# Golfing for snakes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688 "2022-04-29T18:41:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/1 "2022-04-29T18:41:14Z")
I’ve come across references to snakes in golf games twice this week. Is there a golf term or joke involving killing snakes? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/2 "2022-04-29T18:43:31Z")
The term is “being an asshole," ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/3 "2022-04-29T19:13:48Z")
So “Plant’s killing snakes” means, “Plant is being an asshole”? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/4 "2022-04-29T19:25:58Z")
That would be my take. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/5 "2022-04-29T19:30:55Z")
The only thing I could find was some stories about being careful when you look for golfballs where a snake might lurk, and one odd story about a woman who would actively look for snakes and go kill them. I think “asshole” is right, unless there’s a local in-joke where you are. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/6 "2022-04-29T19:36:09Z")
There is an expression “worm burner” which is a shot that barely leaves the ground but travels just above the grass at a high rate of speed. Some people may talk about “killing snakes” in the same way, but I haven’t heard that particular expression. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/7 "2022-04-29T19:38:04Z")
Thanks. I read James Garner’s autobiography and an Alley Oop strip where golf is invented. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/8 "2022-04-29T19:48:05Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > one odd story about a woman who would actively look for snakes and go kill them. I found that, too. Perhaps the expression means to hold up the game for some selfish reason. I guess that qualifies as being an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/9 "2022-04-29T20:47:02Z")
I once had a boss who used the phrase “killing snakes” to mean milling around looking busy, so a passerby might think actual work was being done. “They saw the boss coming, so they started moving around. When he got there, he thought they was killin’ snakes.” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/10 "2022-04-29T21:04:42Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > an Alley Oop strip where golf is invented. Sorry, there is [only one authoritative narrative about the invention of golf.](https://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/stories-week-2014-2015/story-week/coming-gowf-p-g-wodehouse) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/11 "2022-04-29T21:12:15Z")
Let’s put Alley Oop and P.G. Wodehouse in an arena and see who wins out. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/12 "2022-04-29T21:20:00Z")
Thanks for the link, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/13 "2022-04-29T21:41:41Z")
Wodehouse. It’s Wodehouse. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/14 "2022-04-29T21:57:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Sorry, there is [only one authoritative narrative about the invention of golf.](https://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/stories-week-2014-2015/story-week/coming-gowf-p-g-wodehouse) So, it wasn’t Bullroarer Took at the [Battle of Greenfields](http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Battle_of_Greenfields) who invented the game? Tolkien was an Oxford professor, how could he mislead me so? 😞 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/15 "2022-04-30T02:13:39Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Sorry, there is [only one authoritative narrative about the invention of golf.](https://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/stories-week-2014-2015/story-week/coming-gowf-p-g-wodehouse) Sir, that is not the invention, it is but the acceptance. The Scots no doubt are the descendants of Moovians. Och, ye villain Oop! Keep ye Dinny poop offen me porch! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/16 "2022-04-30T04:56:52Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I once had a boss who used the phrase “killing snakes” to mean milling around looking busy, so a passerby might think actual work was being done. “They saw the boss coming, so they started moving around. When he got there, he thought they was killin’ snakes.” I love the sexy slither of a lady snake; oh, baby. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/17 "2022-05-03T04:11:49Z")
While golfing, when we saw someone lose their temper and start pounding the ground with their club, someone would often comment they were just killing snakes. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-for-snakes/963688/18 "2022-05-03T14:55:58Z")
Knew before clicking what your link was. One of my favorite Wodehouse stories. “Where is my imperial mesh-knit underwear?” Parenthetically, I’ve always felt that Wodehouse is one of the top ten best writers in the English language; but he gets overlooked because he wrote comic stories and novels.