don’t be the divot nazi 

 

I'm very much with the member on this one - not only do you need to do it, but you need to do it correctly.  Much like repairing your ball marks, it's frustrating ending up a divot that was clearly done half a** and could have prevented.  If you noticed the member was correcting your work, why not just ask him to show you how to do it?   Doesn't matter what you spent on the round, it's still your responsibility to take care of your mess, and take care of it properly. 

[RoyalMustang]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:31 AM, larrybud said:

I will die on this hill: Dumb/poor pin positions.

 

5th hole at my club yesterday, pin is so close to the false front and green speeds so high, that balls cannot stay on the green. One playing partner had a putt, BARELY missed it on the HIGH side (if the green were flat he would have ended a foot from the hole), and it rolled off the front of the green. Balls impossible to stop when going down hill.

 

Every pin setter should get the bubble level app on their phone, and measure 3' around the hole in 4 spots and make sure it doesn't go over a certain percent grade (that value depending on their green speeds). At our club, anything > 2% and the ball will not stop going downhill.

 

Putting the pin there does NOTHING for the quality of play, and in fact only slows things down.

 

 

Gotta agree with this one. it's criminal to put a pin where the ball simply will not stop. Even worse if you are below the hole and the ball won't stop at the pin; it reverses course and comes back down to your feet. We've all seen those mini golf courses where you etiher make a putt or you try your 15 footer again and again until it goes in.

 

It's stupid and pointless. I had a freaking tournament with this being the case. They had to institute a local rule on this particular par 3 that 8 was the max score. The easier solution would have been to simply put the pin in a place where people aren't 5, 6, and 7 putting.  

[slocalifglfr]

Okay, this probably isn't the most annoying thing but it bugs me. At the course I play most often the tee markers echo the hole location. Meaning if it's a back pin the marker is moved forward, a front hole location and the tees are moved back. It doesn't matter as much on a par 4 or 5. I'd like to play the par 3s from different distances now and then. For example the 10th hole is a 5 iron always for me. Move the tee and I have to hit a different club. 

 

There are those that argue the hole length should always be what's on the scorecard, but does it?

[bekgolf]

2 hours ago, slocalifglfr said:

Okay, this probably isn't the most annoying thing but it bugs me. At the course I play most often the tee markers echo the hole location. Meaning if it's a back pin the marker is moved forward, a front hole location and the tees are moved back. It doesn't matter as much on a par 4 or 5. I'd like to play the par 3s from different distances now and then. For example the 10th hole is a 5 iron always for me. Move the tee and I have to hit a different club. 

 

There are those that argue the hole length should always be what's on the scorecard, but does it?

 

First world golf problems, lol.

 

At least they pay attention to what is expected, that's worth something.  I agree that it can get kind of old but that's what away trips are for.

[James the Hogan Fan]

On 11/8/2024 at 4:26 PM, joeconn said:

It also means you have to play a certain way and if you don't any you fail you are penalized. Like #4, a short par 3. if the pin is up front on the lower tier but close to the ridge if you don't play safe off the tee (to the front of the green or short is ok too) and end up on the back part of the green, even a good putt from the back will run 6'-8' by the hole unless it hits the stick/cup. That green has decent depth, around 25 yards, and the hole plays 100 yards from the regular tees and 120 from the tips - big downhill. I think it's a reasonable demand that a player is accurate to within ~12 yards on length from 100 yards to get onto the correct tier.

 

 

I am inclined to disagree with this sentiment (beyond maybe the US Open, and even then it's a bit suspect.) If you can't keep the ball within 1-putt range from a location on the green, you run into issues with (my idea of) fairness

 

Suppose we are playing your fourth hole and suppose in this version of your 4th hole its the 13th at my course but with the green you describe.

 

 

I tee off and hit a straight duff that trundles down the hill and rolls into the creek. I take a drop and have a 30' chip with a backstop, a relatively straightforward up and down for bogey. 

 

You, meanwhile teed off and caught it a smidge thin and landed it on the upper tier. It's a 20 footer, and you hit a putt that stops on the ridge, hangs for a second, gathers speed and rolls 7' by. If you miss, we halve the hole. Let's say I didn't go in the water. Are we really wanting to say that literally any (playable) outcome short is better than a shot 5-8 yards long?

 

I remember the 12th at Chambers Bay. Short par 4. I drove the green! ...But the flag was in the front and the ball made it to the middle. It was not possible to keep the ball on the green from my position, much less leave it near the flag. Is that... Fair? Fun? I don't mind "really hard to get it close" but I really do not like "impossible to get close even if you weren't going for the make".

 

 

 

[J_Tizzle]

I always see these issues at old golf courses, with these big meandering greens.  I much prefer more modern greens were the greens are kinda segmented.  Some of the courses around me are that way where you can be just out of position on the green a little bit and there is 0 chance you'll have less than 6ft on the come backer because the putt just meanders away from the hole and keeps going.

[biker74]

On 11/11/2024 at 9:22 AM, MountainKing said:

 

I'm very much with the member on this one - not only do you need to do it, but you need to do it correctly.  Much like repairing your ball marks, it's frustrating ending up a divot that was clearly done half a** and could have prevented.  If you noticed the member was correcting your work, why not just ask him to show you how to do it?   Doesn't matter what you spent on the round, it's still your responsibility to take care of your mess, and take care of it properly. 

I’m a stickler for fixing ball marks and repairing divots.He was going over the top inho. Feeling the divot easily an inch above the ground with the seed/sand. No one fills it up that high.He was just being a booger 

[biker74]

On 11/12/2024 at 7:45 AM, James the Hogan Fan said:

 

I am inclined to disagree with this sentiment (beyond maybe the US Open, and even then it's a bit suspect.) If you can't keep the ball within 1-putt range from a location on the green, you run into issues with (my idea of) fairness

 

Suppose we are playing your fourth hole and suppose in this version of your 4th hole its the 13th at my course but with the green you describe.

 

 

I tee off and hit a straight duff that trundles down the hill and rolls into the creek. I take a drop and have a 30' chip with a backstop, a relatively straightforward up and down for bogey. 

 

You, meanwhile teed off and caught it a smidge thin and landed it on the upper tier. It's a 20 footer, and you hit a putt that stops on the ridge, hangs for a second, gathers speed and rolls 7' by. If you miss, we halve the hole. Let's say I didn't go in the water. Are we really wanting to say that literally any (playable) outcome short is better than a shot 5-8 yards long?

 

I remember the 12th at Chambers Bay. Short par 4. I drove the green! ...But the flag was in the front and the ball made it to the middle. It was not possible to keep the ball on the green from my position, much less leave it near the flag. Is that... Fair? Fun? I don't mind "really hard to get it close" but I really do not like "impossible to get close even if you weren't going for the make".

 

 

 

We played a few goofy courses like this. And have instilled a 2 putt rule.If you do worse than a 2 putt after a good shot than don’t count it.

[MountainKing]

2 minutes ago, Dunk89 said:

I’m a stickler for fixing ball marks and repairing divots.He was going over the top inho. Feeling the divot easily an inch above the ground with the seed/sand. No one fills it up that high.He was just being a booger 

 

He's the member - regardless of what you think, as a guest, you should be modeling the members behavior.

[biker74]

49 minutes ago, MountainKing said:

 

He's the member - regardless of what you think, as a guest, you should be modeling the members behavior.

🤦 

[Double Mocha Man]

52 minutes ago, Dunk89 said:

🤦

 

So if he 3 putts then I should 3 putt?😁

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Double Mocha Man

[MountainKing]

31 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

So if he 3 putts then I should 3 putt?😁

 

 

 

 

You should 4 putt to make him feel better

[Lobby]

The most annoying thing in golf is the ever rising prices 

[Greenie]

14 minutes ago, Lobby said:

The most annoying thing in golf is the ever rising prices 

 

A local course where I live just went to winter rates. When I checked in it was $10 more than their summer rates. I said I thought when you go to winter rates the price usually goes down. He replied they did go down. Our new rates go into effect the first of November for the next year. These are our winter rates . The are cheaper than our new summer rates for the new year. Got me on that one.

[DCSerafin]

Massive divots not replaced or filled with divot mix or sand

Ball marks not repaired on the greens

Tee markers placed that don’t allow for two club lengths (90” or so) 

[NMarko]

Had a ball fly into the middle of our group standing on a tee box the other day. No yell from the other group and no apology other than asking if we saw their ball when they got up to where we were…. Bad shots happen (often in my case 🤣), but you gotta give a little better effort than that.

[alittleoverpar]

On 11/4/2024 at 11:29 AM, Ferguson said:

Stopping for food on the turn.  

Not raking bunkers, correctly.

People carrying multiple towels.

Dropping the flag on the green. 

 

The not raking bunkers thing...yeah that is the most annoying.  Our local muni might as well not even put rakes out.

[parbung]

8 minutes ago, NMarko said:

Had a ball fly into the middle of our group standing on a tee box the other day. No yell from the other group and no apology other than asking if we saw their ball when they got up to where we were…. Bad shots happen (often in my case 🤣), but you gotta give a little better effort than that.

from my experience, if you confront those jerkoffs, they'll stop hitting into you. 

99% of the time, they're not expecting you to say anything back, and they won't even look you in the eye for the rest of their lives. 

 

Edited June 23 by parbung

[alittleoverpar]

Oh there is one other thing that is annoying.  The guy who stripes his driver 150 yards down the middle of the fairway on a 525 yard par 5 and waits for the green to clear before hitting his secont shot.

 

 

[NMarko]

5 minutes ago, parbung said:

from my experience, if you confront those jerkoffs, they'll stop hitting into you. 

99% of the time, they're not expecting you to say anything back, and they won't even look you in the eye for the rest of their lives. 

 

Agree. I always want to assume good intent and that maybe the wind muffled a yell. In this case, it was our league night so we see the same guys around the same places. The message was received that a yell would’ve been nice.

[joeconn]

On 11/11/2024 at 12:59 PM, RoyalMustang said:

 

Gotta agree with this one. it's criminal to put a pin where the ball simply will not stop. Even worse if you are below the hole and the ball won't stop at the pin; it reverses course and comes back down to your feet. We've all seen those mini golf courses where you etiher make a putt or you try your 15 footer again and again until it goes in.

 

It's stupid and pointless. I had a freaking tournament with this being the case. They had to institute a local rule on this particular par 3 that 8 was the max score. The easier solution would have been to simply put the pin in a place where people aren't 5, 6, and 7 putting.  

 

I think most players in my group would say I'm (usually) a pretty decent putter. This season, 19 rounds, I'm at 92% for 2 putts or better. Last year, 65 rounds 92%. 2023, 49 rounds, 94%. My 1 putt % is up from 31% to 33% to 39% the last 3 seasons but that may be more related to chipping/pitching. I understand that golf is not always fair, and that when we show up we're all playing the same layout any given day. I don't mind challenging pins at all. Put a pin right over a ridge, no problem if the tier it's on has some flat areas around the hole.

 

#6 on my home course, about 3 times a season they'll cut the hole front right. The green slopes back to front and the right 1/3 is the most sloped. The hole is 150-170 yards from the regular and back tees, not a long shot. But that green used to be for a par 5 (~530 yards) and it's designed to hold a shot running up (the angle of play is a little different now too). A front right pin from that tee results in most tee shots spinning off the front. And then putting up to a front right hole, it's about 50/50 your putt will come back to your feet. I've actually had a putt I missed long that stopped and rolled back into the hole. The thing is, back right is playable and middle right has about a 5' flatter spot. Just front right, about the first 25' of that green, is hopeless.

 

The other thing that pin position does is slows down play horribly. #5 is a not too long par 5, so it often plays in less time than a typical par 5. On an average day you'll have a short wait when you get to the #6 tee. But if the pin is front right it adds time to play #6 for no good reason. Our longest rounds of the year can all be traced back to that pin position.

 

Because they converted that green from a par 5 to a par 3 when they redesigned the course a few years ago, I have suggested to the GM that they consider shrinking the size of that green. That front right would be a perfect spot to put in a bunker to penalize a wayward tee shot to the right. If they did that they could raise the front of the green a bit. It would still be receptive of a tee shot but they'd avoid putting players in a position where a decent putt rolls off.

[Saijin]

Wet course after a rainy day the day before.... I don't remember how many times I slipped off the tee box and on #10 I hit 3 gigantic fat shots in a row LOL.

 

Ok seriously though, I think the flag guy was drunk that day too, he miscoded the flag positions on most of the holes and it was obnoxious, then I just went for center green for the rest of the round.

[parbung]

5 hours ago, alittleoverpar said:

Oh there is one other thing that is annoying.  The guy who stripes his driver 150 yards down the middle of the fairway on a 525 yard par 5 and waits for the green to clear before hitting his secont shot.

 

 

Idk if "striping" is the correct term for dinking a drive 150 yards 😄 

[alittleoverpar]

On 6/23/2025 at 9:24 PM, parbung said:

Idk if "striping" is the correct term for dinking a drive 150 yards 😄 

 

I should have put striping in quotes!  

[Warrior42111]

On 6/23/2025 at 4:42 PM, alittleoverpar said:

Oh there is one other thing that is annoying.  The guy who stripes his driver 150 yards down the middle of the fairway on a 525 yard par 5 and waits for the green to clear before hitting his secont shot.

 

 

I can reach with a skulled LW 😁

[596]

We see this all the time at our course. Guy hasn't hit a tee shot with driver over 200 yards all day but he WILL wait from 280 yards for the green to clear. I guess he's being cautious in case he hits that 3 wood 280 off the deck.  

[Double Mocha Man]

8 minutes ago, 596 said:

We see this all the time at our course. Guy hasn't hit a tee shot with driver over 200 yards all day but he WILL wait from 280 yards for the green to clear. I guess he's being cautious in case he hits that 3 wood 280 off the deck.  

 

I don't wait from 280 yards but I do wait if there's better than a 50/50 chance of hitting the green. Having said that I do hate waiting because if I turn around I can see the guys on the tee fidgeting and asking the question, "What in the hell is he waiting for?"  Not to mention, one time in 20 you will top that shot because you're swinging out of your shoes. Now that is embarrassing.

[Bad9]

On 6/23/2025 at 5:42 PM, alittleoverpar said:

Oh there is one other thing that is annoying.  The guy who stripes his driver 150 yards down the middle of the fairway on a 525 yard par 5 and waits for the green to clear before hitting his secont shot.

 

 

 

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!