Time for a good battle of words with a fellow blogger. Don’t you hate it when bloggers kow-tow to each other, avoiding a toe-stomp? Well, none of that here at TG. Why, I remember back in the day when I used to argue with Old McDonald and Bold-Whine about … well, actually I forget. No matter. Here you have today’s tift: I wrote a response to CB Maxwell’s maiden blog, where he told us every stinking, unimportant detail of his life, except what brand of toilet paper he favors (I’m told it’s Charmin.) My retort went like this:

“and the lack of civility in many of today’s daily fee players are ruining the gentle and noble game I grew up playing.”

This sort of comment raises my hackles, as it lacks the proper clarification needed to situate it within the scope of your philosophy. If you are referring to public-course golfers as a whole, in broad-sweeping, umbrella-term fashion, then you are incorrect. Public golf has always been a yan to the private club’s ying. One cannot exist. much less thrive, without the other.

If you have specific experiences that represent the norm, or the exception to the norm, then out with them! Don’t fan the flames without tossing a log or two on the fire. Other than that, the Phil comment seemed a bit staged and quite unjustified. Guts? Stamina? I see that you worked for FEEL Golf, but nowhere does it say “Callaway” on your resume. Besides the visibile gut, Phil seems to have what it takes to win majors with Tiger lurking (2005 PGA and 2006 Masters.)

So today, old acronym himself responds with this:

Hmmmm….lemme think. Golfers cutting in front of your group on 10
without asking. Golfers who hit into you without apology. Golfers
who don’t rake the bunkers. Golfers who won’t let singles player in
a cart play through a walking foursome. Golfers who start fights
with others who hit into them. Golfers who steal golf clubs while
you are posting your score. Golfers who sandbag to take home
hardware in tournaments. Golfers who talk during your setup during
tournament play. Golfers who are blocked from view and then yell at
you when you hit into them accidentally, even when you apologise.
Golfers who are late for their tee time, but then believe they have
the right to go ahead of your group who IS on time. Golfers who pick
up your ball when you hit in the wrong fairway and then act like you
lost it. Golfers who hit two or three shots and practice putting
while you wait in the fairway, just because they might have a wait
ahead of them on the next tee…and act like!
it doesn’t matter. Enough discourtesy for you RON MAN?

I guess that the gentry should stay with the gentry, then. If you grow up playing public golf, none of the above really bothers you. Lock your clubs in your car if you’re worried, or leave one of your foursome to stand guard. Yelling is part of the game, so learn to yell back or learn to appease the angry. If they grab your ball when you slice it into their turf, yell at them! Guys who fight with other golfers can also be appeased, so always carry a spare soda to appease them. Nothing quiets an angry golfer like a soda. If ‘m a single in a cart, and a four won’t let me through, I freaking skip a hole and go around them! What are they going to do, chase me? That’s why I’m in a cart. If they cut in front of you on 10, report it to the starter, then hit into them, start yelling at them, start a fight with them, pick their ball up and pretend it’s lost, and finally, play through them with your cart!!!

Ahh, I feel so much better. Who’s my next target?

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