I concur with you, if anyone is bothered, turn the music down or off. More and more of the people I play with are bringing music to the course, and it is becoming more accepted. No one should should hesitate to request quiet, and no one should be offended or hesitate to turn down their music. It seems to be becoming less of an issue, and anything to promote play and youth to come out, I'm for it. Remember to enjoy your round. 

There is a time and place for everything.  A golf outing may be an acceptable place to have music as long as the participants of the outing have the whole course.  I play with guys that have music or listen to ball games when we play but they never have it so loud as to affect others.  Those that play theirs so loud that you can hear it on the adjacent holes are a nuisance.

Jim A.

I agree.

Hey Fred, I love music and I usually take a bluetooth speaker when i'm in a cart.  The guys I usually play with enjoy the music as well.  I feel it has a calming effect on my game.  However, you are correct in that it can be taken too far.  The noise level must be respectful of all those in the group and in addition if I'm pulling up on a group in front, such as the tee box, I will mute it not to disturb the other group.  Like the rules in golf, if people police their own etiquette, they should be able to have music.  There will always be those that aren't respectful, but for the majority I believe we are and it's our responsibility to be so.

There's another rule that says a player cannot be listening to music because it can block outside distractions and improve his/her tempo.

Never actually ran into this problem, so far, but I'd agree with you.  Playing music on the course would be poor etiquette in my opinion.  I did play a course once where they had a fella in Scottish attire at the clubhouse play a bagpipe after everyone putted in on 18 and headed to the club house, he asked if you enjoyed the course, everyone have a good time, took pictures of our foursome, asked if we wanted something to eat or drink, which was kinda cool.  But music out on the course, I'd prefer not to hear it.

Music on the course is becoming more acceptable to me...over the years I have resisted it but I am finding on more casual rounds it adds a sense of fun!

If I'm playing alone, I'll usually have something going on Pandora.  I'm walking, and it gives me something to keep me in the present, rather than thinking about the shot I just hit or the one I'm about to.  Even during a shot, it's better than a myriad of swing thoughts going through my head.  

When playing with others, it's pretty much radio silence, unless we're in late afternoon Buffett mode. 

No music on the course please!  If I wanted to listen to music, I would stay home and listen to my stereo.

While we're discussing music being distracting, let's add in cell phones.  It drives me crazy when I'm in a group where someones phone goes off and they stop playing to answer it.

I like to practice with music, helps pass the time and does help with tempo (depending on what you are listening to).  However music seems to be working its way onto the course more and more.  I don't mind if someone is listening to music or a ball game just so that it is not at a level to where people who don't want to hear it have to.

Our regular group plays with music.  I don't mind it one bit and for me after a couple silent holes and a few bad scores it's nice to turn on some tunes and shake off the last couple holes.  More and more I'm seeing people listening to music.  If i were playing for big money or a tournament i would say turn it off.

There's bigger issues in my book to conquer on the course than music, let's see..

slow play

fixing ball marks and divots

sunflower seeds on green

folks playing from wrong tees

to name a few.....

I'm with you Todd.  What you listed bothers me a lot more than any amount of music.

Exactly!  Have some fun guys.  No one needs to be rude about it and blare their music so you can hear it on the next hole, but if your game is so fragile that you cant handle a little noise maybe you should work on your focus.  Where I am from everyone has music in their carts.  Probably half of the carts have built in stereo's.  The interesting thing about music on the course....it drove all the old fuddy duddys away.  Our club used to be a bunch of old men.  Very Bushwood!  I swear Judge Smails teed off every day at 12.  Now we have a younger base of members, people are enjoying the facilities, and you can always find a game.  I just wish everyone would stop worrying so much about what I'm doing and just enjoy themselves.  There are so many other things in the world we need to worry about, a little music on the golf course seems to be pretty low on the list!  

No music on the course. Please and thank you.!

Not a big deal as it's heard within your cart and your partners don't mind.. Treat it the same way I do with cigars.. If it bothers some, I'll refrain.

I don't think it's a big deal as long everyone is respectful.  I think music can be calming and make a round with friends that much more enjoyable.  To me, it's not any more distracting than a group of kids having a pool party 50 yards from the fairway.  If there are those in your group that don't want it, then it should be respectfully turned down.  But at the same time, the person requesting the music be lowered needs to do that respectfully as well.  If/when I have music on the course, I'm very careful that no one but me can hear it.  However, with that being said, if someone did come up to me yelling a screaming to turn it down, I probably wouldn't be very agreeable with them.

I do not think there is a rhythm of music that goes with golf but I could be wrong.  Anyways I would not like it while golfing and I really enjoy music!!!!!!!!!!

tdogg - you make a good point, "If/when I have music on the course, I'm very careful that no one but me can hear it.  However, with that being said, if someone did come up to me yelling a screaming to turn it down, I probably wouldn't be very agreeable with them." We should always be courteous; however, if someone is playing music or just just conversing so loud that it disturbs others, perhaps the offender should expect a "forceful" requests.

I think every one has valid points. I my self  and the normal group I play with like listening to music during a casual after noon round, but if we are among a new group or a group that doesn't play with us every week we ask if it is ok and if they so it bothers them we don't listen to it. The etiquette among most golfers in my opinion is pretty good we all have our quirks that gets us fired up. In a tournament it is hard to say I am a fan of playing fast and playing ready golf I don't feel like I should have to wait for a guy to make 4 or 5 practice swings and then top it or shank it and take 3 or 4 doubles or worse before the front 9 is over. If we where on the tour and had proper etiquette he would have been put on the clock and would have penilaized for slow play but most tournaments don't do this so we have to suffer because of it. That to me is poor etiquette so I have no problem playing out of turn hitting the green marking my ball and waiting on them to reach the green. I think if most golfers would learn basic keep pace moving, don't hit out of turn, don't stand in any ones way or get in any ones line we would all  be ok. In most tournaments it is hard because every one is so differant becase of handicaps if they would flight most tournaments by handicap to where scratch is palying with scratch and 25 are playing with 25's it would be differant. I think every one is differant becuase of their score and most peoples group are close to the same handicaps. Just my opinon.  

To each his own.  It seems like the etiquette of golf, as it was meant to be, has really fallen apart on the course.  I've seen it more and more as the years go by, and the tune goes on!

Unless you are at a country club, I'm pretty sure etiquette went out the window long ago.  Public courses are pretty much a free for all.

I feel like if the group you are in agrees with playing music then you should be able to listen to music. But music, just like golf, should be enjoyed and everyone in the group agrees with the music. I play with the same group almost every time i play casual golf and every time we play i always bring my beats pill XL and play it so loud its hard to think and it has never effected the way we play hell sometimes it makes us play better so i am all on board with playing any kind of music on the golf course.

Music on the course I think is becoming more popular these days. Myself being a person that enjoys playing music at times when I'm out playing with friends or by myself. I feel it can help with focus and relaxing especial after a bad shot, and also helps to keep good tempo in the swing. If playing with people you don't know I think it is definitely something to ask the people that your playing with if they mind the music and if they would rather not have it, then it should not be played. Even if playing with friends the music should definitely not be loud to were other groups in front or behind are disturbed by the music.

I agree with everyone else.  That being said, i always have music playing when we play.  The group i play in likes it.  But,  I always ask to make sure and never turn it up to loud.

A group of us went to a golf resort last summer and there were other groups there as well they had boom boxes in their carts very loud we ask that they turn it off or down only to be cursed at by a bunch of them. We have been going there for years but we will be taking our business elsewhere in the future. As someone stated earlier in this thread a place and time for everything. If you want to play music loud enough that it bothers others sell your sticks and buy an axe so you can start a garage band with your buddies. Leave the golf to the guys that respect the sport and others that enjoy it as well. Earbuds are one thing I cant hear them if you have them in but radios in carts is another thing all together 

I'm hard of hearing as it is so it really wouldn't bother me but I don't agree with music on the course...  I see a lot of golfers on the range doing it and don't see an issue with that but once you start playing, respect kicks in... 

I'm with the majority that it is not needed on the course and the purpose for most that I know that love golf is getting out and getting away from everything.  I can see that the younger generations that are always "plugged in" will maybe make this issue even bigger in the future.  I'm pretty flexible and when it is a serious round I'm totally against it but in an outing I like having some excitement added to the event.  Practice makes total sense for the rhythm part of your swing and in rounds by myself I have put music on very quietly in the cart but my mission is always be respectful to those around you and their views as well.  If someone is against music than I think it should be turned off.  The loud boombox example and being cursed at seems like a turn towards Happy Gilmore fan base and that is  not ideal to say the least.  

Depends on the mood of the round. If you are good friends and playing a casual round there is no reason not to listen to music, just as long as it doesn't disturb anyone else playing. In a tournament or more serious round I wouldn't listen to any music.

I am not a big fan of music on the course. 

Short version, do not play music on the course. It is rude to assume that even when turned down other golfers on the course will not hear it.