Cellphones on the Course
I have traditionally thought the elitist clubs that ban cellphones on their courses were too stuck-up for their own good.
I hadn’t seen cellphones as a huge issue when I’ve played, after all. As a doctor, I’m biased, because it is often very difficult to go to a course without a cellie if you have to stay in touch with your office. I don’t see a lot of doctors just chatting on their phones, disturbing their partners and others. They use it only when they need to, discreetly, avoiding disturbing the other golfers.
But today, I saw on-course cellphone etiquette at it’s worst.
I was playing behind a group of 3 guys, all in carts, with a caddy no less (too much money to know what to do with). I started on 1 when they were on the green of the par 5, so I gave them plenty of room. I played the hole leisurely since I didn’t want to bump into them. As I walked up to the 1st green, I saw one cart on the 2nd fairway but, to my surprise, the second cart and it’s one occupant were parked next to the second tee. And he was on his cellphone.
I chipped up, putted out, practice putted and chipped for over 5 minutes (I checked my watch). No one was behind me, so I had time to do all this. Meanwhile, Mr. Motorola continued yapping on his cellphone, smoking a cigarette, and drinking a beer. His partners had by now played their second shots to the green and were parked by the green looking back at the tee toward their errant partner. I think they saw me, because after about 10 more minutes, they sent the caddy back in their cart to collect the Talker. He had never glanced in my direction (I put my bag down 10 yards behind his cart alongside the tee box and was just standing there, waiting for him to finish his conversation. Maybe I should have coughed or harrumphed or something, but I was curious how long he would remain oblivious).
This just tells me that this guy’s world revolves around him, and no one else. Exclusively! I mean, we all are self-centered to some extent, but he took it to a new level. It was fairly sad to watch someone so involved in himself that he had no clue that he was keeping his friends waiting, his employee caddy waiting, and a stranger waiting – all of which are considered poor form on a golf course or in life in general.
Put it this way – if my son acted even remotely like that, he wouldn’t get to play golf for a long, long time. And he knows better, and has since he first started playing at 8 years old.
Where was this guy’s father?
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