[yazetaw]

I have a question for all the experts on here about an experience I had a local, public golf course last night. Last evening I took advantage of a local course's birthday promotion, an 18 hole green fee for free. I had received the promotion in my email a few weeks ago, had never used this promotion before and thought it was pretty neat. I showed up at the clubhouse, gave the man behind the counter my printed out voucher and paid $18.50 for a cart rental and a basket of range balls. My tee time was at 3:37 pm so I warmed up on the range and played the course. I played hole 18 and looked at the time. It ws 6:40 pm, a beautiful evening. I knew that I had played 18 holes, but also figured since it was "twilight" hours, I could continue to play until nightfall. Every single course I have ever played "twilight" hours at, was as many holes a guy can get in until dark, at least in our area. I started the course again and played until hole #5 when the employee who checked me in, met me on the fairway. I smiled and said "Hey, how you doing?" The man tore into me like I hadn't seen since Elementary School, screaming. He said "What the hell are you doing? Your birthday round is done!" I responded by saying "I figured it was...." Before I could even finish my sentence, the man purposely interupted me and screamed "You figured WHAT?" I then tried to speak again to tell the man I thought it was "twilight" hours and that I could play until dark, but I couldn't even get the sentence out because I was inturupted again with "Your birthday round is done, our twilight is 18 holes anyways, so you are finished!" I then finally got a word in and apologized and said I will head in then. The man sped away to the clubhouse, so I followed him in, not even picking up my golf ball. Once at the clubhouse I again apologized and said I thought I could play until dark during "twilight" hours, because every other golf course I had ever played was that way. The employee responded by saying "Our 'twilight' is 18 holes and you are done, besides, you played a birthday round and only paid for the cart for 18 holes anyway. Why don't you come back and actually spend some money!" I was flabergasted! I told the man my family and I play that particular course all the time, I spend pleanty of money there. The man said "Well, all you paid for this time was the cart rental." I then asked the man if he would like me to pay for the additional holes and cart time I had apparently stolen and he responded by saying "I just want to get going, I have the clubhouse locked up, you are holding me up." It was 7:15pm, still pleanty of light out for golf. I again said I was sorry and I grabbed my golf bag and as I walked away the man said "No hard feelings, come back and enjoy the course again." Seriously.....after I was berated like a 5 year old, he asked me to come "enjoy" the course again? I am a 37 year old avid golfer who likes to play many courses in our area, this course had ALWAYS been my favorite......until now. I personally have spent hundreds of dollars playing this course just this Summer......my family has also spend hundreds of dollars there this Summer.....over the past years, who knows how much money I have payed to play there......thousands of dollars? The ONE time EVER I use the Birthday Voucher, I get treated like a cheap, stealing scoundrel. Tonight left a VERY BAD taste in my mouth. Like I said, I hadn't been spoken to like I had tonight since I was a child and I don't think it should have went down like that. My questions to you all are: Having any of you ever heard of twilight hours being limited to 18 holes? I will assume I was in the wrong for continuing to play after my 18 holes because I had a free greens fee ONE TIME EVER, but was this man justified in berating me like a child? Would any of you continue to give business to this Golf Course after an incident like this.......I mean, I have spent A LOT of money at this place over the years?!? Have any of you ever been chewed up and down at a golf course for anything......besides by other irritated golfers, if at all? Thanks, just wondering if I was so far out to left field and wrong here it is ridiculous!