How to Confront a Pay to Play Abuser?

[mmueller]

Haybro Redtail DGC is a bit remote and doesn't see lots of traffic. It's a totally serious course with 18 3 year old Discatchers and 9 brand new Marskman baskets in there own Putting Park with nice tees, signage, maps, and major effort put into the courses creation and maintenance. Pay to play is on the honor system and in general I estimate that 25% of locals and about 60% of non locals pay the $5 fee based on signed waivers, which are required to play the course (yes there is a measurable percentage that can't be bothered to even sign waivers). I've learned to accept all of this and tell myself that it's probably better than I could expect from the general disc golf community.

Occasionally there are abusers and I've got a real bad one now. This guy plays the course regularly, maybe 5 or more times a week, and sometimes twice a day, but he doesn't pay. I had to put a blank waiver on his windshield with a note just to get him to sign that, which he took a couple days to do. Redtail offers season passes for $50, which I mentioned in the note, but this guy seems to think he's entitled to show up any time he wants and play for free.

Has anyone run into this on a P2P course? I go out of my way to leave people in peace on the course but I suspect that my only option here is to confront this guy and tell him that he is banned from the course until he buys a season pass. I could shame him publicly via Facebook, but that just doesn't seem right.

Any suggestions?

 

[elmexdela]

"Majority of people playing dont pay the fee. But this one guy IS THE WORST!! HELP ME BRAINSTORM WAYS TO CALL HIM OUT!"

 

[Hampstead]

Your patience so far is admirable.

If you are running the show, you call the shots.

A freeloader will freeload if he thinks he can get away with it.

Stand your ground, or put his info on blast.

 

[DG_player]

Call you local police department and have them show up and charge him with trespass. I doubt they would actually charge him, but a stern warning should shake him up enough to get him to buy a pass or quit playing the course.

 

[markmcc]

I enjoyed playing your course a couple of times (paid both times!!) and know that you've put a lot of work into it. I can't imagine that anything good can come of continuing to tolerate this behavior, as it sounds like you've got a widespread problem.

I think that your only option is to ban him, and then be prepared to charge him with trespass if he returns. If you aren't ready to take the second step then you haven't really banned him at all. Get ready to take some heat and probably p!ss off his buddies, but you may be better off without them, right?

 

[brutalbrutus]

Do you have a group of friends that come out to play? If so maybe you could get them out there sometime so he would have to play through them. They could chat him up about the course and maybe lay a bit of a guilt trip on him. Basically I think you should avoid anything with police unless absolutely necessary. I am sure you have put a lot of time, effort and money into this place and something like that could backfire on you. Bad publicity isn't always good publicity, lol...



...Maybe you should set up camp on the first tee sometime and hold out your hat when he shows up.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Call the police. Put up a sign that says, no signed waiver = trespassing. That's the first issue. One or two folks get told to leave by a cop the rest will hear about it and get the message.

Second issue is pay. I assume you need a certain amount per month to keep the place open. If you're only getting 60% of the needed revenue then one month pull the baskets for 40% of the month. Make a point. It certainly won't get everyone to pay but the message will be sent.

I mean...if it were my property that's how I'd handle it. If I ever get enough land to make a DG course the last thing I'd worry about is pissing off the freeloaders.

 

[davetherocketguy]

"Majority of people playing dont pay the fee. But this one guy IS THE WORST!! HELP ME BRAINSTORM WAYS TO CALL HIM OUT!"

As I understand it, this is private property. The landowners can charge whatever they want. Letting one knucklehead get away with not paying leads to other knuckleheads to thinking they don't have to pay.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Yea the waiver part is different. You have to cover yourself. Do you have any trail cams? Maybe set one on the first tee or wherever the drop box is. That way, in case someone is hurt that didn't sign a waiver, there is evidence of them seeing the notice and still not signing it.

 

[DavidSauls]

I think that your only option is to ban him, and then be prepared to charge him with trespass if he returns. If you aren't ready to take the second step then you haven't really banned him at all. Get ready to take some heat and probably p!ss off his buddies, but you may be better off without them, right?

This would be my approach. I highly doubt you'll get to Step 2 (police) after banning him.

Definitely better off without him.....and you might get better compliance from the rest of the 40%.

I'd ban someone in a heartbeat if I thought they were abusing privileges on our course.

 

[elmexdela]

As I understand it, this is private property. The landowners can charge whatever they want. Letting one knucklehead get away with not paying leads to other knuckleheads to thinking they don't have to pay.

OP- "Pay to play is on the honor system and in general I estimate that 25% of locals and about 60% of non locals pay the $5 fee"

Majority dont pay, but OP is going to pick on one lone person..

Alright.

 

[eegor]

You sound like a great guy tolerating the situation this far. If they guy plays all the time, but doesn't have money... maybe he could work it off. There's always work that needs to be done on any course. Make him part of it by getting him to be Mr. Trash Man while he plays rounds. Or brush clearing man.

If he won't work or pay... send him on his way to never return. Nothing is free in this world. It sucks that some people are jerks.

 

[specsman]

Don't involve the police. The best way to handle it is direct. Just introduce yourself and tell him that if he wants to play the course he has to pay, it is as simple as that and not exactly some strange or ureasonable request. If he refuses, tell him to leave.

 

[markmcc]

Don't involve the police. The best way to handle it is direct. Just introduce yourself and tell him that if he wants to play the course he has to pay, it is as simple as that and not exactly some strange or ureasonable request. If he refuses, tell him to leave.

And when he returns??

 

[DavidSauls]

And when he returns??

That's when you call the police.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Have you ever actually spoken with him? I'd say if you confront him nice and civil and he continues, then he deserves what ever happens. Some people just don't compute certain things until there actually forced to confront them in person. One of the side effects of technology...

 

[jeffmonty]

Don't call him out on social media (yet). I would just ban the guy. As for the rest of the non-payers, like rocketdave said, shut the course or pull some baskets for a few weeks, see how they like that. I know I wouldn't. That might get some of the players that pay to help you police the policy due to the fact it's affecting them in a major way, too. I believe your course is the best option players have in that area.

 

[specsman]

And when he returns??

I don't stress about theoretical problems. There is a good chance he'll pay after dealt with directly. If he won't pay and refuses to leave then you can consider the police. But I'd wager that is an unlikely scenario.

 

[DavidSauls]

I estimate that 25% of locals and about 60% of non locals pay the $5 fee based

That is pathetic.

 

[markmcc]

I've played the course and there is absolutely no ambiguity about the waiver or the payment. Someone that is playing daily while ignoring those two things every time doesn't strike me as the sort of person who will suddenly modify his behavior with a good talkin' to.

I guess Mark will get to see...