[Zebrabitch]

Long story, but bare with me cuz I need some advice. Tonight I'm in golf league right, normally I walk but tonight was super windy and just as I was walking to my tee another member who lives on the course rode by as a passenger on another member's cart, he tosses me his cart key and says "here you go, take mine" seeing how windy it was and all I decided to park my Speed Cart and hop in the ride. As I'm getting ready to pull away our head pro says "you know you still gotta pay for that right?" I kinda laugh a bit and he says, "no, I'm serious, you gotta pay a trail fee." So I said yeah I'll get you but now everyone in my group was already on the way to our hole for the shotgun start so I had to go. As I'm out on the course I come across the owner of the cart and I tell him the story so far and he was just beside himself amazed that he would bring that up. I also brought it up to everyone in my group and none of them could believe the guy brought it up either. Fast forward, we're done now and being that tonight is the final night they serve a grilled steak and give us two drink tickets as well. I go in the shop to get the tickets and as I'm walking away he says "hey, did you wanna settle up that trail fee?" I turn around and calmly say, "you know I just don't quite get it, wasn't this cart already registered and paid a trail fee?" he replies back, "yeah for the owner". I then proceed to tell him I don't quite understand since I know that every week there are several members who ride with cart owners without paying such fee, heck I've done it myself a few times. So my reply was that I'd rather come back in and discuss it when I have a chance to calm down and when there is nobody else around (room was full). He then points his finger in my face and goes on to explain how he told me of the trail fee and I knew it so I had to pay it, I tell him then if he wants it, he'll need to send me a bill. As I'm walking out he says, "hey, why don't you give me back those drink tickets?" so I turn around and tossed them into him and said that he can have his drink tickets and he can kiss my a$$ when 2010 Men's Club starts, I will not be back.

Now here's a little background, this is important to understand a little bit. First of all I told him that I would come back and talk when I had a chance to cool down, I had full intentions on paying the trail fee if he can explain how I should have to owe it, again, when there was not a room full of members. Once he pointed his finger in my face he completely crossed a line and disrespected me. I have been a member of this course for 7 years and have never once asked for or expected anything for free. My whole stance was that I know people are riding without having to pay. Background piece 2, he and the cart owner had a major blow out over the use of cart paths on one of our par 3s. Basically the owner drove across the short "fairway" just short of the green and the pro flipped on him, ultimately the cart owner left their match and later in the clubhouse the pro again took up the matter in a rather headed discussion right in front of other members. So the pro had already had an issue with the owner of this cart beforehand.

So once I got home I was still fuming over this and I wrote him the following email.... I want to explain my point a little further, first of all I planned on paying the trail fee, I had 2 hours to think about before finishing my round and even though everyone in my group supported my thoughts that it was ridiculous for you to bring that up. I was going to pay it, I don't agree with it but I'd pay it- I even told you in the pro shop that I would rather stop back in after I cooled down on it because I didn't want to create more than there was over it. Then you point your finger at me and scold me like I'm some school kid, don't ever disrespect me like that again. Let's remember here, my stance was to talk about it when there wasn't a room full of people, but just like you did with your last issue with Venner on the cart path thing, you chose to take the route of showing disrespect and a pure lack of class on your part.

I've been in that men's club for as long as any other person there, you would think if anything I would deserve a little thing like a trail fee, I know for a fact that there are members every single week riding with cart owners without paying a trail fee, are you kidding me? It's not even a matter of trying to get something for free now, as I said, I would pay the fee, but when you point your finger at me and disrespect me like that I am done. I will not be back in 2010 Men's Club, and I hate to say this because it is a nice course and usually a well run facility, but I would be absolutely shocked if I'm the only one who chooses to go elsewhere. As *cart owner* said, you are a very unprofessional "professional" and you should really consider thinking before you act and disrespect your members.

I would be happy to hear your side of things, but I will not stand toe to toe and point fingers back and forth over this. Am I out of line or honestly what do you think? Thanks!!!