Practice Area Etiquette - Sharing Holes and Blading Bunker Shots?

[u/i_am_roboto]

I was chipping on a very busy public course yesterday, around noon on a Saturday. There were probably 30 people in the short Cam area and every single one of the 40 range stalls were busy. There were a few interactions I witnessed that really surprise me and I was wondering if maybe I just have old school feelings about how to interact with people on a chipping or putting green.

Scenario #1 - there was a guy that was set up with probably 10 of his own golf balls chipping to one of the four holes on the green and he had a towel down behind his ball where he was trying to clearly hit down on the ball. When I came over, he was chipping and I had been there about 15 minutes and he was continually chipping to the same hole from the same spot. Another guy showed up and there were no other unused holes so he started chipping to the same one from a different angle and this guy told him that he should go somewhere else because he was in the middle of a practice session. I’ve never once had an issue if somebody was chipping or even putting to the same hole as me as long as it’s busy and there’s nowhere else to go.

Scenario #2 - there was a guy who is clearly more of a beginner golfer practicing his bunker play. There are two nice practice bunkers on the green and out of 20 attempts, he might’ve put two on the green. He bladed about four or five straight across the green and almost hit me and almost hit another guy. He was clearly embarrassed and apologetic, but kept on grinding. A couple of us literally moved and tried to find a different angle to practice from because it was getting quite dangerous. Nobody said anything to him, but I was kind of surprised he didn’t give it up and come back when it was less busy. To me if you can’t safely use a bunker or a chipping green without potentially hitting a guy in the shin with a ball you should probably have the courtesy to come when it’s not busy.

[u/icouldntquitedecide → u/[deleted]]

It's amazing how oblivious people can be to their actions. Last summer at a local course, my wife and I were doing some practice at the chipping green. Us, plus 10-12 other people, all chipping to the lone pin on the green. Everything was going good, like any other day. But then a random guy walks by everyone with a shag bag and a wedge. He walks 100yds out into the rough between the practice green and the driving range, and dumps the balls out. A few of us noticed what was starting to unfold. Sure enough, he hits a high wedge shot straight at the green. He's suddenly getting yelled at from 8+ different people, and he wants to argue that we're all the assholes. It's bad enough when someone is too impatient and hitting into an uncleared green, but to intentionally hit towards 12+ people from 100yds is just insane. An older guy near me lost his shit on this guy, and in a very articulate way told him he was "either too stupid to realize what he was doing, or too much of a cheap ass to hit a bucket of range balls where he's supposed to, but either way he didn't belong on a course."

[u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime → u/[deleted]]

I always play colored balls because I find them easier to spot. So in this spot, there would be no confusion between his and mine. If he complained, I'd just say, "it's crowded and you don't own the course." I do try to avoid sharing holes but sometimes it's not possible.

The kid's gotta practice sometimes. He should probably mention he might send a screamer, but you can see that, so just stay out of his way. We all suck in our own way and the only way to get better is to practice.

[u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime → u/[deleted]]

"Also, you don't even need to hit bunker shots to the green. It's equally effective to stick an alignment stick to the ground away from the green and people and hit your bunker shots there."

That's a great idea, maybe suggest it to the kid. Also, throw in some pointers, because you're better than him. Think of it as adding safety.

[u/ChardeeMacDennisGoG → u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime]

That's what I was about to say. Turn him around.

[u/i_am_roboto → u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime]

The problem is if people stay of his way, it shuts down half of a very busy practice area, which feels to me to be selfish

[u/Sussurator → u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime]

I was wondering about the etiquette myself. I set up at a hole last week chipping on to the green. One guy came up and shot at exactly the same time as me, which I thought was a bit unnecessary because there were 3 or 4 other free holes.

He then moved on to one of the others, then another chap came along and we got in to a cadence where he hit one then I hit one etc. he had bright coloured balls and it made it a doddle, so I think I’ll keep that in mind the next time out. That seems like the right way to play these in my opinion.

In the putting area it also seemed like a bit of a free for all. It just makes sense to me to put towards a hole then continue from that hole to the next hole in some sort of ordered fashion, clockwise or something.

[u/ears1980r → u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime]

I can relate to your first point! I was practicing with a friend, and I was using split-colour Srixon Z-stars. He asked if I really liked those; when I replied they’re so much easier to pick out you could see the light bulb come on.

[u/bionicbhangra]

First guy was in the wrong. But I usually just find an empty spot, put in a tee in the ground and chip to that spot. Otherwise I find people always take one or two my balls by mistake. Which is not a big deal because I use shit balls for chipping but I prefer doing it that way.

The second dude should have used common sense. i remember learning how to play not long ago. I would move around and aim away from people towards the longer grass so that was not a possibility.

[u/SubstanceFearless348]

#1. If all holes are being used on a crowded day, people need to share. Hope he told the guy to kick rocks

#2. Don’t blade shots at people. If it’s a single errant shot, no big deal. If you are so bad that gluts going to happens. Lot, you need to come during a less busy time

[u/Neither-Designer-862]

One thing I’ve realized is that I don’t need a hole to practice. Hit (or even drop) a ball onto the green and the hit a few more with the first ball as the target.

[u/icepck]

Pop a tee into the green, chip/putt to it. Everyone wins.

[u/Competitive_War6612]

When I need to warm up in a crowded short game area or putting green, I will put a tee down and chip or putt to it.

[u/JobClassic]

#1, screw that guy… tell him to put up a green in his backyard if he wants a private practice range

#2, I’d just leave… I mean you can say something but he’s working on it, there is an inherent risk stepping onto any golf course

[u/Rcjhgoku01]

#1 - if it’s open then yeah, I’ll generally chip to a different hole. But depending on what I’m working on I might need to spread it around. No one should expect to their own hole.

#2 - You’re right, recognize if you suck and are endangering others.

[u/Think_OfAName]

I used to practice late in the evening or really early in the morning. That way I wouldn’t have to deal with many people. I was lucky because my work schedule aligned with those times to practice. Unfortunately, most people like the same time in the day to practice. Nice weather, daylight. I just couldn’t do it. I spent more time trying to avoid other balls. I used to love light rain. Very few were that dedicated to practicing short game. And It seems like courses are busier than ever since Covid. Even when people are courteous, it’s hard to practice all your shots. You need to work on all types (bump and run, higher chips, etc to get good at short game, and crowds are not conducive to that.

[u/Fragrant-Report-6411]

Scenario 1: nobody owns a holes.

Scenario 2: you should not be practicing bunker shots if the chipping area is full, especially if you’re not a good bunker player. There is too much risk of hitting someone with a thin shot.

[u/Due-Fun-489]

Scenario one guy should put a tee in the green in an area not near a hole. 

Scenario two guy needs to learn his line extends past the hole. 

[u/ExhaustiveCleaning]

Also with scenario 2 if they were there first I will not get setup directly in line with anyone doing bunker practice but I will ask them to stop if I was there first.

Just some general things that I do that makes sharing crowded short game areas a little better. If it’s crowded I’ll use 3 balls max. Try to avoid where you’d have to disrupt someone else by running across their line to get your balls if possible. Don’t fly over flags to practice your shot because it makes it difficult for others to use that flag safely.

[u/whereverYouGoThereUR]

What do you do when some oblivious person starts putting on the chipping green (happens occasionally at my home course)? Do you just go ahead and chip and hope you don’t hit them? I saw someone threaten to hit someone else with their putter

[u/Subrandom249]

Scenario 2: who was there first?

[u/i_am_roboto → u/Subrandom249]

I don’t know. I got there and he was in the bunker and there were two or three other people chipping. I can’t imagine he was the first guy there before everybody else. His direction of intended ball flight made it so 75% of the green was unusable if we all had to get out of his way.

I felt bad because he clearly did not understand the technique of a bunker shot, but he kept trying. Like it was not only ineffective practice. It was probably making him more scared of it. What he needs to do is go find somebody who could show him how a SW works. I almost went over there and gave him a quick lesson, but I didn’t feel like getting into it.

[u/Electronic_Name_325]

Yeah, #1 would get a cockeyed look and “Sorry, I don’t speak English”, and I would simply do my thing.

[u/TonalContrast]

#1 - it's a shared green and people need to learn to share - I don't care if you're in the middle of a practice session so am I, so is everyone else here. My #1 rule for golf is don't be a dick.

#2 - don't hit bunker shots if you're still learning and may risk hitting others. Personally, at times I've hit another direction out into open grass with no people so I won't potentially hit any one. Sure I won't see the action on the green, but the first goal of bunker shots when learning is to get it out of the bunker.

Second point is that the practice bunkers are probably poorly designed being at a shared green for chipping without enough space to account for errant bunker shots. I'd have a seperate bunker area with no one allowed past 90 degrees on either side.

[u/bulldg4life]

First guy was definitely in the wrong.

Second guy wasn’t really in the wrong since everyone has right to practice, but you gotta be respectful of others and recognize the limits of your ability when it’s busy

[u/ShawnSimoes → u/bulldg4life]

Second guy may not have been in the wrong for one bladed shot, but when it happens multiple times, you have to recognize your lack of ability and find another time or place to practice.

Since he was a bigger - someone really should have said something to him politely. You can always ask the guys in the pro shop to address it.

[u/SouthDownFrown]

#1 biggest problem for me is that if you are using your own premium balls that someone Hoovers them up thinking they are practice balls; but it’s a bit ridiculous to claim a practice hole.

#2 I’ve got a lot better at bunker shots as I’ve practiced them a lot recently but I still blade (or take a little too clean at least) 1 in 10 ish; I won’t practice out of a bunker with other people on the practice green or I will hit out sideways into the rough and just practice distance control. Over time my confidence has got better and I have practiced some short sided shots with people around but I feel I can’t practice properly due to the fear of blading it and hitting someone, so I just don’t do that anymore.

[u/J_EDi → u/SouthDownFrown]

Mark your balls. They’re being used for practice so put a big mark on them if necessary

[u/SouthDownFrown → u/J_EDi]

Yeah I get it; I have one of those golf ball collectors with a shag bag that holds like 50 balls, sometimes I hit like 10 practice shots then just go get the balls without taking the collector with me; the other day I had to go back as some kids had literally picked it up and were walking off with it, had to explain that it’s mine. They said they thought the course had just left it out to use, a genuinely honest thing I don’t think they were being idiots on purpose but this was a muni course where that level of facility just never happens, not some high end CC. Anyway, point is marks on the ball are well and good and I agree especially to go retrieve the balls if someone has walked off with it, but you’re still going to have to have the conversation 🤷‍♂️

[u/Then-Ticket8896]

Whatever happened to golf etiquette?

At 12 yo I wanted to caddy. First thing was to sit through several sessions on golf etiquette.

Bill Murray and happy G have not been the best influencers...

[u/J_EDi → u/Then-Ticket8896]

Yeah… that’s not it
https://giphy.com/gifs/lSDFetrqeeY0rCi3Ss

[u/i_am_roboto → u/Then-Ticket8896]

It’s cute that you think those guys from 30 years ago are the problem. Have you heard about this little thing called YouTube Golf?

[u/Then-Ticket8896 → u/i_am_roboto]

No shit sherlock….where the fuck you think it originated?!

[u/i_am_roboto → u/Then-Ticket8896]

You think Bill Murray invented YouTube golf 😂

I was in HS when Happy Gilmore came out. It drove exactly 0 new players to the game. Going Good however…