Driving Range Etiquette
Driving Range Etiquette
Had a guy start talking to me on the range yesterday, and it was the first time I was uncomfortable with the interaction. He wouldn't stop talking and would say bizarre things. I would hit a drive and he would say, "good shot, that almost went 150." Either he couldn't see well or just wanted to bug me. Then while I was swinging he would start telling me about the deal he got on golf tees or bag. This went on and on. Ugh
Had a guy start talking to me on the range yesterday, and it was the first time I was uncomfortable with the interaction. He wouldn't stop talking and would say bizarre things. I would hit a drive and he would say, "good shot, that almost went 150." Either he couldn't see well or just wanted to bug me. Then while I was swinging he would start telling me about the deal he got on golf tees or bag. This went on and on. Ugh
Philly Golf Guy
#PGG
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2012
- Messages
- 9,103
- Reaction score
- 7
- Handicap
- USGA 14
No one's ever asked and it's surprising to me there's people out there that would ask without knowing you. I'd never ask and like to do my own thing at the range.
op asks about range etiquette and asking to hit someone else's clubs, but i have a different range etiquette question. thought this would be an appropriate thread for the question.
my least favorite range occurrence happened today. at the range this afternoon, two girls came up to hit next to me. they seemed to be early high school age, and acted on the more immature side. a blonde girl was giving some instruction to the brunette, and the brunette mentioned several times it was her first time ever at the range.
golf is hard. if you've never swung a club before, making contact is not easy. it should be celebrated. but the blonde told the brunette over and over all the things she was doing wrong, using negative words, getting frustrated with her, and generally making the entire experience miserable.
i wanted so badly to tell the brunette that she should be proud of herself for trying something new and making some decent contact, and to tell the blonde to keep things simple and be encouraging. ultimately i kept my mouth shut.
what would you do?
my least favorite range occurrence happened today. at the range this afternoon, two girls came up to hit next to me. they seemed to be early high school age, and acted on the more immature side. a blonde girl was giving some instruction to the brunette, and the brunette mentioned several times it was her first time ever at the range.
golf is hard. if you've never swung a club before, making contact is not easy. it should be celebrated. but the blonde told the brunette over and over all the things she was doing wrong, using negative words, getting frustrated with her, and generally making the entire experience miserable.
i wanted so badly to tell the brunette that she should be proud of herself for trying something new and making some decent contact, and to tell the blonde to keep things simple and be encouraging. ultimately i kept my mouth shut.
what would you do?
Only friend or acquaintances that obviously have a few demo clubs from the pro shop down on the range. I've spent enough time at the range the last 18 months that I've had plenty of other regulars ask me if I want to hit their new driver or 3 wood.
definitely the smart thing to do, but the range was packed on an absolutely stunning day today. and i was mostly through the bucket at that point.
teed-off
Active member
The range is a public space, you pay your money, you hit your balls. You went there to work on your game, why would you care what goes on in the next stall.
Live with it or go home.
MBurnham
Active member
I don't think he was angry about it. He was just asking if he should have said something. Personally, no, I wouldn't have said anything to them. I just would have gone about my business.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
username checks out lol
i happen to think the vast majority of people who quit golf do so because it is so hard. i'm someone who enjoys encouraging others, and thinking maybe that encouragement will keep them coming back to the game. so when i see someone with enough courage to try golf for the first time, and the person attempting to introduce them to the game is showering them with negativity and frustration, i find it discouraging. you can see that i chose to abide by your former suggestion and did nothing. i just wonder whether the brunette will ever try golf again, and if not whether the outcome would have been different had the blonde been more patient and encouraging.
luvagoodshot
New member
I personally have never asked a stranger if I could try one of their clubs, but a while back this guy next to me at the range was observing me hit a new club I just purchased walked over to me and said, "I noticed you're really hitting that club pretty good, do you mind if I try it?"
Unhesitantly, I said sure, go ahead and see what you can do with it. And then we started chatting about golf and what courses we each play on a regular basis. I have to admit I am the sort of person that welcomes conversation from other people. I have got to know some really nice people by being willing to converse with individuals that cross my path.
I find there are enough people out there that are so stand-offish that they won't even return your hello, and I find that sad.
PizzaBear
New member
Had something similar happen to me the other day. I was the only one in the range, 2 guys show up and decide they should go in the two stalls next to me (annoying enough but they are behind me so I can't see them) One of them obviously had just got a new package set and was learning to play, guy with him thought he was top **** and was bragging the whole time. Don't think I saw him hit the ball the same direction twice and was teaching his friend so many bad habits
I was the victim of unsolicited advice on the range today lol. I ripped 3 drives in a row with a nice small fade and this old Asian guy pops up and says "your backswing is too short. Ball go right".
I sort of just looked at him and away he went. Very odd lol.
I sort of just looked at him and away he went. Very odd lol.
Chase
Pro V1 Kenobi
Haha. That almost made me spit out my drink.
ASN21
#TeamTaylorMade
Lol! I had a guy come up to me today and tell me that he hates 3 woods and has an amazing 16 degree hybrid. Then he proceeded to ask me my handicap and then tell me he was a 3. Man you meet some of the strangest folks at the range. I think I'm gonna start wearing headphones.
theoverswinger
New member
I haven't had that happen to me and if it did, I wouldn't mind lending him unless he didn't know how to hit. I don't think I look like the approachable type so that solves my problem. 
deuce
Grenade!
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
- Messages
- 17,203
- Reaction score
- 218
Someone urinate in your Corn Flakes this morning?
As to the actual question ... tough call. You're likely to have both teenage girls rip your head off. I'd be tempted to say something, but then again I might not. Would probably depend on the mood I was in that day and whether or not I felt like dealing with teenagers.
Deano
Member
Can't say I've ever been asked by a stranger but I have let friends swing my clubs. Most recently when I got my new 917, my mate hit a few, no problem at all with that.
When I've had lessons the pro's normally ask to have a swing with my irons as they're Benross, to see how they play and again, I've never said no.
When I've had lessons the pro's normally ask to have a swing with my irons as they're Benross, to see how they play and again, I've never said no.
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2016
- Messages
- 2,372
- Reaction score
- 250
- Handicap
- 15.9
I've never had that happen at the range but at the start of a lesson last week with a new teacher, he grabs my new M2 driver and says let's see if the club is faulty. He then blasts like 4 balls dead straight about 260-270 carry, hands me the driver and says it'd not the clubs fault. lol.
Personally, I would have said something encouraging, but I'm also a high school math teacher so I deal with teenagers struggling all the time. Lol. Seriously though, there is nothing wrong with giving some words of encouragement to a first timer that is showing any signs of improvement during a range session.
i should clarify that i don't mind at all that someone came to hit next to me. i don't mind that they were immature teenagers. i don't mind that they were talking. what bothers me is the negativity and frustration that the more experienced golfer showed toward the newbie. its so counterproductive. golf is hard enough without people making you feel more stupid than you already do.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2016
- Messages
- 2,372
- Reaction score
- 250
- Handicap
- 15.9
I agree 100%