[attractiveweb]

On friday I was in a scramble at a local course. It started at 12:30 so before we were finished a local high school golf team had arrived. We met up with them on our 17th hole, hole 8 on the course, a 163 yard par 3. When we got to the tee box a foursome had just teed off and another was waiting.

When the first foursome left the green, I asked one of the kids if they were going to hit, since they didn't seem to be in any hurry and I thought they may be waiting for us to play through. They said they were waiting for the other foursome to finish filling out their scorecards. Sure enough, when I looked back at the green the other foursome was standing right behind it.

So the kids teed off. The first two shanked their shots deep into the woods. The next two hit their shots about 3 feet into a flower bed in front of the tee box. After 15 minutes or so they finally got to the green. We were about to call 911 because we thought one guy had passed out, then when all the others started lying down as well, we realized they were lining up their putts. Then when they left the green, we had to wait for them to also fill out their scorecards while standing directly behind it.

I've never seen a coach or any adult with any of the high school teams around here. I'm starting to think that all they do is bus the kids to the course and let them go. They didn't seem to have a clue about etiquette or anything else.

Any high schoolers want to comment on this? Are other schools like this or is my area the exception? I was feeling pretty bad for those kids. They didn't have any leadership or guidance and really didn't look like they were enjoying themselves.

[verizon]

I never played high school golf but there are a lot of really solid teams/golfers in my area.

[stadiaKab]

I know around here the kids lack etiquette unless it's the kid(s) that take golf seriously. Other then that you just see kids out there just trying to have a good time or just mess around. For example we got behind a group of 3 kids on a hole(just me and my dad playing) well we drove up on them and they wouldn't let us play through(they were walking of course) and we would have been out of their way. Pretty annoying but I guess they are told they have the course over people who paid to play..

[TodeImmabbedo]

I never see this. Being a sophomore, im always seeing coaches roaming the course, checking in with their players, and the players almost always have excellent etiquette. The only thing i dont see is my coach. He doesnt go around because he doesnt want to stress us out. The reason i checked this thread is because i thought by "dead" you meant gone. My league is no longer being funded by the district, so we have to raise our own funds. The sucky part: if any school in the district doesnt come up with the money, nobody in the district plays.. Pet me know if you hav any other highschool questions..

[Zptmsemk]

I played h.s golf, and this shocks me a little. I grew up in a golf community with a group of kids who all took camps and group lessons together (we learned etiquette and all that growing up) so we practiced it all along. When time came, we all played on the h.s team and that was it. Our coach (in h.s) drove around on a golf cart checking on us during practice.

[Cyncceply]

I played HS golf, graduated back in the early 90s. Sounds like not much has changed actually. My "coach" at the time was the school's driver ed instructor and pretty much knew nothing about golf. I learned absolutely nothing about the game from him. He would ride with us on the bus, figure out the starters on the way, then just go to the bar at the course when we got there. Didn't see him again until the 9th green when we were finished. That's how all the home games and practices went as well. I played a lot of free golf and enjoyed the heck out of it, regardless.

[hHwJ229h]

That's sad to hear, but I can assure you its not like that everywhere. My course has 3 highschools and two college teams playing here. Some are of course better than others, but all are very polite and could teach most anyone about manners.

Our members actually brag on these boys and girls.

[uranbigis]

Some solid talent on my course from the local high schools, but a ton of the kids are extremely inconsiderate of their fellow golfers..

Not replacing divots, not repairing their ball marks on the green.. Drives me nuts.

[herrdwq]

Not dead around here. Local HS (Boys) finished 4th in state with rounds of 301 & 306 (5 players) Girls team finished 2nd (5 players) with rounds of 316 & 309. Highest round for the boys was 80. The girls top finisher shot 70-73. It helps that the name of the school is Byron Nelson and his home is only 3 miles away!

[8Zgkdeee]

My club supports the local high school golf program and junior golf in general. I volunteer whenever I am available as does a lot of our club members. Our local high school program, Galax, has won 3 of the last 4 state championships and 5 since 2004, including an individual medalist in 2005. This years outgoing senior players never finished worse than runner up in the state. Winning in 2008, runner up in 2009, and winning back to back titles in 2010 and 2011. Virginia high school league conducts golf during the fall.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[indentKew]

Yeah this is a sad story. Our HS Coach always stands guard at the 1st tee. Then he moves to the 4th tee/6th green that run side by side with each other and checks us out. Besides one kid who runs his mouth all the time (he's a dick and is addicted to Adderoll. He can't play without it.), we are all very respectful and go about our business. That's really something I don't like hearing at all.

[Boripiomi]

You were probably watching a JV tournament, most JV teams are begginers and don't really know etiquette, it is interesting they were playing this late since in my state regionals were last week

[enfoires]

I really wish I played legit HS golf...

I play with three guys from my town once a week during their practice and three guys from the next town over during their practice once a week also. All six are far better than me. That's what I get for not playing every day. We take etiquette seriously and play the game how it was meant to be played. Coach from my town sucks and couldn't come close to beating any of his players. It's the members of the country club they play at that make them good. The other town has a very good coach and it shows.

As for my school's Friday student golf club, it's a damn joke that I'm one week away from being done with. Everyone shows up in basketball shoes and gym shorts, some wear tank tops, they abuse their clubs (not that their clubs are from this century) by throwing their bags around and "fist bumping" with the heads of their drivers. They hack their way to 10s on every hole, don't repair the course, etc. The two guys I play with can actually play golf somewhat respectfully but still aren't good about etiquette. Forgetting to repair ball marks, walking in my line, taking my ball and giving it to me assuming I'm taking a gimmee, etc.

[Xiciljed]

You saw 1 or 2 bad groups that were likely JV players so now high school golf is dead? Sorry dude, not the case at all. At my school at least, students are required to play 2 or 3 seasons of a sport depending on what year they are because we don't have gym class. So our JV team is mostly kids who have never played golf before looking for something easy to do for the spring. Those are probably the kind of kids you saw, or something similar.

[redDoodia]

At my course my old high school's golf team still practices there and they are quite talented. Some of those teenagers on the team hit massive drives and shoot some awesome scores. I've played with a few of them before and it's hard to keep up sometime.

Except for two individuals. I've been at the practice range practicing on the short game bunker and from 200 yards away all the way from the range, these two idiots start raining balls at my direction knowing that they could hit me, this pisses me the heck off (excuse me for my vulgar words)

Besides these two idiots the rest of the team are good and follow proper etiquette.

[Edqpdnuu]

I've helped coach a team that is playing in the AL state championships this week. All five of the boys are incredible golfers who really carry themselves well on and off the course. I've also been nothing but impressed with the dozen or more teams we've played with this year. My view is that the future is bright.

[XinordiX]

I have seen that happen in my town as well. In fact, when I played high school golf here (1997-2000), I also had a coach who did nothing except drive us around. He was cool to be around, don't get me wrong, but he wasn't a 'coach.' Then this year, we have a coach at the high school who isn't even from here, she's from a neighboring school district. I've heard a lot of kids complain that she doesn't ever help them. I think maybe she heard those complaints, because she actually had a few of them working on a chipping drill about a week later.

But worst of all, one day while playing with a group of boys, she got mad, stuck her club in the ground, and walked off the course. Great example to set for the kids. In a sport where etiquette seems to be on the decline, I would hope that if nothing else, a golf coach taught proper etiquette.

This is a small town, I put out some feelers on becoming the golf coach next year. Probably getting myself in deep if I somehow got approached for it, but I couldn't be worst than the current coach.

~Rock

[peemovvie]

I have seen that happen in my town as well. In fact, when I played high school golf here (1997-2000), I also had a coach who did nothing except drive us around. He was cool to be around, don't get me wrong, but he wasn't a 'coach.' Then this year, we have a coach at the high school who isn't even from here, she's from a neighboring school district. I've heard a lot of kids complain that she doesn't ever help them. I think maybe she heard those complaints, because she actually had a few of them working on a chipping drill about a week later.

But worst of all, one day while playing with a group of boys, she got mad, stuck her club in the ground, and walked off the course. Great example to set for the kids. In a sport where etiquette seems to be on the decline, I would hope that if nothing else, a golf coach taught proper etiquette.

This is a small town, I put out some feelers on becoming the golf coach next year. Probably getting myself in deep if I somehow got approached for it, but I couldn't be worst than the current coach.

~Rock

You have to understand there is little to no chance that most schools are willing to hire a golf only guy, golf is just an additional stipend for football or basketball coaches. Right or wrong, for most schools its a fact so they can attract people they want to HC money making programs like football and basketball, its a way to increase that candidates annual salary with an "easy gig" and thus they just babysit and don't really coach. Is it right? No, but its a fact.

Typically only the larger schools or the more financially stable (or here, private) schools have golf only guys. Its just a fact, for most its just another pay bump.

[Rurcextedutty]

High School golf around here is strong. I've never paid any attention to the kids and how they behave though. I've just shared range space with a bunch of them and they seemed like responsible golfers.

[8Zgkdeee]

Most public high schools have "facilitators" instead of "coaches" for golf. In certain areas like mine, very good players pass down their knowledge and play with the younger kids. Over time, it has developed into sort of a feeder system where not only former high school players, but good club members play "money matches" against the kids to keep them competitive. Given the fact that they are kids, we make sure the parents know whats going on. In most cases, parents are participating but we don't play for a lot of money, maybe a quarter a hole with goodies but it's the constant competition that is key.