[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!

[bettingonosports]

I would never go back there and would make sure all my golfing friends knew about this as well.

[Keyclenef]

If I were you I'd call or email the head pro at the course and let them know about what you experienced. I'd be upfront and say you did play the extra holes and you were willing to pay for them, but also cover how rude the employee was.

[seawolferr]

If you list the course name here . Justice will be served for the guy being a jerk. However Twilight rounds in my area are just a reduced greens fee for 18 holes.

[gIWnXYkw]

I would always check in with the clubhouse before heading back out unless I had explicitly paid for an all you can play tee time. I would say he was in the right for meeting you and asking you to come in. That being said he was obviously out of line for teeing off on you.

I did have an annoying experience one time when I paid for a all you can play twilight tee time. After I finished my first 18 I was told carts had to be in by 730 in the middle of summer. You could easily play till 830 and 9 was doable. A little frustrating to be told to have the cart in an hour before it gets dark after paying for all you can play.

[Laqswrnm]

In my area, twilight is just 18 holes at a reduced price (although a lot of times it's hard to finish 18 with the times they start at). I will say it would take a lot for me to go back to a course that treated me like that. I'd expect and apology for sure. You made a mistake and were very apologetic about it and the employee acted way out of line. The situation should have been dealt with in a more professional manner.

[Abanijo]

A lot of courses have play all you can at twilight. But, even if they don't, that guys reaction was completely uncalled for and out of line. All he had to do is tell you that 18 was the limit. I would never yell at one of my customers, even if they are yelling at me. I would say this guy won the battle and lost the war.

I would probably fire off an email or call to his boss before I decided not to play the course again. Go back and play a course you like if you get the apology. If they give you more attitude, I'm sure there are plenty of courses that actually want your business.

[largonioulurI]

I play a lot of golf courses too, and unless they specifically state that you can go around again at no charge then you can't, so I do believe you were in the wrong there. Also, there is no way I would allow someone to treat or speak to me that way. Just wouldn't happen. The flip side is that I do believe it could have been handled better by the employee too since it was an honest mistake. I may still go back out there if I really liked the course, but I would find out the course rules first, and then speak to the club pro, or someone in charge and demand an apology for the berating. So I guess my answer is I think you were both wrong to an extent.

[Effopsytupt]

If I were you I'd call or email the head pro at the course and let them know about what you experienced. I'd be upfront and say you did play the extra holes and you were willing to pay for them, but also cover how rude the employee was.

.........
I emailed the Course Owner/Manager last night when I got home and explained to him how everything went down. No response yet.....I don't expect to even get a response. For all I know, the guy I dealt with last night was the Owner/Manager?!?! Pretty poor business management if you ask me. If I was in the wrong, it could have been explained to me in a civil, normal tone and like I said, I would have paid for the extra holes.

[FliveGell]

I have never heard of unlimited golf past 18 holes during twilight hours, but I do not play twilight hours very often. You seemed to have made an honest mistake though, because you were used to courses in your area having a twilight policy like that. It's insane an employee would come at you like that without even letting you explain yourself or apologize. It sounds like he just wanted to get off of work and did not have an ounce of respect for you, and that is wrong.

Happy Birthday by the way. Hopefully it was a good one despite the jerk employee.

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[psbiuigw]

I think you were in the wrong. I think the way he handled it was incredibly wrong.

That's all I've got on this one.

[V8V8V8]

The employees clearly could have handled it better, but you did break a rule based on your assumption, which is wrong.

[farmarrl]

I think you were in the wrong. I think the way he handled it was incredibly wrong.

That's all I've got on this one.

The employees clearly could have handled it better, but you did break a rule based on your assumption, which is wrong.

Both of these guys said exactly what I wanted to say. Around here, I've never heard of playing all the holes you can on a "twilight" rate, it's just a discounted rate for the afternoon/early evening.

[brandiweb]

Find their Facebook page and post your experience. . .I would never return-you spend your money there-regardless of what you spent that employee forgets the most important rule of business the customer is always right-I'd find a better course to play at and spend my money there.

Also yes every course I've ever played has twilight hours as lay as many holes as you can till light goes away,

[StoyaFanst]

I have heard of the play as many as you can thing for twilight rates. There is o doubt in my mind I would have went back the next day and would have spoke to the GM about the way his employee spoke to you. I wouldn't necessarily say you were wrong, I simply would have asked the policy before going back out. Nevertheless it doesn't give someone the right to talk to a paying customer like that. Sounds to me like the kid had better things to do and just wanted to leave. I wouldn't go back if I were you but I would definitely lt someone know how you were treated.


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[hs6KnlcW]

Incidents such as this are the reason to ALWAYS go back in the clubhouse and check before heading out for another nine after your round. The employee could have handled it better. He assumed that everyone knows to check back before turning for an additional nine. He probably had been there a long day and but still could have been civil.

[assonomaf]

Twilight rounds in our area are 9 hole or 18. You take your chances paying for all 18 but the rates are reasonable. I'm sure you're a good person but there are a lot of people that would take advantage. I'm sure the employee was frustrated by something else and you took the brunt of it. It's unfortunate and wrong but you can be the bigger man and go back. If you're treated like that again I'd raise holy hell.

It reminds me of something similar. I was at the pro shop to buy a couple of putters for a clients charity event. I was going to buy a couple of PING putters ($125 a piece). While i was waiting i picked up a Scotty Cameron and was looking it over. The club pro blasted me for taking it out of the bag in front of about 15 people. I tried to explain it was already out of the bag but he wouldn't hear it. He stormed out the door. I knew the assistant pro who was standing there and he burst out laughing. I was pissed but the asst pro told me he'd actually taken it out of the bag about 20 minutes before. It lightened my mood and i bought the putters anyway. The asst pro talked with the pro and let him know I was a good decent guy. A week later i went and played a round and the pro was checking people in. I was half ready for a fight. He flipped me a sleeve of Pro Vs and apologized. Since then he's become a great instructor, fitter and friend.

Chances are the employee knows he was in the wrong. I'd go back to a course you obviously like and see what happens. Probably will be water under the bridge.

[Alexeric]

I have heard of the play as many as you can thing for twilight rates. There is o doubt in my mind I would have went back the next day and would have spoke to the GM about the way his employee spoke to you. I wouldn't necessarily say you were wrong, I simply would have asked the policy before going back out. Nevertheless it doesn't give someone the right to talk to a paying customer like that. Sounds to me like the kid had better things to do and just wanted to leave. I wouldn't go back if I were you but I would definitely lt someone know how you were treated.


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......
Funny part is the guy who chewed me out was probably in his late 60s, early 70s. I can understand that I must have been in the wrong here and should have ended my round after 18 holes, even though every other course around here is after "twilight' starts, you play until the sun goes down. It was my mistake for assuming this course was the same, but I definitely think it could have been handled better. And then he says "Come back and actually spend some money".....that is the line that really got me POed! Its not like I was/am some little punk out there messing around, trying to steal from the course! I am a great customer at this course. I don't know, bad business ethics if you ask me.

[bonyrek]

......
Funny part is the guy who chewed me out was probably in his late 60s, early 70s. I can understand that I must have been in the wrong here and should have ended my round after 18 holes, even though every other course around here is after "twilight' starts, you play until the sun goes down. It was my mistake for assuming this course was the same, but I definitely think it could have been handled better. And then he says "Come back and actually spend some money".....that is the line that really got me POed! Its not like I was/am some little punk out there messing around, trying to steal from the course! I am a great customer at this course. I don't know, bad business ethics if you ask me.

No doubt it's bad business! And as much as you may be in the "wrong", it still doesn't give anyone the right to talk to you like that!


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[conurgenceDen]

The guy was an ass, but at my course, it's all you can play after 6PM. If you play before that, we have a replay rate for 9 or 18 holes. So while the guy shouldn't have behaved like he did, you were probably in the wrong by going back out without checking.