civilized ku # 586 ~ dumb ass SOBs, or, why I believe that we're all fucked
Friday, July 23, 2010 at 11:10AM 
Concentrate ~ Lake Placid Resort GC - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenIt has been opined that one can tell much about a person by observing the manner in which he/she plays the game of golf.
Golf is very much a game of rules (34 rules, to be exact) and knowing/playing by the rules is a very important part of the game. However, most amateurs that I have seen/played with either don't know the rules or, most commonly, totally ignore them.
Now, it must be stated that most amateurs are playing just for fun of it - they don't have an official USGA handicap and they don't play in any organized/sanctioned form of competition. So, they and their playing partners just sort of make up/ignore the rules as they go along. There is no real ethical problem in this behavior as long as they are all playing by the same rules and they are playing the game for their own enjoyment and not against other golfers who are playing by the real rules.
However, there are also a number of informal rules of golf that fall under the heading of golf etiquette, the most prominent of which are: 1) replace all divots (on the fairways, in the rough), 2) repair all pitch marks (on the greens), 3) let faster players play through (when there are open holes in front of you).
These 3 rules of golf etiquette are about as simple as it gets. It doesn't require a degree in Rocket Science to understand that following them is very beneficial not only to a golf course, in and of itself, but also to individual golfers themselves. No golfer likes to have his/her ball come to rest in a divot (one of the rules is to play the ball where and as it lies - the rule that must be the one that most amateurs totally ignore most frequently), putt on a pockmarked green, or stand around waiting to hit the ball while slow players in front of them hold up the works.
However, those 3 rules of golf etiquette are the ones that the overwhelming majority of amateur golfers totally ignore.
Now, if most golfers do not play by 1) the official rules of the game and 2) the self-beneficial rules of golf etiquette, and how one plays the game is indicative of how one lives his/her life, we are all fucked. And I don't mean fucked, re: playing golf. I mean fucked in the game of life.
BYW, take notice of the handwritten word "concentrate" on the sign in the above picture. Even though, in addition to the sign that states quite clearly that "entering this area is prohibited", the environmentally sensitive area is roped off, golfers, in order to find a poorly played golf ball, enter and stomp all over this area all the time - fuck the sign, fuck the rule, and fuck the environmentally sensitive area.
In fact, they fuck it all because they want to do whatever it is they want to do.
What chance do the rest of have in the game?
Reader Comments (3)
I think you're right. I'm posting to let you know some one read this. I'm not sure what else to say.
Etiquette? That went out of style at least a generation ago.
The people you are referring to are just about the same as those who make life miserable for any lake cottage owner these days.
But beware; they also own cars and trucks and drive just about in the same manner as they golf.
Scary.
Perhaps you have not been paying attention to the etiquette of our elected government. We are all fucked.