Your Golf Superstition

[ultrafl1ght]

Always mark my ball with the Heads up on my JFK half-dollar.

[NC IA Hacker]

Pockets empty except for a divot fixer in the right pocket, an extra ball before I head to the tee means a bad shot is all but guaranteed.

[cliche]

always step on the tee box from behind the tee box markers

[thug the bunny]

One day I realized that I almost always drop the ball into the deep middle fold of the washer towel after cleaning it, and I thought, 'that's pretty OCD', so the next time I just used the front of the towel like all sane people. And of course I pull hooked it deep into the woods. Needless to say, I now always put in in the fold..

[garcia51694]

I hate soda but have to drink a can of coke before my round regardless of tee time. Scotty divot tool in back right pocket. Never use a leftover broken tee. Never touch a ball someone lost on the course. Play with baby blue golf gloves only.

[Bobtrumpet]

I never take my glove off during a round. Quit doing it to put years ago. Now it stays on always. During the turn, piss break, everything. I comes off when I'm done.

Used to take it off to put, but realized that it was a lot of put it on, take it off, put it on, take it off. Years back I decided I wasn't a good enough putter to notice a "feel" or difference without it, so I left it on. Now I can put pretty decently and am just used to the glove.

 

Same here, ever since I started playing. Not a superstition, though; I never took it off for putting.

[Bigarch]

Had this discussion with some golf buddies and we can't decide if we have superstitions or do we just like to do things the same way every time out of habit. So the topic is...what do you do the same way every round of golf you play. Here's mine:

• Tees always in left front pocket
  
• Right front pocket has divot tool and two ball markers along with chapstick and small bottle of eyedrops
  
• Ball markers are always tokens (driving range, car wash, etc..) I never use currency
  
• Right rear pocket has hanky for checking wind....and blowing your nose, of course
  
• Left rear pocket is always empty to put glove while putting
  
• All tees are always white
  
• Never use a perfect tee on a par 3...always a broken one that I pick up on the teebox...and yes always white. If I can't find one, I break a perfectly good one before using it. And then I only use it once and throw it in the trash.
  
• Apply sunscreen before teeing off and freshen it up at the turn
  
• Always remember to reapply chapstick on every par 3 while others tee off.
  
• When putting I want to see only white....brands logos are on sides with numbers up. Never use a line.
  
• Driver headcover comes off on first tee and stays off the rest of the round. Other headcovers come off and on with each shot including putter cover.
  

 

So should I commit myself now or is there hope? Seriously, I think all golfers do the same things pretty much every round. Why do we do them? Familiarity or Superstitious??? I'd be interested to hear some of your "habits".

[bigred90gt]

I do the same things every time, but it's out of convenience and preventative measures more than anything else.

 

A few tees, 1 ball and my ball marker go in my front left pocket, because I'm left handed and it's more natural for me to keep stuff in that pocket. An extra ball goes in my right pocket for the wayward shot that needs re-hit.

 

I've got a mix of all kinds of coins, doubloons, poker chips, and stuff for ball markers. I reach into the pocket and whatever comes out gets used. It could be a quarter, a poker chip, a giant commemorative coin my ex wife got from her job, or any one of about 20 different round flat objects that are in that pocket.

 

When I take my glove off, it goes in my right back pocket, because my wallet is in my left pocket and I don't want to pull my glove out and have it pull out my wallet and me not know it.

 

I only buy plastic tees because they hardly ever break (I've had a 50 pack last me all year, in Texas where we play year round, and I was playing 3-5 times a week then), and my home course keeps the carts stocked with plastic tees. I have a few packs of wooden tees in my bag that I got from tournaments, and most of them are painted weird colors and logo'd. I'll use them if I cant find any plastic tees in my bag, but I prefer the plastic because they just don't break. I can start a round with 3 tees in my pocket, and if I don't lose one, I still have all 3 at the end. I also use them for ball mark repair tool.

 

On a par 3, I will use whatever tee I pull out of my pocket. Chances are it wont be broken, because I don't put broken tees in my pocket. Broken tees are trash, and get treated as such. If for some odd reason I don't have one, I'll use the first tee (full or broken) that I find that is in good enough shape to stick in the ground and hold the ball.

 

I put my head cover back on my driver, 3w and hybrid after every shot because I've had my bag come off the cart before (without head covers on them) and suffice it to say, it wasn't pretty. I also used to have a hybrid that didn't have a head cover, and I think I had to repaint the head 2 or 3 times because it was banging around against the irons.

 

I keep my clubs in specific slots in my bag (14 way divider), but that is more so I don't have to search for a club, I know where they are relative to each other.

 

Anything else that happens on the course is a go with the flow kind of thing.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

You can't always determine motives by the action. You might put tees in your left pocket because you had your first eagle when you started doing so, or it might be it just annoys the **** out of you to have them in your right pocket.

[Lenny7]

Driver headcover comes off on first tee and stays off the rest of the round. Other headcovers come off and on with each shot including putter cover.

 

Isn't that when most of the damage would occur? While bumping around in the cart, bag being picked up and put down, clubs being put in and out of bag. You might be better served leaving it off while in the trunk of your car and leaving it on while playing. :)

[Scooterboy59]

Whatever works for the day. I tend to copy it all day.

[naval2006]

I do everything the same everytime I play but my swing.

[Ferguson]

I never play #2 balls. I don't want to be #2 at anything. I give them to the starter at my club. He's a great old guy.

[SixtySomePing]

• habit-Pull hook first tee shot first hole, might as well just drive it down there with the cart then proceed..., tradition, disconnect, call it what you want, at least they mow it for me now...
  
• habit-Usually leave the suntan lotion in the console of the car- have not had too much of a problem as I apply it before leaving home, maybe burn occasionally on hot days, but the console always looks young...
  
• habit-Have left two tees in my front left pocket after round now for 51 years, my wife kinda likes it, they escape, she can tell when the dryer is done...
  
• After playing for 51 years and not getting a hole in one, I am now enjoying the superstition of avoiding a hole in one... it's working so far- haven't had one, and much less pressure
  

[NJpatbee]

Tees and ball markers (quarter and dime) in the front right pocket and an extra golf ball in my right rear pocket.

[HatsForBats]

I don't see much out of the ordinary with the things listed in the original post. The only one that seems superstitious is the need to play a white tee. Otherwise it just seems like keeping things organized or using triggers to remember something (apply sunscreen and chapstick).

 

For me:

- Front Left pocket is divot repair tool, keys and short tees

- Right Front pocket 3 golf balls and long tees

- Back right pocket is for extra glove on hot/humid days

- Back left pocket is wallet

- Ballmarker always on cap (unless it rains) but then I have an extra one on the divot repair tool.

 

 

A buddy of mine always proclaims 'say hello to my little friend' the first time he pulls out his trusty 7-wood for that particular round.

[bigred90gt]

I don't see much out of the ordinary with the things listed in the original post. The only one that seems superstitious is the need to play a white tee.

 

 

 

The "must be a broken tee" on a par 3 is quite odd to me. I get it if there is one laying there, but when it's to the extent that you will take a perfectly good tee out of your pocket and break it just to use it, that's a bit out of the ordinary.

[AceCatKY]

I don't see much out of the ordinary with the things listed in the original post. The only one that seems superstitious is the need to play a white tee. Otherwise it just seems like keeping things organized or using triggers to remember something (apply sunscreen and chapstick).

 

For me:

- Front Left pocket is divot repair tool, keys and short tees

- Right Front pocket 3 golf balls and long tees

- Back right pocket is for extra glove on hot/humid days

- Back left pocket is wallet

- Ballmarker always on cap (unless it rains) but then I have an extra one on the divot repair tool.

 

 

A buddy of mine always proclaims 'say hello to my little friend' the first time he pulls out his trusty 7-wood for that particular round.

 

Why would you keep 3 balls and car keys in your pocket? Do you not carry a bag?

[Petunia Sprinkle]

You can't always determine motives by the action. You might put tees in your left pocket because you had your first eagle when you started doing so, or it might be it just annoys the **** out of you to have them in your right pocket.

 

I forgot - you also could be just anal.

[HatsForBats]

Why would you keep 3 balls and car keys in your pocket? Do you not carry a bag?

 

Hah, I figured someone would get bothered by that.

 

Keys - It started because I kept a divot repair tool on my keychain. It was reinforced even after I took the divot tool off the key ring because I have seen multiple people accidently lock their keys in their car by keeping their keys in the bag. Seems like a very small inconvenience to avoid having to make someone (usually) drive 45+ minutes to bring my spare set. I'm surely not calling a locksmith or calling the cops for that situation. I can't recall a time where having my keys in my pocket was a bother. Why does it bother YOU enough to even post about it?

 

3 balls - This REALLY bugs some people which gives me a chuckle. Are you afraid the extra weight will throw off your game? As to why... because I would rather be prepared than be the guy that needs to run back to the cart when a provisional is needed. I play enough golf with random players to see it happen once every handful of rounds. My favorite is when they are attempting to play ready golf only to be stymied by not having an extra ball because their playing partner took the cart to the other side of the fairway to look for their errant shot. Luckily I have an extra one I can throw at them if this happens. Someone being unprepared bugs me more than an extra 3.2 ounces of weight in my right pocket. Maybe the keys in the left pocket balance it out?

[AceCatKY]

Why would you keep 3 balls and car keys in your pocket? Do you not carry a bag?

 

Hah, I figured someone would get bothered by that.

 

Keys - It started because I kept a divot repair tool on my keychain. It was reinforced even after I took the divot tool off the key ring because I have seen multiple people accidently lock their keys in their car by keeping their keys in the bag. Seems like a very small inconvenience to avoid having to make someone (usually) drive 45+ minutes to bring my spare set. I'm surely not calling a locksmith or calling the cops for that situation. I can't recall a time where having my keys in my pocket was a bother. Why does it bother YOU enough to even post about it?

 

3 balls - This REALLY bugs some people which gives me a chuckle. Are you afraid the extra weight will throw off your game? As to why... because I would rather be prepared than be the guy that needs to run back to the cart when a provisional is needed. I play enough golf with random players to see it happen once every handful of rounds. My favorite is when they are attempting to play ready golf only to be stymied by not having an extra ball because their playing partner took the cart to the other side of the fairway to look for their errant shot. Luckily I have an extra one I can throw at them if this happens. Someone being unprepared bugs me more than an extra 3.2 ounces of weight in my right pocket. Maybe the keys in the left pocket balance it out?

 

None of that bothers me per se, just find it curious. My car wont lock with the keys in the trunk so I don't really think about that problem. As far as the 3 balls in pocket thing, why not just keep one ball in your pocket? I don't think I've ever seen someone holding up a group by reaching in their bag for a provisional or grabbing a ball off the cart and re-teeing. Same thing with the "extra glove", is it really that much of an inconvenience to grab another glove out of your bag?

[eHawleywood]

1. Tee up in the hat in front of my right ear. Keep a couple in my right pocket for when I break one and need one on my next shot to get in the grooves or on the green to fix a pitch mark. Ball marker right pocket. Nothing else.
   
2. If I bogey/worse I'll swap that ball out for a fresh one on the next hole.
   
3. Tap the soles both shoes with the wedge after coming out of a bunker, even after raking. Will pick my wedge and putter up, knock both soles, then drop the wedge.
   
4. "Press" the ground immediately behind any tee ball with my foot. Could be teeing off on a slab of marble and I'd still do it.
   

I think #2 is the only one that is more superstition than habit. 3 and 4 are quirky but I don't feel like something is wrong if I randomly happen to skip either.

[Bigarch]

Driver headcover comes off on first tee and stays off the rest of the round. Other headcovers come off and on with each shot including putter cover.

 

Isn't that when most of the damage would occur? While bumping around in the cart, bag being picked up and put down, clubs being put in and out of bag. You might be better served leaving it off while in the trunk of your car and leaving it on while playing. :)

 

I hate waiting while I watch someone wrestle with these long neck headcovers every hole...so I just never want to be "that guy". The driver sticks farther out of the bag than everything else because it is longer. So as long as I don't slam irons into the bag and ding he driver on the way down, then it shouldn't get any damage from the other clubs clanking around in the bag because it's taller.

[Bigarch]

I don't see much out of the ordinary with the things listed in the original post. The only one that seems superstitious is the need to play a white tee.

 

 

 

The "must be a broken tee" on a par 3 is quite odd to me. I get it if there is one laying there, but when it's to the extent that you will take a perfectly good tee out of your pocket and break it just to use it, that's a bit out of the ordinary.

 

I like white tees because the color is easier to see when searching for it after hitting a tee shot. I don't know why I do the broken tee thing. Maybe because I don't want to break a brand new one??? Many times I will pick up 3-4 on the first par 3 so that I have them for the other par 3's later. I keep them in the tee holders on the cart or on my walking cart for later. I never put a new one there. New ones are in the bag or in my pocket.

[HatsForBats]

None of that bothers me per se, just find it curious. My car wont lock with the keys in the trunk so I don't really think about that problem. As far as the 3 balls in pocket thing, why not just keep one ball in your pocket? I don't think I've ever seen someone holding up a group by reaching in their bag for a provisional or grabbing a ball off the cart and re-teeing. Same thing with the "extra glove", is it really that much of an inconvenience to grab another glove out of your bag?

 

When I get a new car maybe it will have that feature and I can break myself of the habit. Until then they will definitely stay in my pocket.

 

As for one golf ball - If someone is a very low handicap I can see it. At our level or higher handicap it makes no sense to me unless you are playing a course you know very well with little in the way of trouble. I'm not always walking, the cart parking is not always right next to the tee box, some holes may be cart path only and the cart stopping point on the fairways is not always close to the green. I play enough golf with randoms and have seen a lot of players hold up the group by having to run back to the cart to get a second. Then a few of them proceeded to hit a second one out of play and I end up throwing them one so they don't have to run back to the cart AGAIN. It has happened enough that I feel It's no inconvenience to me to have an extra ball or two in my pocket. It seems better than the alternative of not being prepared for when trouble occurs. Why 3? Probably because that is how they are packed.

 

Yeah, I can see your point on the glove. It would be rare that having the extra glove in the cart or in the bag would cause a delay. However, it is mostly just habit with my walking bag that does not have a lot of extra pockets. When I pull the bag out of the car it gets packed the same every time. 2 frozen drinks in the bottom large pocket that already has a few extra balls (just in case). the smaller pocket above it gets my handheld GPS, phone and cigarette pack. I could probably cram a glove in there but my back pocket is free so why not just put it there? At anything in life I would rather be over prepared, within in reason, rather than underprepared.

 

Here is another one that may make you wonder why. On a cart path only hole if I have pulled/pushed my shot away from the cart path I sometimes (not always) pull my WHOLE bag off the cart rather than only taking a club or two. Why? Not having the right club happens often enough that it isn't a big inconvenience to pull the whole bag. Sometimes we may not make the best next shot and then end up with the wrong club for the next shot. Plus I then get some extra exercise which can't hurt.

 

Around the green I usually bring an extra wedge just in case the lie isn't quite what I thought it was or god forbid I do something horrible with the shot and end up in a spot that the original wedge is not the best tool for the job. Sometimes I might even pull 3 wedges when I am pretty certain on which one of them I will use.

[Barfolomew]

I really don't have any. I am not superstitious whatsoever.

 

 

Ya I used to step on baseball lines just to mess up with teammates......lookin back I had the worst luck

[naval2006]

Whatever superstition I have, when I chip it stops working.

[platgof]

Monday! I have always had bad luck playing any sport on a Monday.

[auburngolfer]

I mark my coin with a silver buffalo round

[LeftDaddy]

Not a superstition per se (because I'm not superstitious, nor anal)...but I do subscribe to the "never talk about your game or definitely don't brag about your game" pre-round.

 

It bit me yesterday in a scramble. I've been damn near perfect with my driver for almost 2 months now. It has been the most amazing thing. Anyway, a group of 4 of us who didn't all know each other were sizing each other up yesterday to strategize for the scramble. I of course had to go and say something to the effect of "we may want to lean on my driver because I've been pretty hot with it".

 

And I (of course) only hit about 5 decent drives all day. A lot of it was due to the horrible weather conditions, but still...I knew as the words were leaving my mouth that I had just given my driver the kiss of death.