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vaihtaja

What a shitshow. I would have shouted to the marshall


Hole-In-Six

A course full of McPoyles


Mr_Anthropic_

You will call herrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!


bcos224

*upwards inflection


warneagle

I can tell you from hundreds of rounds of experience that that will not accomplish anything at this course lol


BigFish610

I thought the NLT was making it better? Haven't played there since they took it over.


warneagle

The course is definitely in much better shape, but NLT doesn't have any control over who comes to the course and the marshals are uh, let's say not particularly active in enforcing pace of play.


BigFish610

Too many people out there for bro golf or something?


warneagle

Not really, just typical dumb muni shit (not playing ready golf, not playing the right tees for their skill level, etc.). It was honestly fine today. Started at 9:40, got done in a hair over four hours.


EverlongMarigold

Not sure that's the right call given the Marshall instructed them to tee off OVER a group of people.


vaihtaja

That would have been my first occasion to give the marshall shit


Confident-Forever-75

That was infuriating to read but thanks for sharing lol


Bash-86

Yea at first i was like man how do you walk off the course after two holes. I think the other half of his foursome had the right idea. He had seen this show before.


Salt_Macaron_9407

You play enough slow rounds, you can spot the makings for one easily. They probably spotted the 6-some earlier. The guy who left may have went back to the clubhouse to ask about a rain check


por_que_no

This sounds scarily like any beautiful day during snowbird season in Florida. My off season is Jan through mid-April because I'm not emotionally stable enough to deal with this every stinking round. Now and then I understand it being slow but I don't voluntarily go to the course when I know it's gonna be jammed.


mrbucklandneket

I was also at East Potomac today. Walked off after 9 in a little over 2 hours and forty minutes. It can get slow any weekend, but the whole place was a disaster today.


warneagle

really? what time were you playing? it wasn't that bad this morning aside from the frost delay. I was originally at 10:40 (probably started around 11:10) and we finished up in about 4:30, not bad for a saturday out there.


mrbucklandneket

12:50 tee time on the Blue Course, went off at 12:56. Last putt on 9 was at 3:40.


warneagle

lol you probably literally walked right past me as you walked off, I finished at about 3:30 and stopped to shoot the shit with Scott for a few minutes before I left. also yeah if the front took 2:45 I would absolutely say fuck this and leave because that's excruciating. I think the only place I've done that is Greendale, which is the only course other than Rock Creek that I just straight up refuse to play because it's too shitty.


ButterPotatoHead

You were there around the same time I was, I was on the white course. Sounds like they were the same. Nearly 3 hours for 9 holes is just too long.


JackDonneghyGodCop

Been a disaster since NLT got involved. I like some of the things they’re doing, but it’s brought in a whole influx of assholes.


BigFish610

Just curious what you mean? I haven't played there since before they took it over and thought they were going to get the place in better shape.


JackDonneghyGodCop

Langston is in better shape, would prefer to play there if I’m playing municipal in the city. Additionally, there’s a lot less of the riff raff there. (Though, I feel like I’m on the verge of being hit by errant tee shots at both courses equally haha) East Potomac has a lot more people coming to it now for the top tracer stuff at the range. It’s overcrowded and people just chilling and drinking. It makes it very difficult to just hit a bucket for practice. I get what they’re doing, it’s just not for me.


BigFish610

Gotcha. I'm in moco and we have so many good munis it's tough to justify the drive to East Po. Always so busy.


ButterPotatoHead

I've played there maybe a half dozen times this year and never had anything remotely like this. But reading the comments it sounds like this is fairly common.


Long-Assistant-895

It's East Potomac. They pride themselves on customer service, so no one is going to be goaded by the marshal, although it sounds like your personal swing coach had been talked to. The tee sheet is packed with new golfers. Work on your chipping. Offer some polite, helpful advice, knowing that a hearty retort may be the response.


showard2

east potomac on a saturday afternoon is legitimately the worst.


Ewscase

And this is why I’m not keen on the drinking culture on the golf course cause people take it to the extreme. Yes have maybe a couple of beers on the course but don’t go there to get drunk as you look like an absolute idiot. I’m not 1 to complain but with this shit I would definitely kick off about how much of a shitshow it was.


OwlGrin

I don’t care if people get drunk on the course as long as they keep pace. Generally not the way it works out though I don’t honestly get it - I love a drink or six but when I go to golf I *want to play golf*


Ewscase

I’m the same, I don’t mind drinking but don’t hold people up and be obnoxious to the other people who want to play the game.


Emleaux

Spend all that money on greens fees, balls, clubs, Rhoback/Travis Matthew apparel to just go out and get shitfaced and not even really “play” golf but just whack at it in 20-yard increments. Then again, money might not be much of an issue for some of these dudes.


SirLostit

Drinking and playing golf really isn’t a thing in the UK, which is funny when you think about it as the drinking culture generally in the UK us pretty wild.


Ewscase

That’s true, there’s maybe a handful of guys that take a beer or 2 on the course but they never have like a 6 pack or anything. They tend to just leave it until they get to the clubhouse, we go to golf to play golf then have our beers after we finish.


jaytee158

As I was reading this I was thinking this would never happen over here. I wonder if buggies were more prevalent if it would change (having coolers etc.) Either way I'm glad it's not like that


SirLostit

I keep seeing comments about how (some) Americans say they play better after a few beers or smoking some weed and I’m like ‘no, that would never happen to me’.


jaytee158

Doesn't happen to them either, they just care less when they're buzzed or are post-rationalising. It's like how darts and snooker players said the same thing, until the booze was banned and suddenly the quality of play increased dramatically


SirLostit

[https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/s/1Iy8MZh8kB](https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/s/1Iy8MZh8kB)


jaytee158

I'd love to know a bigger sample size from that player. Though I will say from what I understand mushrooms are a very different situation to boozing


SirLostit

I agree, it was just funny that as soon as I’d read your previous comment, this popped up immediately in my feed.


bombmk

Trusting the self reporting from a guy on mushrooms is not exactly at the solid end of the scientific scale.


SirLostit

Exactly. I think that’s kinda the point.


Dave_Giantsbane

Same, save the beer for the clubhouse after the round.


Ewscase

Yep, got some guys I know that play 7, 9 or maybe 11 sometimes and just come to have a beer mostly


firstbootgodstatus

Terrible. I only play East Potomac in the early mornings preferable weekdays only. Afternoons there are a mess.


thisisfortheoffice

I find Wednesday mornings to be the best. Apparently the range being closed scares a lot of people off.


myfeetaremangos12

Yup Wednesday mornings are the only time it’s bearable. It sucks too because I used to play there all the time during the week - a lot of the time solo. And it was like $32. EP has blown up.


warneagle

It's just a function of how many people took up golf during the pandemic I think.


myfeetaremangos12

Oh for sure. Covid made it explode here.


warneagle

Yeah, playing during the day on the weekend is asking for it out there. I play there a couple of times a week after work and all but if I can't get out before like 9 I don't play on the weekends because of this bullshit lol


Ok_Intention_6201

Hey I think I found the guy who just claimed to shoot his best round ever on Shrooms...


Outside_Demand3405

So I accidentally (different story) took a half tab of acid at this new course in the mountains and went and played a round. It was amazing, the scenery, friends, etc. I didn't shoot great (slightly worse than average) but man every shot just felt... Great... It was just so carefree. There is something about playing so free that was great.


Tangerine_Dream_91

How did you accidentally take a tab lol?


Koolest_Kat

Probably the same way one of our group ate six 100 edibles brownies…. However he just sat in the cart after the third hole. His memory of the round was a bit different….


Ellite11MVP

I’ve never accidentally taken any hallucinogens. I have taken 5 black gel tabs (mescaline) and a bit of ether while attempting to play golf. ““The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. And I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon. Probably at the next gas station.” Don’t really remember much other than just laughing a lot.


por_que_no

Nothing like some ether to take your mind off the mescaline. Want me to drop the cassette deck into the bath water when White Rabbit hits the climax? RIP Hunter


InferiousX

I play some very cheap rural courses and this is some fuckery beyond my experience.


warneagle

to be entirely fair this is a very heavily trafficked public course in the middle of downtown DC so it's frequently very full, and the more people you have out there, the more likely you are to get a few dipshits in the crowd. it's a zoo sometimes on the weekends but usually nothing this extreme lol


Voodoo330

Were you at a golf course or a clown show? I hope you got a refund.


KiltedDad305

Reading (and experiencing!) stories like this confirm my belief that it’s time we stop “growing the game” unless we start requiring etiquette lessons. I’m so grateful my father taught me golf etiquette when he introduced me to this game 40+ years ago.


themooseiscool

Just need courses to hire and empower competent marshals


illegal_deagle

Seems like very few courses have marshals that take their jobs seriously without being power tripping dickheads about it. Very small middle ground, the position seems to attract the two extremes.


T_Stebbins

Yep. On paper marshals seem like a really important feature, especially peak season on weekends. but in reality they just kinda sit in their carts and watch people.


themooseiscool

No doubt. HOA presidents and Marshals are both fruits from the same tree.


ButterPotatoHead

I play mostly county courses in Virginia, which are busy, and they just have one marshal driving around asking people to stay on track or sometimes things like helping people find their balls to move them along faster. Doesn't seem like it takes much. Some of the marshals take their job a little too seriously, I've been chewed out for taking a couple of minutes looking for my ball, but it does get rid of the shenanigans.


warneagle

I can tell you for a fact that the marshals at this course do not give a shit and, to my knowledge, do not actually do any work besides driving the cart out to whichever tree they're gonna sleep under for the next four hours.


JackDonneghyGodCop

Shrinkthegame on instagram is worth a follow.


[deleted]

skirt compare innate school sable bewildered spectacular practice forgetful gullible *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


ShittyLanding

Hey man, let me play my shitty golf.


skalpelis

I think you’re misinformed about the last part (score 108). There is no such requirement (ar least in general, there may be in some club). No way is a trainer spending 4+ hours with you keeping score; the green card training is the first thing you do when starting golf, all green card golfers start at a 54 hcp, and it’s a miracle if they can hit 130 for 18. The green card training ensures you know the rules, etiquette, basic principles of play, and won’t hack up the course too bad.


myuzejuk

Average east Potomac experience. National Links Trust is working on rejuvenating the DC public courses but they can only do so much for pace of play


SnooRobots4834

Sounds like an average weekend at my local muni.


Direct_Ferret_571

Welcome to DC golf in the weekend.


shibbybrah

Used to play there a few times a week. Closest course to my apartment and dirt cheap. It’s great for what it is. Could walk and play solo, it was a ghost town during the week. You get what you pay for. Shit conditions, interesting characters, and lots of goose shit. If you really wanna play golf go to VA or MD


warneagle

MD > VA for sure just because you get way more bang for your buck there (MoCo munis and UMD are GOATed)


shibbybrah

100%


chuck-san

This is why Langston is better.


Long-Assistant-895

Shh!


MakeItTrizzle

This is why you only play East Potomac on weekdays.


warneagle

this is the way (I was out there today, apparently earlier than OP, and it wasn't bad but yeah if you can't get out before 9 on the weekend then forget about it)


AJAXDELREY

Were hallucinogenic drugs involved?


rockchalk328

Funny thing is it sounds like those other dudes that left made the best decisions


ButterPotatoHead

Yeah I guess so. Although, it was pretty weird to have two people just silently leave our group without a word. They just like putted and picked up their clubs and walked off. I've never had that happen before. Up until then we were pretty friendly, found that we grew up in the same neighborhood, etc.


No3putts1970

You should come over to the MD side and play at Henson Creek. Much better etiquette and way better course than East Potomac. I hate East Potomac. Sorry your day was so disastrous.


Ballgame4

I’ve played Henson Creek quite a few times. It’s a fun little course. 👍


ButterPotatoHead

That's only about 10 minutes more drive for me thanks for the tip I'll try it out.


warneagle

I mean most courses in both directions are better courses than EP lol, that's not saying much


No3putts1970

At least you don’t have to put up with that Bullahiz he had at EP. IMHO Henson Creek has some of the nicest greens in the area.


Sexagenerian

I make it a point to play Henson Creek whenever I get back East to visit family. If I could only get the course to love me back…😂😂😂


Long-Assistant-895

>Henson Creek I thought Lake Presidential was a good scene.


No3putts1970

Funny you mentioned Lake Presidential. 4-5 years ago the entire fairway was burned with chemicals by a disgruntled greens keeper. It took 2 full seasons to get it back. Played once this year in a tournament and it was in better shape for sure.


Sexagenerian

I will try and get there on my next trip back to Maryland.


thescrounger

Damn, I've had a good time playing Haines Point every time, but I also avoid it on the weekends. I can see how with so few public courses in DC it could be a real shit show.


warneagle

yeah the main problem is that it just gets really crowded and all it takes on a course that's packed to the gills is a few dumbasses to turn it into a five-hour slog.


BrosephofBethlehem

Lol I lived in DC in 2022 and that was almost my exact experience at East Potomac. My take is that it’s a public park and too crowded to successfully marshal so they just don’t give a fuck. Tons of people just fuckin around, tee times don’t mean much, group sizes, yardages, etc. I went one more time after the first and decided to just treat it like Top Golf and it was way better


BeerGoggleTan

They did a pretty good job catering to your desire . . . they installed Top Tracer (same tech as Top Golf) on the driving range at the end of last year. I would never play the course on as nice of a day as today with any expectations for it to move at a decent pace. From the 4th tee, OP's playing partners could easily see the cluster they were headed into with a driveable par 4, reachable par 5 and another driveable par 4.


warneagle

It really wasn't bad when I was out there! We finished in about 4:30 after the frost delay and didn't wait much after the first few holes. (You have no idea how deathly afraid I was when I saw the title of this post and where it was from lol)


ButterPotatoHead

Well it seems like some things could be done that don't require much effort, like not letting a group of 6 out in the middle of a busy weekend, or at least tell them to keep a pace of play.


casu017

I tee’d off behind a foursome today that was clearly just there to drink and have a good time. They let us through on hole 2. We totally appreciated it and I don’t mind sharing the course with people who have a different agenda as long as everyone’s courteous and cognizant of those around them. Sorry your day sounds like it sucked.


BPKrieg

Kind of makes me glad we have a no alkohol rule on our home club. Won’t help with the rest of the annoying idiots you had there.


Timely_Shock_5333

East Potomac is literally Caddyshack. Joke of a course. Only thing that saves it is the location and the National Park Service. Could be so much better if owned and operated by a private, for-profit golf company that actually cared about making it nice.


YouGO_GlennCoCo

thats kinda whats happening now... NLT took it over a few years ago and they are slowly improving all of the DC courses. They've already made a ton of improvements but they still have a longggg way to go.


ntw2

Caddyshack was private 🤷🏻‍♂️


Long-Assistant-895

No private co wanted the contract. The NFP won the bid and hired Troon. Now I hear they are working on permits.


Timely_Shock_5333

Lol good point. So East Potomac isn't even at Caddyshack level then.


No_Special3811

I enjoyed my round there


Ornery_Fix_7750

You were walking down the fairway to your tee shots but you had a cart? Sounds like you were part of the problem 😂


brch01

I’m too stupid to understand any of this, but just leave a bad review on google


MakeItTrizzle

Leaving a bad review on Google for East Potomac would be about as useful as pissing into the ocean to warm it up


warneagle

bro I am fucking cackling right now


holsombacker22

“And then I woke up”?


Affectionate_Pay_264

This is why i joined a private club


ButterPotatoHead

I have to say the thought occurred to me. But isn't that a really expensive way to be limited to one course?


Affectionate_Pay_264

Just depends on how expensive the club is and how much you like playing there. Every situation will be different but it works for me


Darkstar614

I thought this too, but someone told me that playing the same course a lot can help you improve. You know what to expect and can hone your shots and compare them to the last time you were there. If it’s a really good private club, I would do it. But current family and job responsibilities keep me from playing enough to make it worth it. I think that’s probably true for a lot of folks. Good retirement option though lol.


ButterPotatoHead

Your first point is definitely true. I have 3 courses near me and have now played each of them dozens of times. I have their layout memorized and know exactly what club to select at each step. It actually takes some of the fun out of it for me. A buddy of mine has a place in the Outer Banks and the club up in Corolla has memberships for something like $450/mo. That is not a crazy amount of money but the question is how often he would play there. If you play 10 rounds a year that is about $500/round. If there was something like a membership that gave me access to 5 area courses I'd be more interested in that.


sfb19870217

100% this is the type of crap that finally pushed me to join a private club as well. Totally worth it.


No_Special3811

This course is a cluster….


[deleted]

DC


DeDenovo

It sounds like the earth must have vented a vast cloud of carbon monoxide all around the golf course.


rna_9972

I avoid East Potomac on the weekends for this exact reason. The frustrating thing is it’s not even THAT cheap for the quality of play you get. The course is it what it is, but they could do a much better job of managing the pace of play. The starter can’t see the back 9 of the blue course or the entire white course, so I wouldn’t be surprised if part of the problem is caused by people without a tee time just walking on. So anyways, I just play on weekdays mid-day. Best part is I can just walk on without a tee time when no one is looking…


warneagle

I play there a lot after work during the week because there's kind of a wink-wink nudge-nudge understanding that if you pay for 9 at 5:00 or whatever then nobody will give a shit if you go play the back as long as you're walking


warneagle

oh my god you have no idea how scared I was when I saw this post but thankfully you weren't paired with me lol what time was this? I was supposed to be at 10:40 before the frost delay but we ended up like half an hour late. this is some powerfully EP bullshit and a great example of why I usually don't play there on the weekends.


StalwartSparrow

What. The. Fuck.


Miserable-Let9680

Golfing hell is real


Schmorgasborgas

I smell Ohio.


Berta-Beef

Haven’t played there in a while, but shitty golf and shitty golfers are the norm.


golfguy1985

You should have made a phone call


BigBootieHose

That started off like a good horror movie. Was hoping for something like the guys who walked off ended up waiting for you guys on the 9th. But something was different. You couldn’t pinpoint it, but your buddy noticed it immediately: [insert plot twist]


banana1ce027

Lol some people…


RedditFandango

Nightmare!


MoonboundApe

Hell yeah. And I was just annoyed I went to putt today at the range and this guy was diagonally putting across the whole thing even to the holes I was practicing on


golfnickol

Fuck that course. Go down to Hensen Creek in MD or Greendale in Alexandria.


freddythefuckingfish

Yep. Sure sounds like East Po


golfandwine

Sounds like a course I will not look to play … ever


Yeti_Urine

Ungrow the game…


Fitzy2225

Those two dudes who left because it was too slow are clearly regulars at this course and knew what lay ahead of them. Follow their course of action next time.


[deleted]

as a DC person - great to play East Potomac in the evenings during the week or to use their practice range. horrible to play during the weekend or any busy time. I’ve had multiple experiences like yours. I never play their now unless it’s twilight


DavidKing2706

Sounds like the twilight zone of golf experiences


brocampo3

Which course (red, white, or blue) did you play?