Et tu quet?.... then fall Ceasar

There is no penalty for being a jackass. 

We’ve all seen bad behavior on golf courses, even at the highest levels of competition.  Jordan Speith, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas (Brooks Koepka over the weekend) are four examples that easily come to mind in the last two months throwing clubs, breaking tee markers, endangering volunteers, and being the opposite of a role model.  Golf brings out the savage half of us and the anger and boorish behavior that it leads to can be really irritating.  I was playing a round with my son and a couple of his friends last Saturday and after a poor shot my son threw his 6 iron which clattered into the roof of our cart (with me in the driver’s seat).  That club could easily have done damage to the area from my neck up.  I wasn’t happy and my son knew it, and I’m hoping he learned to keep that from happening again.  The very first Rule in the Rules of Golf deals with Etiquette and Standards of Player Etiquette – yet this rule is the most often violated in the entire rule book.  The repercussions?  Except for truly egregious behavior in with a committee opts to disqualify a player (or in the PGA Tour a possible monetary penalty), there is no direct impact on the player’s scorecard.  There is no penalty for being a jackass.

Everyone has their stories – even in REGL league play.  As much as we try to have “fun”, the competition and the challenge of 9 holes of golf can boil over into something nasty.  Some nights you end up playing competitors who just by their very nature get under your skin.  Maybe they take way too much time getting ready to play a shot.  Maybe they feel the need to have a running commentary about their last shot that you really don’t want to have to hear more than 40 times around the nine holes.  Maybe they’re having a tough time hitting the ball.  Maybe they can’t stand their playing partner or their playing partner didn’t show up.  Maybe they don’t know the rules of golf or misconstrue a local rule.  Maybe their personal lives are spilling over to the golf course and you have to hear a fight with their wife over the cell phone during the match while you’re trying to play your shot.   Maybe they’re deliberately sandbagging their way to the clubhouse after torching you.  Maybe they just laughed at your last pathetic shot.  Unfortunately, over 18 years in this golf league, I’ve seen and heard a little bit of everything. 

I’d like to think I’ve tried to make the best of the time I have to play.  I do try to block out the bad behavior, but it’s just damn hard.  Just like this game is just damn hard.

I know it can be confrontational, but if you are bothered enough to be upset out on the golf course, I would suggest letting the offender know that you’ve been offended.  Sometimes a conversation is enough to air grievances and recognize differences and something can be saved from a bad event.  Another alternative (if you can’t address the behavior on the golf course) is to collect your thoughts after the round and provide a list of grievances to your captain to share with the league commissioner.

I got an email from the commish last week regarding some poor behavior by a player in a different division.  The opposing team he played had to put up with a lot to finish their round without resorting to planting him in Romney Creek.  These are the types of things that the commissioner of this golf league is forced to deal with.  It’s a thankless job and doesn’t even pay well (a $0 salary!) – but in order to hold this league every week, someone must step up.  Next time you see Brian Finley (or emeritus commissioners like Steve Hensley and Larry Burton), you owe them a pat on the back. 

Anyway, Brian was looking to the executive committee for recommendations for dealing with the behavior, and unfortunately, the options are limited.  Basically, (I will repeat) there are no penalties for being a jackass.  I believe Brian will be talking to the captain of the team in question, but all he can ask for is an improvement in the behavior of the player in question.  Maybe it will have an impact.  Maybe it won’t. 

If the number of conduct complaints increase, I’d suggest a local rule describing a REGL Code of Conduct.  The advantage of that local rule would be to provide associated penalties with infractions against Rule 1.  Without the local rule, the only option really open to the REGL committee (as discussed previously) is disqualification for serious misconduct (the rules of golf define this as “player behavior that is so far removed from what is expected in golf that the most severe sanction of removing a player from the competition is justified”).  Other poor behavior might not reach the level of “serious misconduct”, but might be unwelcome, offensive, and actionable.  If such a local rule were enacted, I’d think that the two captains might have to present their sides of the story and a subset of the Executive Committee would be asked to rule on the conduct.

Before I get off the soap box for this week, let me offer some helpful hints regarding expectations of golf etiquette.

-          Take care of the course!  If you’re in a bunker, rake it after you’ve completed your shot (or shots).  If you make a ball mark – fix it on the green and fix it correctly.  Or fix two or twenty (while not impeding the pace of play)!  If you take a divot – replace with the mix on your cart (if there’s any in there…) or find the removed piece of sod and replace it.  Do something to enhance the golf course that you play.  We all like to grouse about conditions of the course, but if we all spent a little time each round making it better, it WOULD be better.  A few years ago (after captains were complaining about the condition of the bunkers), I proposed that each team should rake the bunkers of the hole preceding the start of their competition for the night – thereby guaranteeing that each bunker would be freshly prepared for play.  Not received well, but still a great idea and something you can easily do while you’re practicing on route to your hole for the night.

-          Have respect for the people you’re playing with.  If they’re trying to make a stroke, be still and silent.  Stand away from the player’s line of vision and know that standing directly behind someone’s line of play is often irritating. Encourage them for good shots and don’t disparage them for the bad.  Appear at your designated tee box and be READY to play.  Be READY to play your next shot as soon as you can.  Help each other find balls, help rake sandtraps if you’ve been given your putt and don’t have anything to do.  Learn each other’s names and if they like talking during the round, take time to get to know them.  If you think your ball might be in or near someone’s line, offer to mark it.  If someone likes the flagstick out, offer to remove it.  By helping each other, rounds will go faster.  If the beer cart stops by, offer to buy for the group.  If there’s confusion on a rule or difference of opinion on a hole score, talk it out.   Shake hands before and after a match.  Simple courtesy will go a long way to guarantee that there are no ill feelings walking out to the parking lot.

-          Hold yourself to a high standard of integrity.  If you know you’ve just violated a rule, share the violation and hold yourself accountable.  There are no referees in our sport – you are EXPECTED to be truthful and honest.

-          Know the rules.  Get a rule book and a list of the REGL local rules!  Read the rule book and the REGL rules until you understand them.  Lack of knowledge is not excusable or acceptable in our game.