A bad day of golf leads to a question of etiquette

[JSurmann]

They have no obligation to offer a playthrough, especially if you didn't ask. Maybe they don't even know about playing through. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I think your behavior was completely unacceptable. Throwing into them, even if you knew they were safe, is a far worse breach of etiquette than making a singleton cool his heels a little bit.

I agree with you here. If you don't ask, they may not know you want to play through. In many solo rounds, I catch up to people and if, I'm not in a hurry, I just throw a few tee shots and slow down my pace.

Even if you "know you won't hit them", all it takes is one bad tree bounce or skip and it could have gotten ugly.

 

[mrstiggy]

To the OP: I am curious to know if you threw on them (accidently or otherwise) before you got to that first tee with them. The fact that you were already there before a threesome finished teeing off makes me think you did. If that is the case then justice was served by making you wait.

I do not believe I thew on them accidently or otherwise. I saw them as I passed them on the zig zagging course on 10 as they were playing 11, they also saw me and knew I was coming alone. Being that every shot at Z-boaz on the back nine has some level of blindness, if they were concerned with getting thrown on, the right thing to to would have been to offer a play through or at least a "Clear on X!"

These people were smug from my first approach on them on 12 and I did not start throwing on them till they failed to even greet me on 3 holes. I still am of the opinion that they were bigger dicks. Besides, if I was upset about someone throwing on me, I would have said something on those 3 tee-box meetings before I started throwing on them.

Also, one last note, I was intentionally thowing short on them, I did not want anyone to get hurt. I actually was using my putter most of the time, making sure I was always 75' short of them till the end. I never came with in 80' of them.

 

[mrstiggy]

One last note.. I do appreciate the input of people saying I was the bigger d-bag here, so dont take me wrong, I am just trying to defend my opinion.

These people had been playing long enough to understand what a play through was, I could tell by their throws they were hardly new, and were certainly not 1 disc first timers.

 

[Guurn]

I start rounds solo a lot. When that happens, and it is very rare around here, I just skip a hole. Usually when I do that I shank a drive and they end up playing past me, but that is just the quality of my game.

 

[Moify]

They just sounded like a bag of douches. I find myself all the time being friendly to people who don't give two craps about saying hello, so I feel you there. It's definitely frustrating, especially when you are respectful and wait.

At that point, if I don't get an offer to play through, like GLong said, I would just jump a hole ahead, especially if you're playing faster. I have a hard time convincing myself to throw onto people, as my inconsistencies may lead to an unconscious disc golf patron. But hey, if you nailed one of the big guys in the head, I'm sure you could take on the punk chick and her fatty mc-goo friend on by yourself.

As far as I'm concerned, they earned you nipping at their heels, but just skip ahead at that point, and if they pick up their pace in spite of you, just join them and don't say a word to them.

 

[slicemaster]

Bottom line, you tried to be friendly, they were dicks. My best trick for dealing with these db's, if possible, is to replay the last two holes. Equals more disc golf for you and you won't have to deal with idiots.

Speaking of playing thru....This happens to me constantly and surely I'm not the only one. I play 90% of my rounds solo so playing thru happens quite a bit with me. For some reason no matter how I am doing, if a group lets me play thru I will inevitably have the worst hole possible. I could have birdie every hole and having the best round of my life but if someone says "Go ahead man play thru, I f*ing lost it. Just lamenting I guess.

 

[giles]

Sorry guys, if you want me to let you play through, you should ask me, if not I'm going to assume you are hanging back for a reason and leave you alone.
If I'm asked, I'll let you play through, ulness the course is busy and the reason you keep catching me is because I'm waiting on every hole also. In that case, just because you are alone doesn't mean you get to play through every group and make it that much longer of a round for everyone else.
Sometimes I'll ask people to join my group, sometimes I will not. When I was playing every day, I'd always give the option to join us. Now that I play 3 times a week at the most, and normally just 1 round a week, I'm less inclined to share that time with someone I don't know.
I've also got a toddler, who is either with me, so we don't want to be slowed down or not with me so I don't what to be slowed down, because someone else is watching our kid.
Your chance of playing through also goes down on/after hole 16 of 18.

 

[nohr]

As I take the bench,

If a solo guy comes up and plops on the bench this is a sign to me that he doesn't want to play through.

I congratulate the last thrower on a good toss and give them the proverbial "hows it goin?". They fail to acknowledge both my compliment and my greeting. I sit patiently and wait for them to finish 12. As I approach 13, they are just completing their tee-off again. Again, I throw out there they good ol "how ya doin?" Still no acknowledgement, and the procede down the fairway. 14, the same story, a hello and and ignore. Anyone that has played Z-boaz before knows that there are a bunch of blind shots on the back nine. After 3 holes of not being offered an existence of my presence, nor offered a play through, or even a "Clear on 13!" I start throwing as soon as they are out of site, maybe now they will recognize me?

Are you sure they could hear? There is a whole deaf disc golf association with alot of active players.

Regardless if they could hear or not. A simple "Can I play through?" is almost always meet by "Yea no worries". And please when you play through do it quickly and only take one shot. No practice shots.

 

[mrstiggy]

If a solo guy comes up and plops on the bench this is a sign to me that he doesn't want to play through.



Are you sure they could hear? There is a whole deaf disc golf association with alot of active players.

Regardless if they could hear or not. A simple "Can I play through?" is almost always meet by "Yea no worries". And please when you play through do it quickly and only take one shot. No practice shots.

I greeted before sitting down, I really dont think they were deaf, they heard me loud and clear when I defended myself.

Thanks for the input though.

 

[xdzt]

If nothing else, it's easy to look at this from intent. They acted out of inconsideration, you acted out of anger. I would argue from that, solely, your's was the greater transgression.

As for them not talking to you: I would've ignored you too. I DON'T ENJOY TALKING TO WEIRDO STRANGERS. It makes me uncomfortable and if people tried to engage me every time I went disc golfing, I would quickly stop playing. It may be rude, but you certainly don't have any right to a returned greeting. The notion that people should exchange pleasantries simply because they happen to be in geographically similar locations at a particular time is a social construct the importance of which you've inflated in your head.

 

[mjoyce]

Sorry guys, if you want me to let you play through, you should ask me, if not I'm going to assume you are hanging back for a reason and leave you alone.

I understand but disagree, if I catch you on the tee box you can at least offer out of courtesy. And I can decline and wait if those are my intentions. I guess I can also ask but sometimes it feels rude to ask especially in the type of situation described above. He offered a hello, how you doing, nice throw you had there and was ignored.

If I'm asked, I'll let you play through, ulness the course is busy and the reason you keep catching me is because I'm waiting on every hole also. In that case, just because you are alone doesn't mean you get to play through every group and make it that much longer of a round for everyone else.

This. We all wish we could play through or around the group of chuckers that's holding up the entire course.

And yeah if I catch up to you on 16,or 17, there's no reason to play through IMO. If it's a blind hole though can we please get a "CLEAR ON X" Makes it so much easier and you don't run the risk of being thrown on.

I've only run into this type of problem once or twice but those times the course was pretty crowded and it wasn't a group of 3 or 4 decent rec players. It was with a group 7 or 8 guys throwing lids taking their sweet time

To the OP: I think they were douches for not offering to let you play through but I don't think the right thing to do was throw on them. Even if you did take care to only throw your putter and not get close to them. I like to avoid confrontation on the DG course. I play a lot of ice hockey. There's enough confrontaiton going on on the rink for me I don't need any on the course.

 

[mrstiggy]

If nothing else, it's easy to look at this from intent. They acted out of inconsideration, you acted out of anger. I would argue from that, solely, your's was the greater transgression.

As for them not talking to you: I would've ignored you too. I DON'T ENJOY TALKING TO WEIRDO STRANGERS. It makes me uncomfortable and if people tried to engage me every time I went disc golfing, I would quickly stop playing. It may be rude, but you certainly don't have any right to a returned greeting. The notion that people should exchange pleasantries simply because they happen to be in geographically similar locations at a particular time is a social construct the importance of which you've inflated in your head.

I dont enjoy talking to weirdo strangers either, not like I was asking them to engage in a sit down about politics in America. I was being polite, where I come from they teach us this little thing called "manors". There is no reason not to return a "g'day" unless the guy is carrying an axe.

By the way, by posting in the forum you are talking to a bunch of weirdo strangers.

 

[Thumber]

You got to play 2 different courses yesterday and the best thing you could think to do was write an account of the mean people out there? Man, if that is all the justification it takes I am going to write a novel about how wrong it is that I had to come to work on a beautiful sunny day. PLUS, someone stepped on my foot on the bus. The HORROR!!!!

 

[Giv'r]

I don't see why a group of 3 HAS to let a solo player play through. It would be the polite thing to do though, but unless they lose a disc or are just generally slow they should be able to finish each hole fairly quickly.

One thing you should never do though, is throw on a hole that someone hasn't finished up on. Even if they are out of range. It's not just about hitting them with a disc. It may make them feel rushed and throw them off their game a bit. Then they will likely be pissed off and not let you play through.

For the record, I would've just let you play through.

 

[Cradical]

When I find myself in those situations, I take time to throw 5 or 6 discs on each hole. That way I get more practice and I don't have to wait on the next hole.

 

[mrstiggy]

When I find myself in those situations, I take time to throw 5 or 6 discs on each hole. That way I get more practice and I don't have to wait on the next hole.

If I ever find myself in that situation again, I think I am going to do that... my round was already blown when I ran into those a-holes.


I still say those people should be tried and convicted of douchebaggery. Disc golf competitive or not, at the end of the day it should be all about getting outdoors and having fun.

 

[Moify]

Man why are people so negative on this forum? Just let the dude rant and agree with him, haha.

 

[mrstiggy]

Man why are people so negative on this forum? Just let the dude rant and agree with him, haha.

meh, not really looking for agreements, and I have plenty to take away from this discussion, like I said, next time in that sit, I will prolly just play 5 discs per drive and be my own group of 3.

 

[jasonc]

If I ever find myself in that situation again, I think I am going to do that... my round was already blown when I ran into those a-holes.

That's what I do...why not take an opportunity to try out something new...whether its a new type of shot (chicken wing, turbo, grenade to name a few) or a new disc in your bag???

I still say those people should be tried and convicted of douchebaggery. Disc golf competitive or not, at the end of the day it should be all about getting outdoors and having fun.

Anytime I am in a group and there is a smaller group or solo player on my heels, I always ask if they want to play thru unless there are groups on every hole.

While they should have asked, as it is common courtesy in our great sport, you had options as well. I'm sure it was a good learning experience for ya!

 

[mjoyce]

Anytime I am in a group and there is a smaller group or solo player on my heels, I always ask if they want to play thru unless there are groups on every hole.

While they should have asked, as it is common courtesy in our great sport, you had options as well. I'm sure it was a good learning experience for ya!

I feel like this is pretty much what everyone should do :thmbup: