What is wrong with casuals??? no common sense! What would you do.

Anyway today I took my son disc golfing today. He loves just being out in the stroller with me while I am throwing. Anyway I was throwing with another member of our local club and some casuals started playing behind us. They threw before we were done with a number of holes nearly hitting my son in the stroller and narrowly missing the other guy I was throwing with. If I am 400+ feet away and you know you cannot reach me by all means throw. But when you can obviously hit the people why?
Why the hell do you throw?

What would you do in this case? When they got close enough to use I told them not to throw on us again and they didn't but honestly wtf! I should never have had to say anything in the first place.

[stevo]

i don't know the situation but,sometimes it's a cue to let them play through. if there was room in front of you,you can let them through and then when they are walking by ask them nicely not to throw at you.

[Jackson]

I always say that if your charged $1 per round you would eliminate a heck of a lot of problems at that particular course. Leave some courses free and charge for others. So what if a bunch of people that have no clue about courtesy decide never to play the game again? Heck, it is not like they own hundreds of discs and their not playing anymore is going to hurt the money side of disc golf. Think about it, how many people do you have courtesy problems with that own more than three discs and pay five bucks a week to play in a league?

[Chainz-4-Brainz]

It's an inevitability that, at some point, you'll stumble across the meatiest of meatheads out there. That's the way it goes. Whether they be casuals or course pros or picnickers or tandem bicyclists, every group has their idiots. Personally, I believe it stems from those people who just can't manage to see beyond themselves. Nowadays, it's all "me me me" with people. All people. I've been guilty of it myself. In fact, there isn't any one here who can say that they haven't been guilty of it at some juncture. ...But.... there's a difference between those of us who make an effort to be respectful and consider others, and those of us who consistently put ourselves first, and couldn't care less about those around us.

Here's where I think the solution lies. It's already been stated to no end that these people lack common sense. So, it only seems appropriate to assume that these people also wouldn't be aware of how rude and selfish they were being, what with their lack of common sense already being called into question. That is why they need to be told how they are acting, or more appropriately, how they are being percieved by those around them. It's not a fun job. I assume it would be much like having to tell an aquaintance about the booger protruding from their nose. Awkward for everybody. Yet still, if you don't tell them, they'll never know. No sense in being rude. Then you're no better than they are. Just kindly tell them about that unwritten code of conduct that should be expected of them and all disc golfers, and ask that they make more of an effort to follow it.

Sure, you'll have to occasionally deal with your stubborn, your pig-headed, your "hoilier than thou's", but at least they'll know that not everyone thinks they're so great, and perhaps that's the first step on their road to common sense.

[Nick]

Very well stated.

[Derek Tonn]

Agreed. Very well-stated! However, the only thing I would ask us all to remember is how other people feel when:

1. DG players hop into neighbors yards uninvited to retrieve stray discs...when said neighbors have no idea what their player rating might be. Or even worse, taking a leak, littering, swearing like a sailor, drinking or smoking a little weed. And if people try and convince me that it's only Am/Rec who are doing that type of stuff, I might have to go into high levels of detail sharing some of the stuff I have seen out on the course during leagues, sanctioned/unsanctioned tournaments or casual rounds...from people with player ratings well North of 880. ;-)

2. How "casuals" feel when they're out to have a good time on the course and the occasional "pros" show up with their gi-normous drives, surgical-precision approach shots, and the periodically rude or condescending under-the-breath comments or eye-rolling that accompanies it when players not nearly as schooled at the science and art of throwing a plastic disc dare share "their" course or get on a tee box or fairway in front of said pros.

3. How other park users feel about having to duck-and-cover when they're out having a picnic, or walking their dog, or riding their bike with their spouse/kids...keeping their heads on a swivel until they know they are (hopefully) out of potential harm's way.

Honestly folks, #2 pisses me off eight-times more than slow play in front of me or the occasional tool throwing into our group's backs. Why? Because 100% of those players should know better...and they should also realize that separating themselves from the "rec" players (moving to gated communities, AKA for-play courses) and/or being rude or dismissive towards less-skilled players does exactly ZERO to advance the sport that many of us love so-very much (from a "macro" perspective).

Just playing devil's advocate a bit. Seriously though, I have a casual/rec player here in our town who hasn't played in a tournament in 5-6 months after another area player whose rating is North of 940-950 rode him for 4-5 holes about how he only owned 2-3 discs, how he didn't have a bag, how he made a couple poor shot selections, etc. I'll take a disc in the back of the head over being forced to ever again watch a solid player belittle a newer player who is just trying to learn, improve and have a little fun.

[Scot Lambert]

I have no clue what you would do. We have the same problem at our course. School gets out and flocks of kids show up, throwing in groups of 8-10. If you get the courtesy of playing through one of the throngs, you just end up behind another one. Me and my girlfriend have taken to getting our rounds in early in the day. Anywhere form seven to like tenish. Its great because there is very little foot trafic and the winds really dont kick up till later. Carry a sham wow though! The morning dew is out in full force.

[Jackson]

About a week ago, my Wife and I were playing a round, and there were 16 people playing on two holes. And that includes our group of two. People were throwing into and over one another, but the whole course looked like it was the same way. Luckily, we were on 18 and bailed right after. I am convinced that many disc golfers have ever played ball golf. Lacks of common sense and courtesy prevail. You want me to pay for a round and tee of seven minutes after the group in front of me and seven minutes before the group behind me? That is cool. I will not be rushed and always be able to throw when I am ready. You want to put my into a group of three that needs a fourth to keep things "balanced"? Awesome. I love meeting new players.

[kcbrez009]

The first instance would have caused me to look back at them with palms to the sky and a "WTF?" look on my face. The second instance would have caused me to toss the offending disc back in their group's direction.

A Casual Haiku

Disc flies at my group
Stupid people on the tee
WTF, jack ass?

[Matt Jankowski]

Explain it once, next time you taco their disc.

[Sean Johnson]

What I find hardest to understand is how people can't see the sheer danger of a speeding driver. Max weight Boss coming screaming in on some huge hyzer bomb.....could be nasty. I can see putting or throwing out of turn or something like that happening all the time when you're new (I know it did with me). I also know what a disc will do if it hits someone on the face. I'd be having unkind words with those people, especially if I had a child with me. Digging the Hiaku man, btw.

[Big Disc]

I was working one day at the house my Father-in-law was selling and brought my discs and a portable basket. I left them out after my lunchtime practice session. When the realtor showed up she brought a family with kids. I never realized how much damage an Innova Eagle could do to a forehead until those two kids played a game of catch with one at close range. 12 stitches later It dawned on me that you DONT EVER throw in on somebody! PERIOD. Ignorance is no excuse. Anyone can be educated on the way to play the game. If they dont want to listen, at least you will have a bag full of weapons to throw at their foreheads! J/K

[Smokey]

Actually one of the funniest things about casual players is that they do think they are way better than anyone...I had a group walk into our fairway at a local course...they decided to hang out at our pin...we warned them that we were playing to that pin...they insisted we throw because of course no one can make a throw of about 420 ft. right to the pin...I procede to throw my Gateway Sabre slightly right of the pin it slowly starts fading back and nearly takes the head off the kid that was so insistant that we throw in on them....I LMAO...they were like holy crap...needless to say they learned what getting schooled was all about.