A posting on Facebook this AM from a neighboring Golf Course occasioned this. The neighbor course had, like many of us, established “twilight” rates to encourage play late in the day by persons who might be coming off work or who would be looking for the discount because of the economy. This has been standard industry procedure for a long time. It may be coming to an end. Courses all over the country have noted a coarsening on the part of some “golfers” that will affect all. It does not have anything to do with socioeconomic class. It reflects a inability to “self manage” when no one is looking. It does have a lot to do with a general “disrespect” for the rights and property of others. The cavalier attitude of some toward the course itself, equipment like carts, rental clubs, flags, and holes is astonishing. Simple, common sense rules like keeping power carts off tees and greens, out of conservation areas, and out of areas between greens and hazards are routinely ignored. It is rare indeed to find someone who actually looks for and repairs the ball mark left on the green by the approach shot. Vanishingly rare is the person that repairs someone else’s as well. It is becoming more common to find immense divots hacked from greens near the pin. It is even more common to experience theft of equipment, or deliberate vandalism to carts. Worse yet is the attitude of those confronted in the middle of such misbehavior, as if they were entitled to abuse the space played on because they had paid a greens and cart fee. One staff member at another course commented recently in a magazine article about reminding a foursome of golfers to fix their ball marks and being told, “No, that’s your job.” Other staff note being routinely “F” bombed or threatened physically upon warning players about misbehaviors. Coarse indeed.
The neighboring course has ended twilight rates because of the systemic disrespect of its space and equipment. Can’t fault them for that. I sincerely hope we will not have to follow suit at Argue-ment. I saw a dad teaching his son to fix a ball mark the other day… There is hope.
Behind the Scenes with Mark 