Worst Experience on the Course?

Josh Babbitt September 24, 2020 76 Comments

We have all had some amazing times on the golf course, be it visiting exotic courses, shooting personal bests or enjoying time with friends. Once in a while, the course isn’t a ton of fun.

What was the worst experience you have ever had on the golf course and why?

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Josh Babbitt

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Josh Babbitt is the Publisher of The Hackers Paradise and co-founder of THP Media. He has a passion for the game and the equipment and travels the country hosting THP Experiences bringing the golf industry together with our forum community.

76 Comments

ddec says:

September 24, 2020 at 4:18 pm

[QUOTE=”Reframmellator, post: 9536375, member: 39508″]I detailed my worst on-course experience elsewhere here. I won’t go into it again other than to say the starters and course manager allowed a few outing groups to stay too long at a liquid lunch at the turn, and when the outing groups demanded we step aside to let them through after we had teed off on 10, an especially drunk guy starts teeing off ball after ball on the 10th tee, with our group 75 yards away playing a topped tee shot. I’m not sure whether he was deliberately trying to hit us or scare us off, but when we sought help, the marshall asked US to leave, and the course manager refused to apologize. I know it is one of [USER=782]@ddec[/USER] ‘s favorite courses, but I haven’t been back in seven years, and I doubt I ever will.[/QUOTE]

I can’t remember, which course was that at?
Reframmellator says:

September 24, 2020 at 4:32 pm

[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 9536790, member: 782″]
I can’t remember, which course was that at?
[/QUOTE]
Saratoga Lake
ddec says:

September 24, 2020 at 4:33 pm

[QUOTE=”Reframmellator, post: 9536799, member: 39508″]Saratoga Lake[/QUOTE]

Yeah that sounds right. Best decision I made was to stop being a member there.
Reframmellator says:

September 24, 2020 at 5:54 pm

[QUOTE=”ddec, post: 9536800, member: 782″]
Yeah that sounds right. Best decision I made was to stop being a member there.
[/QUOTE]

I liked the layout. I always found it interesting that it’s the first and only, AFAIK, golf course for the architect (Mike Ebersol.)
Architex says:

September 24, 2020 at 7:39 pm

A guy in the group in front of us died on the green from a heart attack. The fire truck drove down the cart path trying to get to him but by the time they got there it was too late. It was a pretty surreal experience.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GolfTravelDude says:

October 3, 2020 at 8:25 am

Was in a group match with 8 buds. We had more than a few $ on the line with multi day aggregate total of points. Last day comes down to me and another as who shall win. My partner in last 9 hole match is keeping the card. 7th hole I have a 4 footer for par and opponent gives it to me. It was for par and win…we are on 9th tee and I have us 1 up…My partner says we are one down….I say to him how is that let me see the card….He has me for a double bogey and a loss on 7th hole….I say to him I made par on 7. He says no they wouldn’t have given you that putt if that was true. I said that it is their problem if they don’t know what I’m putting for and give it to me….My partner wouldn’t budge and said he was the score keeper and match stood at us one down…..It turns out I finish second by a point and difference between 1st/2nd was $200. I said some things to this guy who was my partner…….And my partner on the 9 holes never came into play, he missed tap ins a few times where his score would have helped out….He wanted the other guy to win and I believe he tanked on purpose. Last time I ever played with him……..
WLG1952 says:

October 3, 2020 at 8:53 am

Never really had a bad time as far a golf was concerned.

The first “worst” thing that comes to mind was a guy who had a medical event and passed away before flight for life could get there. A couple of us did what we could for him doing the cpr thing. There was no warning what so ever. One minute he was laughing it up with us, and then just fell to the ground.
Smiter says:

October 3, 2020 at 9:03 am

I took an errant strike to the nards Thursday. Also took one to the cart.

Thank god the one to the nuts had bounced.

You better have your head on a swivel at a HS golf tourney. Lots of the kids won’t yell “fore”.

Neither one that hit me or my cart were from the group I was watching (I’d get behind a tree for them).

It wasn’t a bad day though, outside of 5-10 minutes of testicular pain.
Jman says:

October 3, 2020 at 9:32 am

Had a kid throw a club in a tournament one day, that was a bad day on the course, and his last day on my team.
Luchnia says:

October 3, 2020 at 9:44 am

Worst experience? Horrible greens which are inexcusable, going space cadet once in a round having a couple wasted blowup holes, and getting paired with a couple of knuckleheads that got totally wasted smashed during a round. Those are my worst experiences.
blueonblack says:

October 3, 2020 at 9:52 am

The WORST?

Paired with two young ladies randomly at the local muni. I got the impression they may have been a couple. So my “game” was shut down immediately, and it was time to play golf. ;):LOL:
Didn’t pay a lot of attention to my score, but suddenly, I am [U]on fire[/U]. I am standing -3 on the 13th tee. (Oh oh.) This is when I was just starting to get into golf and had NO business shooting such a score consciously. I was in that vaunted “ZONE.” Couldn’t believe it.

I proceed to go to tee up. I’m playing blues, they are playing ladies red forwards. I don’t realize it, but one of them has started walking up to the ladies tee box to get her wallet, as the bev cart is coming up the fairway. Not knowing she’s there in front of me now (just out of my peripheral vision) I proceed to tee off, and hit the most gawd awful fast duck hook of my life. Yes, right into the back of her head just behind her left ear. Line drive, probably 110MPH SS at the time. Oh the sound! Horrible! I stay with her while her friend races their cart back to the clubhouse for the ambulance (no cells at this time.) Oh I felt horrible and sick.
There was my ball laying next to her with her blood on it. I of course packed it up and was done for the day, and for a couple weeks thereafter.
The pro asked me if I wanted to finish the round. “I’m good.” Somehow the COURSE got sued over this, if you can believe it. I have no idea how that worked. I went to see her and brought some flowers to the hospital the next day anyway. She didn’t blame me at all. “You were playing so well, I didn’t think you’d miss” she said. Oops. Nice gal. We were having a helluva nice day til then.

Kinda the weird worst second part of this story? My new employer, they would take new hires to the nicest restaurant in town on their first day.
I knew this gal said she waited tables there. Guess who our waitress was that day? [B]Awkward[/B]…. yes, this is my life….all the time. So weird.

Have also witnessed a guy die of a heart attack in the group in front of me on a 110º day. A few others as well….
Daddio says:

October 3, 2020 at 10:12 am

Like some others my worst experience didn’t really have anything to do with the golf other than it closed down the course. A guy from KS cruising down I-44W must’ve either lost control? had a medical issue? or something? He somehow managed to fly far enough to easily carry the road and fence bordering the course before slamming 10 feet up into the massive pine behind #7 green. We were waiting to tee off on #4 which is only about 200 yards away and with a clear view of the impact site. The sound was like an explosion and from our vantage point could see immediately that it had to have been a fatal accident. Only blessing was no one else was involved. Most of that pine is still there right behind #7. Can’t play that hole without thinking about a guy I never met who lost it all in a blink.
finsfan21 says:

October 3, 2020 at 10:34 am

Only have 1 round that was bad enough to regret playing it. I thiink i mentioned it on another thread somewhere here. I was in my very early 20’s and playing with 2 friends. Long story short, my friend kicked me in the calf ( metal spikes days) and put a 4 inch gash in my calf. Had to be carted off the course in pain and embarrassment. In 30 years, its the only round I didn’t finish.
al15abc says:

October 3, 2020 at 3:05 pm

I’ve been hit by plenty of golf balls, fortunately never in the head. I’ve played in some horrible conditions, and it seems like every golf trip I take, I get the shanks.
However, the worst, or at least the weirdest round of golf was when a buddy and I got paired up with another twosome. A guy from that twosome would walk 2-3 feet behind you right as you were starting your putt. The first time, I thought maybe it was unintentional. However, it happened at least 9 times. I should of said something to this guy, but didn’t want to have a confrontation. This was probably 5 years ago, since then I have learned to address someone’s bad golf etiquette on the course, and have a confrontation if needed.
Luchnia says:

October 3, 2020 at 3:30 pm

[QUOTE=”blueonblack, post: 9548710, member: 59096″]
The WORST?

Paired with two young ladies randomly at the local muni. I got the impression they may have been a couple. So my “game” was shut down immediately, and it was time to play golf. ;):LOL:
Didn’t pay a lot of attention to my score, but suddenly, I am [U]on fire[/U]. I am standing -3 on the 13th tee. (Oh oh.) This is when I was just starting to get into golf and had NO business shooting such a score consciously. I was in that vaunted “ZONE.” Couldn’t believe it.

I proceed to go to tee up. I’m playing blues, they are playing ladies red forwards. I don’t realize it, but one of them has started walking up to the ladies tee box to get her wallet, as the bev cart is coming up the fairway. Not knowing she’s there in front of me now (just out of my peripheral vision) I proceed to tee off, and hit the most gawd awful fast duck hook of my life. Yes, right into the back of her head just behind her left ear. Line drive, probably 110MPH SS at the time. Oh the sound! Horrible! I stay with her while her friend races their cart back to the clubhouse for the ambulance (no cells at this time.) Oh I felt horrible and sick.
There was my ball laying next to her with her blood on it. I of course packed it up and was done for the day, and for a couple weeks thereafter.
The pro asked me if I wanted to finish the round. “I’m good.” Somehow the COURSE got sued over this, if you can believe it. I have no idea how that worked. I went to see her and brought some flowers to the hospital the next day anyway. She didn’t blame me at all. “You were playing so well, I didn’t think you’d miss” she said. Oops. Nice gal. We were having a helluva nice day til then.

Kinda the weird worst second part of this story? My new employer, they would take new hires to the nicest restaurant in town on their first day.
I knew this gal said she waited tables there. Guess who our waitress was that day? [B]Awkward[/B]…. yes, this is my life….all the time. So weird.

Have also witnessed a guy die of a heart attack in the group in front of me on a 110º day. A few others as well….
[/QUOTE]
WOW…totally mind blowing!
M2Giles says:

October 3, 2020 at 4:06 pm

When something off the course keeps trying to invade the experience on the course.
Snowman says:

October 3, 2020 at 4:16 pm

[QUOTE=”WLG1952, post: 9548661, member: 55687″]
Never really had a bad time as far a golf was concerned.

The first “worst” thing that comes to mind was a guy who had a medical event and passed away before flight for life could get there. A couple of us did what we could for him doing the cpr thing. There was no warning what so ever. One minute he was laughing it up with us, and then just fell to the ground.
[/QUOTE]
When you think about it though, what better way to go? It’s quick, no suffering, and you’re doing what you love right up til the end. If I could choose my way to go, it doesn’t get much better than that. All I’d ask is that the guys tip a round to me in the clubhouse afterward, knowing that I died a happy man.
Snooksman says:

October 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

Stitches on my heal.
Trying to get my golf from pond took one step on a very sharp object hidden in mud.
Went through shoe and deep.
Worse PAIN I have ever felt.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
chefkritter says:

October 6, 2020 at 8:44 am

This pic of Poulters fairway bunker shot could easily be considered worst experience on a golf course……….been there many times…….hated it more every time
[ATTACH type=”full”]8967301[/ATTACH]
JB says:

October 6, 2020 at 9:02 am

[QUOTE=”chefkritter, post: 9552633, member: 46979″]
This pic of Poulters fairway bunker shot could easily be considered worst experience on a golf course……….been there many times…….hated it more every time
[ATTACH type=”full” alt=”pou.jpg”]8967301[/ATTACH]
[/QUOTE]

You could have just as easily said “playing with Poulter” or wearing those pants. :ROFLMAO:
DNice26 says:

October 6, 2020 at 9:07 am

Back when I was in high school, I was playing a round with my father and all I could do was hit $hanks. For nearly 18 holes I hit over a dozen of them.
Horrible experience on the course.
chefkritter says:

October 6, 2020 at 9:07 am

[QUOTE=”JB, post: 9552651, member: 3″]
You could have just as easily said “playing with Poulter” or wearing those pants. :ROFLMAO:
[/QUOTE]

So you’re saying those pants are a bad choice………….gotta go hypothetically change pants choice for Hogan event……..:ROFLMAO:
GolfTravelDude says:

October 6, 2020 at 9:10 am

So playing Boulders in AZ and the group has finished play but one guy and myself are up for playing some more and golf is available unlimited so off we go knocking off hole after hole as we both play fast and we have a cart each. One hole he knocks a drive way right and I’m a little left and blind to where he is. I’m over my ball about to hit when swat…..a bullet shot hits me right on the ankle bone….I drop and I can hardly stand up….He comes over the hill and sees me and wonders….Yea, you hit that one right into my ankle. I couldn’t continue as I could hardly stand.
Parrot says:

October 6, 2020 at 9:14 am

Acing a par 3 on my birthday 25 years ago this month. My usual partners wouldn’t/couldn’t break away from work so I decided to play by myself and had no witness.
1ironrocks says:

October 14, 2020 at 12:50 pm

Got into a good fight on the course. Told I guy I was going to punch his face in if he hit his ball into us again. So he did and I walked back and gave him a right hand to the face, right kick to his nuts, three left hooks to the ribs, and while he’s buckled over I kicked him in the face. He was out cold on the 8th tee box. His buddies didn’t move or say anything, if they did they would get the same.

Great fight and no more balls rolling into us.
1ironrocks says:

October 14, 2020 at 12:52 pm

Was on a golf trip to SC one year. Some dude dropped dead in the group in front of us. They hauled him off and we were able to play through. That sucked.

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Worst Experience on the Course?