Tipping on the golf course

[dthogey]

I know this topic has been here before. I'm not sure who posted it but somebody said that they often times give the cart girl a tip even when they don't buy anything. I have never thought about giving a tip when I didn't buy anything but I did this yesterday. It seemed like nobody was buying anything from her, I drove up and gave the girl $3 said thank you for being out here today.She seemed blown away! It made me feel good.

 

[DNice26]

Yeah, I have never tipped without buying either. That seems really cool though, given the lack of customers.

 

[Scorp]

Never thought of tipping and not buying anything. Normally I just wave as they drive by.

 

[WLG1952]

I only tip when good services are provided. Treat me right, I treat you right.

On the flip side, I have no problem not tipping for poor service.

 

[dthogey]

Never thought of tipping and not buying anything. Normally I just wave as they drive by.

I think I got the idea from somebody on this site in a different thread.

 

[Scorp]

It's kind of cool if I think about it... they're out there in the elements just like me. Not all cart girls are paid. Normally I don't buy anything though. They either run by when I'm on the second tee or the seventeenth... never when I'm in the middle.

 

[Drumdog]

I don't tip unless I buy. I almost always buy something from them and I always tip them something.

 

[Canio]

I tip the cart guys a couple of bucks. And I always tip the starter. I tip the cart girl when I get something. I will now tip her when don’t get anything. Great idea! Thanks.

 

[Snickerdog]

Always leave a tip when buying something.

 

[OldeDude]

I'll tip generously when I buy something, otherwise no. Talked to one of the cart-girls at a local course, good looking mid-30s, said she made a ton of money in finance, got tired of the stress, and was doing just fine being a cart-girl getting great tips from all us old guys.

 

[CBaker]

tipping someone for not providing anything is a strange idea to me. at that point you're not tipping, you're just giving them money.

 

[scott.french3]

I tip the cart guys a couple of bucks. And I always tip the starter. I tip the cart girl when I get something. I will now tip her when don’t get anything. Great idea! Thanks.

Tipping the starter? I have never heard of that. Hmmmm

 

[pattyboy21]

I tip a lot and often, but never when I didn't buy anything from the beer cart girl! In Mexico, I'd hand out money for folks and not take their wares sometimes, especially the kids with the gum and bobble-head toys.

 

[Canio]

Tipping the starter? I have never heard of that. Hmmmm

Yep, sometimes the started can get you out in a better time slot IF you’re nice to them.

 

[Nappy]

I wouldn't normally tip w/o buying anything, but your gesture was really cool.

 

[YukonLiving]

Interesting idea. I tip when buying, when I’ve received good service. I suppose the argument could be made that they did provide a service even though I didn’t buy anything - they made the option available at a time and place convenient to me.

I haven’t tipped the starter before either. Neither course here has a starter though; just check in at the Pro Shop and go.

 

[OldandStiff]

I like it in a way. I'd lean more towards buying something small (water bottle?) that I don't have a need for right then, giving a nice tip, and telling her thanks for being out there, but I think it comes from the same place. I'd mention I noticed the gesture and thought it was nice if I was there with you.

 

[Canes]

I like what you did there @dthogey !! Around here beverage cart service is pretty much extinct unless you go to a resort course. I like tipping the starters and operations guys (because I did that same job for 3 years in high school) regardless if they help me with my bag and setup the cart.

 

[Templet0n]

I almost never get anything from the bev cart. So I don't tip them. I have never thought to just toss them a few bucks either. That to me seems a bit creepy...

 

[dthogey]

Just think if everybody on thecourse that day gave her $1.

I almost never get anything from the bev cart. So I don't tip them. I have never thought to just toss them a few bucks either. That to me seems a bit creepy...

I could have sworn I got the idea from somebody on this site. I thought it was weird at first but when I just told the girl thank you for being out here today and gave her a few dollars she was blown away and very appreciative.

 

[greg19]

tipping someone for not providing anything is a strange idea to me. at that point you're not tipping, you're just giving them money.

I think if the cart girl was doing her job and came around to me multiple times during my round I could see it. It's not her fault I didn't buy anything but she certainly was doing her job. For the record, I wouldn't tip if I wasnt buying anything but I can understand if she made the effort. I wouldn't just randomly walk up to a beverage cart and just give them money.

I work at a course and those cart girls make a killing!

 

[mantan]

I'll tip a cart girl generously if I am buying something. It would feel almost creepy to tip them if I didn't buy anything. Like hey, stop and be eye candy for a second and I'll tip you for it. (I mean let's be honest, guys who say they tip if they aren't buying wouldn't tip if it was a guy and a lot less likely to tip if it was an old or unattractive woman)

I never tip the starter. I'll tip the guy who takes the bag from the car to the staging area....though it's not a service I want or really appreciate it.

The one tipping/paying situation I hate on the course is when they put someone at the 18th green to clean your clubs. I generally clean my clubs after every shot. So basically I feel beat down to pay somebody to wipe down clean clubs or look like a cheapskate. I hate that practice as it just feels like it's a shakedown for $5-10. Some courses at least put an attractive girl there to do it....as they know guys are more willing to tip a female in that situation. But it still feels like a forced expense.