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Has This Ever Happened To You? Am I Over Reacting?

Desmond said:
When you check in and are given a time, they should mark it on their sheet and have a loudspeaker to announce your name and 5-10 minute warning.

This is not on you.

If I were them, I'd give you the money back and a free round for the aggravation.
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That's the thing is the starters there always yell for last names whether you are 5 feet or 50 yards, this guy wasn't even yelling names. I get I could have been a smidge for responsible and showed up at like 2:55-3:00 and prevented it, but I mean the fact that we now were teeing off close to 30 minutes after our paid for tee time, (planned because of the little sunlight we are granted in the evenings now) was a bit frustrating knowing at #1 I wasn't going to get to complete the round.
 
The starter screwed the pooch. It happens. Never has happened to me, but I've seen it done to others.

I am always early for everything. Even if means standing around for a few minutes waiting to tee off.

Our course has a loud speaker that announces "on the tee", "on deck", and "in the hole". I also believe that tee times are not carved in stone.

My motto has always been, that what ever happens, never start a round of golf in poor, disgruntled mood. It's just a game.

Truth be known there's probably been a few times, as walk ons, we have made others wait who were not there, and ready to tee off.
 
Smryan12 said:
Long story incoming.....feedback is more than welcome!

Two Friday's ago me and my pops went up to our local golf course that we have been playing at for 20+ years now. We had already pre paid for our tee time at 3:10PM (we only planned to play 9). We show up at 2:30, plenty early and go to check in. The starter informs us that the other 2some we are playing with has already checked in as well. Perfect.
The parking lot of JAM PACKED, so we ask if they are running on time, he advises us they are running about 10 minutes behind. No big deal.
We head off to the range and putting green for a little pre round warm up.

Now HERE is where things get interesting, we show back up to the starter shack at 3:05, and I ask the gentlemen if we are on deck. He tells me that the group on the tee was actually supposed to be us and that he had just placed 2 walk ons in our place since we were not on time to the tee. NOW, our tee time was at 3:10, we showed up at 3:05, in prep that they were running 10 minutes behind.
The starter never yelled for our names (as the driving range is about 40 yards from the shack), nor did he go up to the group on the tee box who was waiting for about 15 minutes while this whole discussion of why he gave our tee time away was going on and tell them he had made a mistake, and the walk ons could go off when he found a gap or another 2some to play with.
So now instead of 3:10 we teed off at 3:35, only to get in 6 holes before it got to dark to play.

I grew up on this course and this is the first time this has happened to me, I was taught by the pro here for 2 years and it is by far my favorite course to play, (yes I have already talked with the pro about the situation), he gave me 2 bits of advice.
1. He is glad it happened to me, because he can earn our business back, and if it was someone else he may have just lost a customer for life.
2. It's the big boss of the course to jam pack the course any and every way possible, due to the 77 days they were shut down during the initial COVID quarantine.
but I have never seen someone willingly give away a tee time to walk ons when the 4some had already checked in, to me it doesn't seem like an "honest mistake" as the starter claimed.


P.s. I am not upset one bit by this, but it is quite annoying in the moment. Thought I would share my experience and see if anyone else had encountered something like this before!
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Yes. It happened once this year. I am a regular at my course and somehow a twosome slipped in ahead of us during league play. I mentioned it and they apologized profusely and offered to move the them out. I said no need as it was the one and only time it has happened. I have a code, that if something happens once it is not necessary to make a big deal of it. Twice it’s worth a discussion and perhaps a fix or restitution of some kind. I will add that at my course, the owner and pro take care of me in many ways so I am less upset than others get. Mistakes happen, as long as it’s not a regular thing it’s all good.
 
WLG1952 said:
The starter screwed the pooch. It happens. Never has happened to me, but I've seen it done to others.

I am always early for everything. Even if means standing around for a few minutes waiting to tee off.

Our course has a loud speaker that announces "on the tee", "on deck", and "in the hole". I also believe that tee times are not carved in stone.

My motto has always been, that what ever happens, never start a round of golf in poor, disgruntled mood. It's just a game.

Truth be known there's probably been a few times, as walk ons, we have made others wait who were not there, and ready to tee off.
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It's more the principal that the starter knew we were there, and when the walk ups came to see if they could get it, he put them in a slot that was full capacity. Just as easily could have said I don't have a tee time for you guys right now, we'll get you out soon. But I agree with everything to you said, I could have showed up an additional 5 min earlier possibly avoided the whole situation but eh lesson learned the hard way.
 
Good to hear that the pro made right with the refund.

I'd be very frustrated if I were in your shoes. You showed up on time, checked in, and were told a time. Sounds like you arrived at the #1 tee in plenty of time based on the estimate that the starter provided you...

Hopefully this is a one-of incident for you and not something that's going to continue if they're packing the course.
 
did the starter know the walk-ons? Thats ridiculous especially since you checked in and were ready to go but your partners weren’t there lol. Seems somewhat intentional assuming he can probably see the practice green from his vantage point and should recognize you somewhat if you’ve been going for 20 years. Good on you for taking it in stride.

Starters are always taking their job way too serious or just don’t don’t pay attention at all.
The serious ones can be annoying but at least they usually are organized with the times.
 
Afizzle2100 said:
did the starter know the walk-ons? Thats ridiculous especially since you checked in and were ready to go but your partners weren’t there lol. Seems somewhat intentional assuming he can probably see the practice green from his vantage point and should recognize you somewhat if you’ve been going for 20 years. Good on you for taking it in stride.

Starters are always taking their job way too serious or just don’t don’t pay attention at all.
The serious ones can be annoying but at least they usually are organized with the times.
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He wouldn't even have to raise his voice to call for groups lol
 
Plugging in two singles in lieu of a twosome that has already checked in is absolute amateur hour. That over eager starter needs to be relieved of his duties.
 
You checked in, my course your name would be called on the speaker then given last call, but our system shows you paid so would be hard to screw up. Personally I would have walked over sooner to double check the running behind was still there but that really doesn't justify what happened.
 
If I paid, checked in, and showed up to the box before my tee time I would be teeing off. At that point whatever mistake they made is their problem and not mine. In my mind 2 people are going to be pissed either way. I make sure it is the 2 that just showed up and not the 2 that took every step ahead of time to plan to be there.
 
If be pretty upset and think that a free round should be something offered to you. The starter shoukd have checked you off on his sheet and then come calling for you if they managed to get back to on time, let alone ahead of schedule
 
greekelite said:
If be pretty upset and think that a free round should be something offered to you. The starter shoukd have checked you off on his sheet and then come calling for you if they managed to get back to on time, let alone ahead of schedule
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This was the exact conversation I had with my pops after we got done playing. Just was a weird all around situation.
 
ntanygd760 said:
You checked in, my course your name would be called on the speaker then given last call, but our system shows you paid so would be hard to screw up. Personally I would have walked over sooner to double check the running behind was still there but that really doesn't justify what happened.
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Oh they have the iPad out there, showing who has paid and checked in. It was just pure laziness honestly I think. As I said before, been playing for 20+ years and never had that happen. Guess times are changing. Lmao!
 
Oh yea on all 5 my county courses and so many rounds played through the years I ve seen and or been involved with a number of tee screw ups.

As for the circumstances leading to it and exactly what got screwed up,...sometimes its forgivable and sometimes its just simply so mindboggling ridiculous and unacceptable. But it is what it is and you move on. Nothing else you can do.
 
I’d have a hard time not following rule #1 here with that starter. Glad the pro took care of you and made it right.
 
rollin said:
Oh yea on all 5 my county courses and so many rounds played through the years I ve seen and or been involved with a number of tee screw ups.

As for the circumstances leading to it and exactly what got screwed up,...sometimes its forgivable and sometimes its just simply so mindboggling ridiculous and unacceptable. But it is what it is and you move on. Nothing else you can do.
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I moved on when we got to the second hole, but it was still worth the conversation with the head pro. Thankfully I have known him for 10+ years and he comped us a free round. Regardless we scheduled that tee time for a specific reason, just enough time to get in 9 holes before the sun goes down and of course some cray crap like that happens.
 
Knot Right said:
You are a gentleman.

We need more like you in the game.
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People make mistakes, I get it. But It is something that needs to be addressed I think internally with the pro and starters so that this is not a repeat offense and more business is lost.
 
ArmyGolf said:
Plugging in two singles in lieu of a twosome that has already checked in is absolute amateur hour. That over eager starter needs to be relieved of his duties.
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Agree 100% with this....especially after you had checked in, the starter was lazy and my guess had a relationship with the 2 walk-ons. I am glad you got a refund and a round voucher but at this time of year, these last rounds are precious.
 
ArmyGolf said:
Plugging in two singles in lieu of a twosome that has already checked in is absolute amateur hour. That over eager starter needs to be relieved of his duties.
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Definitely not overreacting.

I think the pro hit the nail on the head though - he knows it’s wrong and is going to make it right.

Sounds like the owner is a piece of work though.

I think the loss is the time and time spent with your pops
 
Having to crowd around the starter to ensure not missing a tee time, getting as many tee times as possible on the sheet,, allowing walk-ons on a crowded course, and pairing randoms... does not seem to be best practice during a pandemic.

I'd not play there. I'm not a fan of being treated with contempt by a course owner.
 
I think you have every right to be upset.

I try to look at it this way... a lot of courses are dealing with a lot more people than they're used to. I'd chalk it up as a one time thing and brush it off. If it happens continuously from here on out, then you have a problem.
I know I played a few courses this year where they seemed to be ill equipped to handle the volume of people they were seeing at certain times. So maybe it's just a learning experience for that starter and for the course in general.
 
I guess the biggest thing I have with this is that after telling you he gave your tee time away, early no less, then you should have been the next group on the box. Now way you should have had to wait another 30 minutes to tee off. If he would have done that then I would say no harm no foul. The fact that you were on the box 5 minutes early though and didn't go off next is what would have made me mad. One of my pet peeves though is when groups start teeing off early. I have learned to accept it in my weekend group as they will start teeing off as soon as the group in front of them is clear so that could be 8:24 instead of 8:28. Then the 2nd group right after the first. The 3rd and 4th groups could end up teeing off up to 10 minutes early. I like knowing the exact time and going by that because that is how I set up my warm up/ grab a breakfast taco time.
 
You did good man. Not getting yourself pissed off before teeing off is all you can do at that point. I played Thanksgiving morning at a nice nearby course that I play sparingly because it has gotten expensive in the last couple of years. I payed eighty bucks for my 7:00 am tee time and asked the starter for my range balls. He asked me if I was a member or had paid for range balls in a snarky way. I played there a couple months back and a mini bucket was included and always has been. I almost went in the clubhouse to see what was up but I could feel myself getting mad. I just stretched and putted although there were range balls laying out. After the round I was going to go inside and ask but I just did not have any fight in me that day.
 
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