The Grumble Thread

[bkuehn1952]

Yesterday was the nicest day of the past week. Sunny with temperatures closing in on 50 degrees with little wind. With no one to join me, I wanted a course that was less crowded so as to not sit around watching guys teach their girl friend (or vice versa). Stonebridge had very few tee times reserved prior to Noon so off I went. Cruised around the front nine in a bit more than an hour (carting it) with the one foursome I encountered very accommodating with my playing through. Arrive on #10. Twosome in the fairway, foursome on the green. WTF!!!! I decided to jump and there is a foursome out in the fairway in #11 and a threesome on the green. I can see another group on #12 tee and zipping over to 13/14 see groups on #13 tee and the green. #14 has a single well back on the par 5 so I head to #15, which is open. Play that and find a foursome just leaving the par 3 16th tee so on I go to #17. I play 17 & 18. Then back to #10. I follow a twosome (who asked me to play through at the turn) on #11 and #12 when everything comes to a complete standstill. I headed home.

I know being a single in a three & foursome world is tough. No one was excited about adding me to their group and I don't really blame them. In the off season, as LB has correctly stated, golf groups are typically a closed society. Off season golf is the territory of loners and small groups of the deranged.

What really pisses me off is all the Johnny Come Lately guys who, upon seeing the busy front nine, decide to just go off #10. I have no problem with the odd single and twosome using a large gap on the back to jump off on #10. It is just plain wrong when a dozen groups decide to start on #10, clog up the back and make those of us who arrived there earlier wait. They pretty much gave me a collective middle finger.

So that is my grumble for today.

[legitimatebeef]

I hate that. I am accustomed to finishing the ninth hole, then approaching the tenth tee with fists clenched. I have actually had to lecture people on why it's rude to cut in like that. Sad but true. This is a failure of the golf course ultimately. You can't just have people teeing off wherever the hell they feel like. Great now I am ticked and my whole day is ruined.

[bkuehn1952]

Another grumble.

My "go to" course for the late season is Fox Hills. They have quite a complex with an 18 hole championship layout (closed now), a modern 18 hole par 3 (closed now) and three short nine holers, which remain open year round, weather permitting. The starting points for the three nines sort of runs counter clockwise (Hills, Woods, Lakes) and the "natural" starting point is the Hills. There are no written rules in the off season but everyone sort of understands that one starts on the Hills. One has to walk past the Hills first tee and go 50 yards further to the Woods first tee and then another 20 yards to the Lakes. The ninth green of the Hills is adjacent to the Woods first tee and the ninth green of the Woods is adjacent to the Lakes first tee. It is a very natural progression. Of course, if the Hills nine is packed, the only sensible thing is to start on one of the other nines. But when the Hills is open, that is the place to start.

As the first one on the course Sunday [started at 10:30], I was trucking along. While preparing to tee off on the 8th hole of the Hills. I saw a single golfer sauntering toward the tees. And then the SOB does the unthinkable!!! He wanders past the Hills and decides to start on the Woods. "So what", you say, you are two holes behind this guy. Yes, that is the totally rational response and I told myself to just play on and not worry about it. Still, I kept an eye on him. He spent a couple minutes "warming up." Then a few more minutes fiddling with his golf bag. Then he hit several shots from the tee. Finally he strolled slowly off the tee at about 2 mph. Grrrr. I was going to catch him in 1-2 holes. Plus, as I played #9, I kept imagining a group of a dozen or so hackers wandering in from the parking lot, making a beeline to the Woods and/or Lakes, and cutting me off from the open nines. It took a lot of control for me not to break into a sprint to finish #9 before the imagined horde appeared.

Well, it turned out he did not putt or chip, just hit tee shots and 2nd shots. He moved along extremely fast without playing around the greens. Premature ulcer inducing angst. And the mob of hackers never materialized. Guess it was too cold.

[legitimatebeef]

My "go to" course for the late season is Fox Hills. They have quite a complex with an 18 hole championship layout (closed now), a modern 18 hole par 3 (closed now) and three short nine holers, which remain open year round, weather permitting. The starting points for the three nines sort of runs counter clockwise (Hills, Woods, Lakes) and the "natural" starting point is the Hills. There are no written rules in the off season but everyone sort of understands that one starts on the Hills. One has to walk past the Hills first tee and go 50 yards further to the Woods first tee and then another 20 yards to the Lakes. The ninth green of the Hills is adjacent to the Woods first tee and the ninth green of the Woods is adjacent to the Lakes first tee. It is a very natural progression. Of course, if the Hills nine is packed, the only sensible thing is to start on one of the other nines. But when the Hills is open, that is the place to start.

I'll be honest, I got kind of lost trying to follow the logic here. Nevertheless--fuck that guy!!!

[DougE]

I have to grumble.

Now that the cold weather is setting in and golf rounds are slowing down to a crawl for most of us, or are even non-existent for a few, how about showing your faces around here a little more. For Christ's sake, there are supposedly 32 "members," yet I can count the guys that are here everyday on my two hands (or less). WHERE IS EVERYONE?

Oobgolf fell apart, SG360 has NO forum traffic and now here on Legitimategolf, I find that a full day can go by without anyone making a comment. BK tries his damndest to get the ball rolling. He does it here and has tried relentlessly at the other places too. I really appreciate that effort. I try too, but I don't want to be the guy everyone sees and says, "Oh, it's just HIM again."

I know, I'm whining, but I haven't worked in over a year now. Other than going to the golf course, and visiting the Team Titleist forums, this is about my only other social outlet. Sad, but true. I look forward to seeing all your big dumb faces (screen names) with new postings everyday. You guys are like family to me since so many of us started back at Oob. I do enjoy the Team Titleist forums because nobody gives me shit about my Titleist loyalty. They all get it over there. But, we aren't "friends" over there, like we all were at Oob, and now here. Posting to a thread over there, has to be approved, so things are not instantaneous. I like instant satisfaction.

I appreciate all of you who do contribute here, BUT I WANT MORE GODDAMMIT! Sometimes it gets so bad I have to go over to GolfWRX (the Grand Central Station of golf forums) to get my fix. Or MyGolfSpy. But here, at Legitimategolf, is the one place I really want to be.

I know, I know, I have too much time on my hands. And, most of you have other lives outside of golf and golf forums. I'm a sad specimen of a fanatical golf nut, who is ALWAYS up for talking golf with golf friends. I guess I just don't have enough of them to keep me satisfied.

I gotta get out more.

[legitimatebeef]

This guy gets it. I completely agree and also appreciate the passion of the Dougmeister (if god forbid something should happen to me, I think I'd want him to get the keys to this place.) Indeed would be wonderful to see more discussion here. But you cannot squeeze blood from a turnip. We are who we are, as golf messageboard posters at least. Some of us are voluble, most are not. What you gonna do. I think the only real solution here is some fresh blood. I keep hoping to attract persons like myself say five years ago, full of opinions and snot and passion for golf. Where are they? But we will get there Doug. Someday we will make online golf discussion great again.

I like the Golfwrx analogy, although I would say it's more like Penn Station. GCT is a pretty magnificent place, it sort of makes you feel like you are someone. It is full of classy commuters from all over upstate and New England. Penn Station on the other hand makes you feel like an insignificant turd, or at best a livestock in a herd (hey, that sounds like the start of a Kipling poem). At any given time it is full of Long Island people--enough said. So yeah Golfwrx while a good place to find active discussions on certain topics, is pretty nasty. There is a lot of bickering across a wide demographic, which I like to imagine as senior citizens going at it with spazzy teens, each not quite realizing who their adversaries are. And probably worst of all it is rife with mind numbing, repetitive bad humor. To top it all off you really have to watch your language. Sad!

[bkuehn1952]

... I don't want to be the guy everyone sees and says, "Oh, it's just HIM again."

Ha, ha , ha! Sorry Doug, that job is taken. That is my permanent position in life. I even post on oob and have conversations with the spammers - well okay, it is sort of one-sided.

Try this one out: http://thegolfgirl.blogspot.com/

[srogers13]

Doug, if you are not working, come to Alabama and play some golf.

[jasonfish11]

I also try to walk the fine line of posting enough to encourage conversation, and posting so much it becomes "oh it's him again".

Doug you haven't reached the 2nd stage yet. Now bk ugh

[DougE]

Beef: You are so right about GCS compared to Penn Station. And WRX is much more like Penn. My mistake. There truly is a lot of bickering going on over there, but like an addict, when I need a hit, I need a hit, even if it's not the good stuff I'm used to. Beggars can't be choosy. Plus I rarely voice my opinion there. They wouldn't take me seriously anyway. I'm not one of THEM. (My swingspeed is under 100.)

Let's have a new membership drive. Bring in a new member, get a free year's membership. (I know it's already free. Just don't remind anyone of that fact. :shh: )

I also try to walk the fine line of posting enough to encourage conversation, and posting so much it becomes "oh it's him again".

Doug you haven't reached the 2nd stage yet. Now bk ugh

I'll continue to work at making the 2nd stage. Let me know when I get close and I'll shut up.

Doug, if you are not working, come to Alabama and play some golf.

Like I said, I'm not working. That means no money to travel and play. (My course membership is already paid for and it's 500 yards from my house.) God, I need a job.

Ha, ha , ha! Sorry Doug, that job is taken. That is my permanent position in life. I even post on oob and have conversations with the spammers - well okay, it is sort of one-sided.

You do a great job at it. No matter how much I see your face, I am always interested to hear what you have to say. Even to the spammers. Keep up the good work.

[MattF]

I really only post replies for the most part, some, in my eyes, humourous and others not...just the way I am.

[DougE]

I really only post replies for the most part, some, in my eyes, humourous and others not...just the way I am.

And we're happy to have you either way, but might I interest you in a writing class? (Okay, just like you, some of my replies are humorous and some are not.)

[sjduffers]

I really only post replies for the most part, some, in my eyes, humourous and others not...just the way I am.

I tend to do that as well.

[CeeBee]

I have been busy as hell but free this weekend. Let's get it on Doug. Where and when.

[jfurr]

Rock on, Doug.

BTW I haven't finalized it but I'm still considering a trip up to MD in a couple months. But if not then definitely in '17.

[Duke of Hazards]

I'd like to post more, but I don't play enough golf. Although I'm kind of getting the bug again. I agree w/ beef that we need a few more characters in the mix.

[JPJ]

Yeah!

[MattF]

I really only post replies for the most part, some, in my eyes, humourous and others not...just the way I am.

And we're happy to have you either way, but might I interest you in a writing class? (Okay, just like you, some of my replies are humorous and some are not.)

[GBOGEY]

I feel for you Doug. I've been there, but work is so busy I can't even check the board regularly.

[legitimatebeef]

I would like to grumble about the people at the range. Over here they mostly fall into two groups: total newbies, or people who are veterans of golf but still suck. God help you if you need to purchase a ball card from the front desk because you will probably be stuck in line behind tourists as they hem and haw over which of the decrepit rental clubs they should pick. Once you get out to the firing line, if you've managed to break free from the tourist herds, good luck again finding a peaceful spot to practice, one that's free from loud-talking poseurs discussing the finer points of what they understand as ball-flight laws as they launch one weak thin shot after another, to some points in the distance that are not as far away as they believe them to be. One of these days man.

[legitimatebeef]

A couple weeks ago I was there chipping when this kid burst onto the scene, a sad caricature straight out of a bad comedy. Obnoxious rich kid probably on a school break--he had a Mercedes and a driver idling on the curb waiting for him. He was unaccompanied, but talked really loud as if everyone is listening to him. "OH I DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD A GREEN HERE," he announces. As I am the only other person there, I could feel my mental fists clenching up. He was practically glowing with radioactive douche energy. "HEY DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A CHIPPING CONTEST?" I shot back a no without even looking up. I finished my business and as I was leaving I saw him whooping and raising his arms to the sky as one of his chips grazed a hole. Stop the world, I want to get off.

[DougE]

Love your cheerfulness Beef. Brings a smile to my face whenever I read one of your little snippets on the various douchebags of the world. I can actually relate most of the time. Funny, when I worked in NYC many years ago, I developed a cynicism which has somewhat stayed with me ever since. So, I get it.

[jasonfish11]

Yeah living in Florida (aka South NY, or North Cuba depending who you talk to) I have a pretty well developed cynicism, and also enjoy your rants.

[bkuehn1952]

I heard a rumor that yesterday there was a big slow down in play at Worthington Manor GC. Seems like one of our members didn't play enough golf for 3 days in a row and decided to practice fairway bunker shots. Meanwhile, another member of this group decided to ditch work and play a quick 18 at Worthington and got stuck behind the practice boy.

Plus, they both shot in the 70's on a cold wet course.

Last time I checked, Friday is a work day AND people with serious health issues shouldn't exacerbate the problems with the health care system in the USA by playing too much golf.

So that is my grumble for today. And no, I am not jealous.

[DougE]

As my Asian friends at Worthington would say, "u-so-funny Meesta Brian San"