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To be the good golfer


trilerian

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I’m sure for some of you it happens all the time. But yesterday was the first time I ever experienced this. I’ve been on the other side of this a lot, lol.

I was playing as a single when I reached a traffic jam on the tee box of hole 13. There was a threesome waiting to be able to hit their tee shots. The group ahead was waiting for the green to clear, and there were groups ahead of them, so I was going nowhere. I asked the group on the tee box if it would be ok for me to join them. They said sure that would be great, they were all college aged and very nice. They were playing the regular tees and I was playing the back tees as my course is pretty short. Anyway, I was pretty nervous on the tee, but I managed to hit it well, hitting the fairway and leaving myself a wedge in. And that was that, I was the good golfer. I played the last 6 holes with them at even par, making one bogey, one birdie and four pars. Their objective became to out drive me, or get it closer to the hole than me. It was definitely a different experience for me. I did try to tell them that I’m not normally this good, but it didn’t seem to register with them.

 

Anyway, I got my ego inflated and felt pretty good about my game for a minute. Time to go out tonight and have the course destroy me!

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While according to the USGA the average handicap is around bogey golf, the average golfer is probably shooting over 100. The average golfer doesn't have a handicap.

 

Being a high single digit handicap I get this a lot. I don't think I'm that good but I hit the ball far and within 100 yards I'm likely to hit a decent shot into the green, playing with randoms I am typically the "good golfer". The funny thing to me is my best friend is a 1 or 2 handicap, his dad is a 3 (was scratch when we met 18 years ago), my dad is a 5 and plays with guys who are scratch or close often, I play with a former Nike Tour player sometimes who is clearly next level, so I feel like I'm only OK.

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Even as a 19 index I had this experience a few times. Must be my vanity. I’ve joined threesomes for 4 or 5 holes and played my best golf in front of them. And I play WAY better with good players around me.

Two weeks ago, in an evening 9 hole round, I joined a 17 y.o. kid about to turn pro (+3.4 index) and his mates (around scratch). I joined them at the 8th tee and matched the guy shot for shot (two very short Par 4s, so no Drivers required). It was magical. Made a par and lipped out a short birdie on 9, after hitting in a row four of the greatest iron shots of my life.

I‘m still trying to figure out how to get my brain and body into that zone...

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Not bragging here (He’s lying..,,!) been the low golfer of 16+ Group of retirees for the first four weeks. But then again we all pretty much suck pond scum...(He speaks truth!) Getting a lot of shout outs from the guys does make one believe that I’m better than a 13.6 WHS . I’m not.

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Thanks for all the replies. And as @SNIPERBBB said, the bad rebound came knocking. If you would have seen me play yesterday... Just aweful.

In the bag

Driver: Taylormade Sim2 Max 9*

4w: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero

Hybrid:  Apex 19 3h 20*

Hybrid:  Apex 19 4h 23*

Irons: Callaway Apex CF 19 5i-AW

W1: Vokey SM7 54* S

W2: Vokey SM8 60* L

Putter: Swag Handsome Too

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Maybe you should play with that group more often.

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Makes me smile because many of us know the feeling and are genuinely happy for you. I think it's not so much about being the "best" in the group as much as it is the feeling that your game is where you want it to be. None of us want to suck. On days where it all comes together embrace that feeling.

Did they ask for tips?

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Being probably around a 15 or so and playing the public circuit, I've been on both sides of this coin. There have been times where I've been with a group of strugglers who'll rave if I'm having a good day off the tee with the driving iron and putting some good holes together. There have also been plenty of times where I've been hustling all day because I'm always the shortest off of the tee and I stop saying "Nice drive" to the bombers in the group because I'm sure they're tired of hearing it every hole. I've been on both the giving and receiving end of "There it is".

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No tips from me. One of the guys was constantly coaching one of the others though. Always hard to bite your tongue at the bad advice. But you are right, aside from one wedge shot, those last six holes are how I think I should play all the time...

In the bag

Driver: Taylormade Sim2 Max 9*

4w: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero

Hybrid:  Apex 19 3h 20*

Hybrid:  Apex 19 4h 23*

Irons: Callaway Apex CF 19 5i-AW

W1: Vokey SM7 54* S

W2: Vokey SM8 60* L

Putter: Swag Handsome Too

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I was blessed witha natural golf swing and got pretty good quickly. I was always know as a great golfer. The problem with that is people expect you to hit EVERY shot. If you are struggling they really are vocal about letting g you know. Its kind of funny in a way.

This has also led to people betting a lot of money on me to win tournaments. Now thats serious pressure. Damm Calcuttas...

Just play relaxed golf when you are the better golfer in a group. Its keeps you from feeling like an arse.

 

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Honestly it's pretty relative. You could be a mini tour guy and be trash at this game lol. Any time I start thinking I'm good I just remind myself I'm trash and it takes alot of pressure off. I just read tom Coyne book paper tiger. He got to +1 and was pretty trash compared to his competitors, seemed like if your weren't +6 you weren't competing at pro qualifiers. Excellent read, it seemed like at that level it pretty much boils down to putting and the mental game, bc everyone has a 115 ss and an excellent swing, which gives the ability to shoot well on long courses.

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I’m a 3 so not particularly that good but I remember playing the 2010 Course at Celtic Manor a few years ago with my father in law. We were paired with two German tourists. I didn’t miss a shot for the first 9 holes. I didn’t make a putt either but went out in level par. The couple went from being quite chatty and friendly to more and more distant as the round went on. Genuinely feel like I had annoyed them by the time we had ended.

 

The other time I have had it was in Turkey with my father in law again. We were drawn to play with a couple of guys from near Glasgow. We had played 5 out of the previous 6 days so my golf game was pretty sharp. I shot a +3 from the tips at the Montgomerie Maxx where they play the Tiurkish Open and I drove it up there with the best 5 rounds of driving I ever had in my life (I needed to - it was looooong and soft). I was pretty pumped when we got into the clubhouse afterwards and the guys from Glasgow took it upon themselves to tell everyone that was there about how well I had played.

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Married couples start to look and act the same after decades together. No matter how good you're playing, you will start shooting 90 if that's what the group members are shooting.

 

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. If there's one guy hitting crappy shots then eventually that spreads to everyone else as they think about, anticipate, accept and begin to expect bad outcomes in their games as well.

 

All golf groups (given time) begin to look homogeneous as players regress to their apathetic average. I think this is why everyone is so desperate in their search for better players with which to pair up and play. Everyone wants to suck some of that positive vibe off someone who's hot.

Yesterday I started with 4 nice pars and great bogey save and ended up not even wanting to finish the round. Bad breaks and bad swings led to a total loss of joy on the back 9. I wasn't sure I had the enthusiasm to pull a club. It all felt pointless and stupid...and after such a nice start where I thought I'd at least post something in the 70s.

That's golf. It's pointless and stupid and occasionally it goes well so for some reason we keep doing it. But you have to want to do it. I battle what can only be described as "golf depression." A few bad shots and I wonder why I even have golf clubs.

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I normally play with a partner, but i went out solo last week at my home course and got paired up with two guys who were basically new. They thought i was amazing even though I was playing horribly around them and on pace to go 90+. They ended up leaving on hole 13 and then I parred out the course. Wish they could have seen that.

That was my first time since returning to golf where I was the "good golfer" and playing with them made me play really poorly. I wasnt trying to impress them, bit I almost felt like I was playing down to them a bit.

Played with my dad this weekend and that was his first time play in about a decade and I played great without even trying. He got down to scratch at one point, but was a 2-3 when,he stopped playing. Being around someone i am comfortable with who is hitting solid shots makes me feel more relaxed and play better for some reason.

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I get that a good number of times and always am excited when Im paired up with a college player. A cool way to measure up my game. Whenever I play with my bro in law and his friends, it becomes a me against the three. My game is consistent enough that I actually have a really great time with it. Little do they know that my competition is typically myself and the golf course. Always feels good though when you get compliments. I think Im humbled because I've played with a mini tour aspiring player and to say that his game is different is an understatement. Thats why I take it all in stride and offer compliments to player I play with when they hit good shots. All part of the enjoyment of the game.

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I was so made at myself last weekend. I bombed a drive and only had 160 into a par 5 with a very approachable pin location. I tugged a PW left of the green and was short sided to a green that slopes away from me. I eventually tapped in for par and was muttering to myself that I made par from 160 out with PW in hand. My playing partner laughed and said that my expectations are way higher than his.

Then the following round I got my ass handed to me by a 13 year old that shot 1 over. I kept pace for 11 holes before he walked away from me. Or rather I ran away from him.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

This sums up my game so perfectly, I can hit some nice shots and string a hole or 2 (sometimes 3 or 4), but then I hit some terrible shots. Then there are the times when you look at the lie and think its going to do something (ball below feet so you think it's going to go right off the club) so you set up well make good contact and it goes perfectly straight. Many times after a round lately I've asked myself "why bother?," yet I'm back out there the next day.

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  • 1 month later...
On 6/29/2020 at 7:35 PM, Popeye64 said:

I was blessed witha natural golf swing and got pretty good quickly. I was always know as a great golfer. The problem with that is people expect you to hit EVERY shot. If you are struggling they really are vocal about letting g you know. Its kind of funny in a way.

This has also led to people betting a lot of money on me to win tournaments. Now thats serious pressure. Damm Calcuttas...

Just play relaxed golf when you are the better golfer in a group. Its keeps you from feeling like an arse.

 

I no longer play any tournaments at the course I am a member at for the same reasons you just mentioned. 

Play well :-)))))

 

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I’m able to focus on only what I’m doing on the course thanks to advice I got and followed when starting out. Didn’t start playing until after college and a lot of the guys I grew up with were really good golfers that got me into it. I’m shooting in the 90’s and wondering why everyone else is 1-2-3 strokes better than me every hole. Was told to just pay attention to myself, we’ve been playing since we were little you just started, don’t compare yourself to us you’ll frustrate yourself over something you can’t control. I usually have no idea what anyone I play with is going to shoot, total tunnel vision. So good players bad players never really affect me.

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Ive played with aspiring tour players and it humbled me real quick. Makes me appreciate the chance to shoot the scores I do and not be able to put in more time to this game. It is always you against the course anyways so at the end of the day, if you are the best player in your group, take a breath in and enjoy it. 

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