Dogs at the course?

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By Ethen W

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  • 19 Replies
  1. Ethen W

    Ethen W

    I work at a public golf club in Michigan and every morning my boss brings in her dog so she can take Day-z (the dog) for a walk around the course. I've noticed that many people seem to brighten up as soon as they see her, she has quickly become the unofficial face of our club.

    Through this experience I have adopted the belief that more clubs should have a course dog, what is you stance? Would you mind seeing a dog in the clubhouse of your regular course or do you believe that dogs have absolutely no place at the course?

  2. Ben A

    Ben A
    Los Gatos, CA

    In the clubhouse perhaps, but I remember one time plaing on a course that had houses along it and there was a loose dog near the green. Yes, I should have hit a shot that hit the green instead of going left of the green, but that dog grabbed my ball. I was not amused.
  3. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military
    The head of maintenance where I play league is always riding around the course checking on things with his dog in the cart with him. I'm not sure who gets more enjoyment out of it, the people playing or the dog riding in the cart!
  4. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    I am a "must love dogs" guy, and I always enjoy stroking a friendly dog. But I don't want to take my dog on course nor should any other player. So a dog at the clubhouse or greeting on the first tee is one thing, just not opening the course up to dog owners. There are enough hazards on course, already.
  5. Brian C

    Brian C

    Ethan,

    I live in Michigan as well and one of the owners of my course who is head of the grounds crew has his dog with him all the time. Everyone knows her name and are always petting her when I see them. I feel like it definitely brings a good vibe and feels like a family oriented place to be.
  6. Joshua B

    Joshua B
    Connecticut

    while on vacation in the Plymouth area I go to this course call Green Harbor and play every year. My favorite part has the B on the 9th hole when this golden retriever always comes running as fast as I can towards me on my Approach shot. I would love to be able to bring my dog out on the course understand some people don't like dogs and the amount of damage they can do on the course digging and peeing on everything. It is a double edged sword but awesome when you see a dog on the course
  7. Dr. Kovatchian

    Dr. Kovatchian
    Carlsbad

    Most of the Muni Courses in Austin, TX allow players to bring their dogs along for the round as long as they are leashed. The Courses are city parks and dogs are welcome. I never had any trouble playing along side players with their dogs strapped to their push carts.

    Cheers, Dr. K
  8. No'l

    No'l
    Palmdale, CA

    Both were Labs that I've seen on different courses owned by the greens keeper. They're very well trained, and people friendly. They almost always seem to be in the maintenance cart other than real early in the morning or way late in the afternoon.

    But, No, I wouldn't want to see a dog(s) at the clubhouse, nor encourage people to bring their dogs onto the course.

    I love dogs, I just don't think dogs should be on the course. I'm not a fan of seeing wild cats or mountain lions on the course either- and I have. Snakes and other reptiles... I'd rather not encounter with them either. Bears! Oh my goodness, we had a baby bear up top a tree on the #1 fairway once. Yes, we cared so much for the baby and were hoping it doesn't hurt itself. We also didn't want the mommy bear wandering around looking for her cub on the course. Yikes!

    But I never did mind gorillas on the tees who drives 320 yards down the middle each time! :-)
  9. Rick D

    Rick D
    Weston, WI

    Our course Super also has his dog riding around in the maintenance cart with him. The pooch is getting really old and I'm wondering if she'll be along this year. He used to have the dog chase the geese off. The last couple years we've been invaded by them as some member PETA types complained that it was cruel. I think it's cruel having to walk through their mess. I'm all for him bringing in a new pup to move the geese elsewhere.
  10. Caleb H.

    Caleb H.

    I believe in the pro shop or by maintenance, since that's how my club did it, everyone loved her!
  11. Keith M

    Keith M
    Acworth, GA

    I'm semi-ok with it. Not on the course, like others have said because the dog could get hit and be a safety hazard. At the driving range, club house, or putting green is fine by me. I routinely see a few golfers bring their dogs to the range and the dog lays peacefully while others come by and pet him, say hello, and then move on to practice. It's calming to have the dog around.
  12. Keith M

    Keith M
    Acworth, GA

    That said, if you could train a dog to track down my lost Pro V1xs, I'd be 100% in favor of having a course dog. I'll pay him back with a hot dog at the turn.
  13. JRDotel

    JRDotel

    Keith M said:

    That said, if you could train a dog to track down my lost Pro V1xs, I'd be 100% in favor of having a course dog. I'll pay him back with a hot dog at the turn.

    Haha. Shoot, I'd give that dog a steak if he could find it where I hit sometimes.

    -J
  14. JRDotel

    JRDotel

    I don't want to bring the mood down, but I used to own a chihuahua (Hershey) who I would take to the course with me. He would hop on the cart and come to me on command, and when I would walk, I would let him loose and he would find me a few holes later, lol. Long story short, a group behind us hit an errant shot that struck hershey in the neck, and that was that. I would never ever recommend anybody take their furry-friends to the course, because although this was a freak accident, you just never know (especially when I got struck on my foot by one of my buddy's errant shot which ricocheted off a tree).

    -J

    P.S. There is a happy ending. Turned out Hershey got a neighbors dog pregnant, and when the subdivision heard the news, we were given one of his pups :) Naturally we named him H.J.
  15. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Our public course had a trained boarder collie that rode around in the grounds keeper cart. Her job was to chase the geese off the greens and fairways. As far as I know all of the golfers loved her. As we all do, Fern grew old and finally passed away, gone but not forgotten. There is a new dog to take Fern's place but she has a hard act to follow.
  16. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    I am a dog lover and have a little one at home, who is our child princess. There is a time and place for everything in life. My fear for dogs at a golf course is that they would get hit by an errant golf ball. If you have never been hit by a golf ball, which I have, the pain is unbearable. If you allow one dog on the course you have to allow all dogs, unless they are service dogs, for their safety, it would be best served not to allow dogs on golf courses. Not all dogs are well trained. Hate stepping in poop, which I have. With due respect to man's best friend.
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  17. JRDotel

    JRDotel

    Chuck Z said:

    I am a dog lover and have a little one at home, who is our child princess. There is a time and place for everything in life. My fear for dogs at a golf course is that they would get hit by an errant golf ball. If you have never been hit by a golf ball, which I have, the pain is unbearable. If you allow one dog on the course you have to allow all dogs, unless they are service dogs, for their safety, it would be best served not to allow dogs on golf courses. Not all dogs are well trained. Hate stepping in poop, which I have. With due respect to man's best friend.
    Post Image

    100% Agree, Chuck. I would never take a dog to the course again, just because you never know. My boss told me that they've owned plenty of dogs at Ironwood, and that this was the first to ever happen.

    -J
  18. Chris G

    Chris G
    Washington, UT

    There is a local public course here and the greens keeper has 2 golden retrievers. They mostly ride on the maintenance cart when he is on the course but the dogs stay very close to the cart. Once in awhile, he will send them out to chase up a flock of geese. Our courses here have a goose problem which many courses endure. The dogs will run off the geese as necessary. Keeps the course cleaner and you're not hitting from a pile of goose "do-do". I don't condone golfers bringing their house pets to the golf course for safety reasons.
  19. Tom B

    Tom B
    Northborough, MA

    Our super. has a dog too, and had another before this one. He serves a VERY important purpose other than making nice with some of the members, who even carry a "milkbone" in their bag for him. He's trained to shoo away the Canadian geese that love to "leave their marks" all over the course. He makes his appearance in the early spring, lets the geese know he's there, and they're off to another location or course. I suspect most of the other dogs you see riding with the super. are for the same purpose. Any "evidence" of the geese around? How about the courses that don't have a dog?
  20. Mike D., Titleist Staff

    Mike D., Titleist Staff
    Ashland, MA

    Team Titleist Staff
    Personally, I'm a fan of dog's at the golf course. And I just received this photo that I had to share from one of our reps who was on the road in Maine. Meet "Murphy" - known as everyone's favorite dog up at Nonesuch River Golf Club.

    Always fun to see a four-legged friend supporting Team Titleist!
    Post Image

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