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Range etiquette

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dizzyg12

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Was at the range yesterday trying to relax and work on a few things. Was hitting well until a couple of guys showed up and talked non stop for the entire time they were there. Myself and 2 other guys left the range and went to the chipping area just to get away from it. The minute they got there my swing fell apart and I couldn't hit a shot for the life of me. I was close to saying something but it was Friday late in the day and I didn't want too ruin my night by getting into it with anyone. Then at the chipping area a guy was using his own balls to practice which I understand why and he was the only one at the time but then when myself and the other 2 guys came over he continued to hit his 4 balls up and then walk onto the green to retrieve them forcing us all to wait. There's a reason that there's 100 yellow range balls littering the green. Take a hint dude!

I don't understand how some people can be completely oblivious and/or just don't give a ****?

End rant.


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My local range is a driving range/mini golf facility so this kind of behaviour is to be expected.
Groups of young guys/girls like to hang out, drink, and smoke there so I'm used to it. I usually just chat them up if they're close or ignore them if they are far away, but I guess I'm just used to it.

If I want a serious practice session with zero distractions I go to the range at an actual course.
 
I understand the frustration of people not doing/acting like you want/expect. But unless there are signs that say quiet then they are fine. You could of asked then to keep it down if they were excessively loud, but if it was normal conversation level then I see no issue.

Being able to ignore/block out constant noise is part of the game IMO. The sudden noise is hard but constant/consistent noise will always be there.

What happens when your playing and someone is having a bar b q and their yard backs up to the course?

I can see the annoyance with the guy on the chipping area using his own balls. Unless he was hitting at the same pin as you were then I'm not sure why you had to stop and wait. The two practice greens at my home course are large enough for me to hit to a pin while some one is on the green at the other end.
 
I am with you with the excessive talking loud. I had the same thing happen a week ago. I don't care if people talk and chat it up but I'm my situation it was non stop and the two talking we're about four spots away from each other so they were talking extremely loud and I of course was on of the people in between.

The other range issue I have is kids. I LOVE seeing parents bring their kids but they need to control them and keep them safe. The day before the above I had an issue where I was in between a family of three well in order to get from her mother to her father the little
Girl would literally run in front of me to get from one station to another. After it happened the first time I ignored it the second time I was addressing the ball about to hit so I offered to just switch spots with the mother . She said there was no reason to and they were fine. I was not mean about it at all just concerned I was going to hit their little girl.




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You could look at it as mental training, trying to focus with distractions. The chipping though, how long did you have to wait for him to pick up 4 balls? Tat shouldn't have been too bad at all. At least you weren't at work.

JM
 
I don't know. I'm indifferent on the people talking at the range. I guess I just expect it. I was at my courses range late last night, and there was a couple of women I was hitting next too who was just there to beat on balls and have a couple of drinks and chat. Didn't bother me one bit, there is also a fairly traveled road that backs up to the tee of the range so their is constantly cars going by. But I never listen to any of it. I hear it, but don't listen to it. Its just back ground noise that I tune out and don't focus on. Its really a great way to work on focus.

The shortgame area, I can understand what you are getting at, but its nothing to bent out of shape about. If there is someone there already, I just do what they are doing. If they are chipping, then I will chip. If they are hitting pitch shots, then I will hit pitches. I kind of feel like the person that was there first has the right of way to continue to what they are doing, without my interferance.
 
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Normal talking on the range doesn't bother me. There was a range close (before it shut down) that was barely 20 ft off a very busy street with a small industrial park just off. Also had mini-golf on site. You had plenty of distractions to worry about other than people talking. If two people next to each other wanted to carry on a normal convo, it was fine with me. Just have to learn to eliminate distractions. To me, as long as the noise is constant and happening before I address the ball, I'm fine with it. A new noise after addressing, I get flattered.

But if it's like you said, where the people holding the conversation are 4 stalls between each other, and yelling across 2-3 people, is rather rude IMO. But still, golf isn't played inside a dome/arena. There are ALWAYS strange noises going on.
 
There's a reason why my ipod and headphones are always in my golf bag when I go to the driving range. It's a driving range that's attached to a mini golf course so there are a bunch of kids and teenagers they are all the time. I can just listen to music and not have to hear all of the chatter and conversation around me.
 
I understand the frustration but I've been on both sides. Sometimes it's nice to joke around with a buddy and other times focus is key. I carry headphones in my bag so I can listen to music if I need to keep focused when there are other distractions.

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Johnny mojo said:
You could look at it as mental training, trying to focus with distractions. The chipping though, how long did you have to wait for him to pick up 4 balls? Tat shouldn't have been too bad at all. At least you weren't at work.

JM
Click to expand...

I agree. Turn the noise into something to try and work through. It is like practicing in the rain, sucks but it needs to be done.
 
I don't see an issue with what either guy did.
 
I am not sure either one was really something to get really upset about. I mean if the guys were yelling and screaming and playing tag on the hitting area I can see your point. Not everyone goes to the range to really work on something and get better, a lot of people just go hit to have something to do outside.

As far as the chipping, what does it matter if he is using his own balls? You shouldn't have to wait for him to go and get the balls and continue. Find a ball on the green already and hit to that or something. If he was there first why do you get to tell him how he should practice?
 
Doesn't bother me in the least unless they are getting in my box for some reason. I've had that because they were muffing the ball in front of my box and reaching over to get balls. For some reason once I am hitting balls I don't really hear what's going on around me. Comes from playing with my buddies who chit chat around the tee and will give you a hard time. :) I just don't hear people talking. I've seen plenty of people with head phones on listening to music to keep the noise at bay.


dizzyg12 said:
Was at the range yesterday trying to relax and work on a few things. Was hitting well until a couple of guys showed up and talked non stop for the entire time they were there. Myself and 2 other guys left the range and went to the chipping area just to get away from it. The minute they got there my swing fell apart and I couldn't hit a shot for the life of me. I was close to saying something but it was Friday late in the day and I didn't want too ruin my night by getting into it with anyone. Then at the chipping area a guy was using his own balls to practice which I understand why and he was the only one at the time but then when myself and the other 2 guys came over he continued to hit his 4 balls up and then walk onto the green to retrieve them forcing us all to wait. There's a reason that there's 100 yellow range balls littering the green. Take a hint dude!

I don't understand how some people can be completely oblivious and/or just don't give a ****?

End rant.
Click to expand...
 
Just seems normal to me. Everyone talks on the range and near me everyone uses their own balls for chipping and putting. We dont have range balls there so it just seems like the norm to wait for people. Never really thought anything of it. I wouldn't be annoyed with those guys at all but thats just my opinion
 
Range etiquette

This range talk wouldn't bother me at all. Then again, ddec and I were at the range Tuesday night, and I'm pretty sure we would've been distracting anyone who would've been brave enough to be out there hitting alongside us. It's not that we weren't working on things, but playing around with the SC100 and joking and laughing. Guess in used to it.

The practice chipping/pitching thing might get a little old. Three guys having to wait for one to retrieve his balls is a bit douchey.
 
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Can't say I see anything too out of the ordinary in the OP based on the ranges I go to. It just happens. There are a lot of people who just go to the range to goof off, you have to just learn to ignore it. Likewise with the guy who kept getting his balls, just have to go with it or hit away from him if possible. Sort of like just dealing with a slow playing partner, can't let it affect you.
 
golfinFF said:
I understand the frustration of people not doing/acting like you want/expect. But unless there are signs that say quiet then they are fine. You could of asked then to keep it down if they were excessively loud, but if it was normal conversation level then I see no issue.

Being able to ignore/block out constant noise is part of the game IMO. The sudden noise is hard but constant/consistent noise will always be there.

What happens when your playing and someone is having a bar b q and their yard backs up to the course?

I can see the annoyance with the guy on the chipping area using his own balls. Unless he was hitting at the same pin as you were then I'm not sure why you had to stop and wait. The two practice greens at my home course are large enough for me to hit to a pin while some one is on the green at the other end.
Click to expand...

I should note that they weren't just having a soft conversation. Clearly they were playing "catch up" on their lives and cracking jokes and laughing like school girls. Look I'm on of you want to chat or have a soft conversation but gear guys were talking as if they were in a loud bar and shouting over music. They were in the spot right next to me and every other spot was taken. Out of probably 25 spots, It was enough to drive 4 of us away.


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I may be odd. But it still doesn't bother me
 
Playdough said:
I don't know. I'm indifferent on the people talking at the range. I guess I just expect it. I was at my courses range late last night, and there was a couple of women I was hitting next too who was just there to beat on balls and have a couple of drinks and chat. Didn't bother me one bit, there is also a fairly traveled road that backs up to the tee of the range so their is constantly cars going by. But I never listen to any of it. I hear it, but don't listen to it. Its just back ground noise that I tune out and don't focus on. Its really a great way to work on focus.

The shortgame area, I can understand what you are getting at, but its nothing to bent out of shape about. If there is someone there already, I just do what they are doing. If they are chipping, then I will chip. If they are hitting pitch shots, then I will hit pitches. I kind of feel like the person that was there first has the right of way to continue to what they are doing, without my interferance.
Click to expand...

As for the chipping area, sure he was their first but that shouldn't mean I have to suffer through the idiocy of him standing or walking through the green every 4 shots to get his balls. It is a very small chipping green to being with and that just holds up everyone.

I'm over it though. Not that I lost any sleep. Just thought it was kind of rude on both counts but maybe I am being too sensitive?

Good advice on the iPods though!


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Excessive talking, talking on the cell phone is annoying. Last year a grandpa was there with his 2 grand kids loudly berating them, telling them to stop doing what heir gold instructor was telling them, they had to listen to him or no McDonald's....

On top of that, grandpa sucked. Never hit a ball bore than a few feet off the deck. I hate parents yelling at their kids at the range.
 
blugold said:
I don't see an issue with what either guy did.
Click to expand...

Gotta agree with you here dude. My pops and I like to take practice seriously and get some work in, that being said we're both vocal in talking with each other, backing off on shots, taking our time and having a good time while practicing. I don't see any issue with anyone at the range. If someone wants to go and beat balls for fun and have a good time and BS the whole time, more power to them. They paid just as much as any other patron who paid to hit balls as long as they aren't doing anything destructive to the range have at it IMO.
 
I don't think either of the situations would bother me

I get loud duds all the time at my range just put my head down and ignore them
As for the chipping area i too also always use my own ball range balls don't spin the same way that game balls do and practice should try to simulate rounds as close as possible
 
I wear headphones at the range.


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I usually have headphones on while at the range, noise generally doesn't bother me though but I feel that music helps me keep my tempo in check.
 
It might be rude, but not rude enough to be upset about it. Unless your basically on tour, your never going to have a true "quiet" shot. Always going to be noises, just a different way to deal with it.
 
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