Golfers not waiting for grounds crew Cancel The title field is required!

1. Calder Norley S

   
   9/5/2011 10:09 AM

   I recently got in a heated argument with my boss about members hitting over and not at on purpose but making poor decisions when an employee is on one side of the green they hit without getting the attention of the staff member. This weekend I had a member get out early then start on the back and hit when my employee was still cutting the green.
   My CEO believes it is our responsibility to always no matter of the time to be aware of golfers and it is grounds problem if we get hit, never the responsibility of the golfer.
   I feel I am stuck in a bad situation how do I keep the staff safe when golfers can hit at them with no consequences to their actions.
   How do other clubs deal with this situation, or is this a attitude of GMs that we have to get used to?
   
   Norley Calder
   Sagebrush Golf & Sporting Club

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   9/5/2011 10:09 AM

   If it is your intent to hit a ball on to a green where there is someone there I presume this would be considered a reckless and intentional act and you would be liable. Ask an attorney at the club.

   
   
   
   
3. Tom Forsythe

   

   0 posts
   
   9/5/2011 11:09 AM

   A similar situation occurred at one of the city courses I now supervise prior to my starting work here. A worker was injured and it resulted in an inspection from our provincial ministry of labour. The inspector (obviously a non-golfer) wrote an order requiring the golf course to post signs on each tee advising that the grounds crew have the right of way. Over the years that has caused the occasional problem when an employee might decide to jump the gun and start doing some maintenance directly in front of a group of golfers rather than waiting for them to complete the hole. The signs would give the golf course the opportunity to recover costs from the golfer if they were to ignore the signs, hit into and injure a worker doing maintenance in front of them if we chose to do so. Having seen a few nasty injuries resulting from a person being hit by a golf ball it is not unreasonable to expect a golfer to give the employee the opportunity to get out of the way before they hit. I also advise my staff that while the order does give them the right of way they have a responsibility to remain aware of the golfer and give them the opportunity to play through whenever possible.

   
   
   
   
4. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   9/5/2011 12:09 PM

   A worker should be treated the same as a golfer. Would a golfer hit up on someone while still on the green? Same consideration should be given to the G.C. worker.
   
   USGA has a educational video that covers this topic. http://www.usga.org/turf/articles/video/maintenance_personnel.html
   
   A few years ago I was fertilizing a par 3 green when a group drove up to the tee and before I could get out of the way one of them hit up. I lost the ball off the club, but I knew it was heading my direction. I turned to take cover and it hit me in the back of the neck. Nobody even yelled "Fore." When they drove up with their happy little smiles the one who hit me goes, "did you see where my ball went?" I replied,"well, after it HIT ME in the back of the neck I threw the f*#@ing thing 50 yards into the woods!" He never said another word and the other guys just picked up their balls and continued to the next hole. I called my boss and told him exactly what happened and he completely understood.
   
   Golfer think we are magically protected or something and when I catch them hitting up on myself or especially one of my guys they are very clear after I talk to them what the proper etiquette is concerning this subject.

   
   
   
   
5. Tom Forsythe

   

   0 posts
   
   9/5/2011 6:09 PM

   alohakane said: A worker should be treated the same as a golfer. Would a golfer hit up on someone while still on the green? Same consideration should be given to the G.C. worker.
   
   USGA has a educational video that covers this topic. http://www.usga.org/turf/articles/video/maintenance_personnel.html
   
   A few years ago I was fertilizing a par 3 green when a group drove up to the tee and before I could get out of the way one of them hit up. I lost the ball off the club, but I knew it was heading my direction. I turned to take cover and it hit me in the back of the neck. Nobody even yelled "Fore." When they drove up with their happy little smiles the one who hit me goes, "did you see where my ball went?" I replied,"well, after it HIT ME in the back of the neck I threw the f*#@ing thing 50 yards into the woods!" He never said another word and the other guys just picked up their balls and continued to the next hole. I called my boss and told him exactly what happened and he completely understood.
   
   Golfer think we are magically protected or something and when I catch them hitting up on myself or especially one of my guys they are very clear after I talk to them what the proper etiquette is concerning this subject.

   
   
   I assume this is one of the golfers you were referring to with your anthrax suggestion?

   
   
   
   
6. McCallum David K

   
   9/6/2011 8:09 AM

   Keith..........very impressed with a 50 yard throw of a golf ball..........ever consider baseball as an option

   
   
   
   
7. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   9/6/2011 9:09 AM

   McCallum said: Keith..........very impressed with a 50 yard throw of a golf ball..........ever consider baseball as an option

   
   
   
   At our last employee golf outing I won the Men's division of the golf club throwing competition.

   
   
   
   
8. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   9/8/2011 5:09 AM

   You could take a rotory rough unit to their golf balls and say....I didn't see it.

   
   
   
   
9. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   9/12/2011 7:09 AM

   Another favorite is irrigation...we try to get it all irrigated before golfers make the turn.

   
   
   
   
10. McCallum David K

    
    9/12/2011 12:09 PM

    Irrigation.............ah yes but used not to wet the turf but the golfers themselves............a very powerful weapon when well out of sight when they are slightly doused...........payback for being ugly to the crew can be tough.

    
    
    
    
11. Robert Wright

    

    0 posts
    
    9/14/2011 7:09 PM

    We have a couple members who play solo first thing in the morning, don't speak english, and finish their 18 hole round in 1.5 hours. Frequently they hit into our maintenance. My guys are told to watch them hit, but to continue their work and move their ball should it interfere with their mowing.
    I often wonder what is going through someone's head if they need to play speed golf. When you see these people with no one around, they are driving within 10 feet of the green. No respect for the course or the game.

    
    
    
    
12. James Smith

    

    113 posts
    
    9/22/2011 2:09 PM

    We simply do not have that problem. I think it is my stance on allowing members to tee off before the first tee time but under instructions that my crew will not get out of their way because we have to stick to our alloted time in order to complete our task ahead of the first tee times. I have personally talked to everyone that does this and let them know that my crew gets right of way, they can either wait until we clear the hole or pick up and go to the next hole. their only other option is getting a tee time. I stand firm on these rules and even allow them to play on Mondays when we are closed as long as they do not get in my crews way. The flip side is that once the first tee time group goes off my crew is to give them the right of way. We are to work with them in allowing them to enjoy their game. We respect the golfers in general and they respect the hard work we put into keeping their course in great shape.

    
    
    
    
13. Chuck Barber

    

    0 posts
    
    9/26/2011 6:09 AM

    The funny thing for us is that it's not paying customers that cause the most problems for us but rather the golf shop employees. They work here at minimum wage to play golf for free. I get that. They seemingly have no regard for our work though as we are constantly slowed by the speed golf referred to above. The other notion that seems to be completely outside the realm of their thinking is this: "I am playing here for free today. Perhaps this person who is working on this particular hole should be left to finish his/her task. I will skip this portion of this hole/skip this hole/stay out of this person's way so that the person working can be productive and not be delayed by non-revenue generating play." The Director of Golf here tries his hardest to enforce etiquette rules for his staff but it's only as good as those who want to follow it. It's frustrating but I've given up and I focus on the things that we can do instead of what we can't. I seem to remember reading that somewhere here?

    
    
    
    
14. Sean Hoolehan

    

    0 posts
    
    9/26/2011 12:09 PM

    McCallum said: Irrigation.............ah yes but used not to wet the turf but the golfers themselves............a very powerful weapon when well out of sight when they are slightly doused...........payback for being ugly to the crew can be tough.

    
    
    [size=150">I would never do that!!![/size">

    
    
    
    
15. Homme David R

    
    9/27/2011 9:09 AM

    I got hit in the shoulder doing an irrigation repair a couple weeks ago. Had my hard hat on, but it failed to protect my shoulder.
    
    When the regular player came up, I said to him. I didn't hear you, but I know you yelled FORE, cause it's you.
    
    He just gave me a dumb look.

    
    
    
    
16. Nicholas Daak

    

    3 posts
    
    9/30/2011 6:09 PM

    Unfortunately we do not have lights on our greens mower so sunrise is the earliest we can get out. Most of the time though there are members in the parking lot waiting for sunrise also. I decided to water the first tee up until the pro shop is open. If anyone wants to play before that or skip they have no reason to complain that the greens aren't mowed or there is dew.
    Members appreciate all the work I do so they will acknowledge me when I am working on irrigation and will either play from me or just hit knowing that it is my fault I am out there. They just think of me as a tree.