Your best experience playing with a stranger

[Mych]

Got paired with a guy a couple months ago, both of us were walking singles. Very nice guy, similar careers (engineering), similar families and stage of life, similar scoring range and pace of play, similar outlook on golf as a great hobby and challenge, but not the center of our universe. Both of us had recently lost our main playing partner (mine to retirement/moving and his to illness).

Since then we've played together about 4-5 times and have enjoyed each time. We even got a 4some together with one of his other golf buddies and one of my other golf buddies and that went well. So far so good. I was starting to grow a little apathetic about playing, but having a good person to play with (and walking the course more) have re-energized me over the last couple months.

[Carl Spackler3]

played with a fun little guy like 5'2" in his late 60s but you could see the game in there somewhere. Told me and my buddy he was a baseball scout for the Mets and previously the Yankees. Could not tell right off the bat if he was on the level. After some back and forth about where we grew up, he literally knew every ball player from our HS our league and basically every baseball player from Long Island. Amazing round of stories.

 

another gent playing with was in his early 80s, walking 9 and hitting it straight as an arrow. Turns out went to the same college as me and was on first lacrosse team school had that I played on decades later.

[DavePelz4]

With the Almighty as my witness, on Troon in AZ I was once paired up with a priest, a lawyer and a rabbi. The priest dropped more "bombs" than I've ever heard from any one person on a golf course. The rabbi was beyond hilarious and the lawyer, who was the nephew of the priest, was the quietest and most normal of the 3. Very fun round.

[LeftDaddy]

I sense a lot of double entendre in this “experience”...

[James the Hogan Fan]

I worked a short stint in a Public Works department of a Seattle area city. I'd just left the job but was invited back to the annual scramble tourney and paired with 3 guys from other divisions of the department whom I'd never met.

On the second hole, a par 5. I hit my drive into a tree, but one guy pops it out to the fairway and we have 250 left. First guy plays the safe layup to 125 and the rest of us get a crack at the green. First guy hits it ob left. Second guy a worm burner. I say "oh christ I hate my 3w. Look out." And they all say its nothing and just hit. I flushed it and bounced it on the green to 30'. The guys are going crazy and that started the party.

We became 'the a-hole group' because we discovered the more we celebrated the better we played. Think the celebrations from Happy Gilmore with more hooting and hollering. We were hitting great shots, and everyone was rolling putts and taking turns hitting 'that shot that saves the team'. Although we were loud, rowdy, obnoxious and the antithesis of golf for 5 hours, it was some of the craziest fun I've ever had on a golf course. We shot 65 for 4th overall, but that didn't matter. It was an absolute blast.

[Sean2]

I played with a gentleman who was 95 years old. He walked 9 every morning, carried 5 clubs, and teed off from the fairway. Hit everything straight as an arrow. He was very entertaining and we had a lot of fun. I thought I was getting old at 64, lol.

[TIM929]

Love this thread.

 

I started golf later in life at 31-ish(37 now) and have been playing for a little over 5 years. This was a solo journey and is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. I played most my rounds as a single and join others.. Some memorable ppl below:

 

I played with 2 couples, 3 of them were not so good but one a low single digit. The calm I felt from this single digit was different, he was just always cool. When I would have a obvious bad shot and before I lost it, as long as my next shot was a clear one he would say "not bad right? you have a clear next shot" and I would agree.. This really calmed me down for my next shot and I hold this mental reaction till this day. Thank you 6 foot 2 guy wearing all black gaming MP4's, I will never forget you.

 

I got married and had 2 kids from 31 till now, I want to be a good husband and the dad I never had so I started playing early 1st tee sat morning golf(home by 9:30). These dudes similar in age with similar situations would appear in the dark for the first tee. We naturally would meet, but there was 1 dude who was similar in distance and playing speed as me. Ended up being a good friend and we still text and set up times for our weekly rounds and have been for almost a year. Golf is awesome.

 

to be continued..

[Kevlar10]

i usually play single so I’m almost always out with strangers. The most memorable random was down near Charleston, SC. I was paired with a father/son. Son was in college, and dad was 50ish. The dad was giving his son occasional pointers, not criticizing but just speaking to his swing mechanics. The son just kept saying, “I know, dad”. We were just chatting about the area, they were locals, and having a nice round. Turned out the son played for the local college. Halfway through the round, I mentioned that the son had a swing like Mickelson, really long but kind of erratic. Dad says, “Did you hear that? Maybe you should listen and shorten it up a little, like I told you”. Anyway, we had a great time and I played pretty well. After the round, we hung out and had lunch. Turns out the dad used to be the club pro at Harbour Town. I joined them for another round that week. I’ve golfed with the dad a few times over the years, but he has since passed away.

[ZAP]

Wife and I got paired with two guys from the UK in Myrtle Beach. After a few awkward holes it turned into a total blast. Once things loosened up we swapped stories and heckled each other over the back nine.

I can't really remember exactly where they were from but it was a good time. It is rare for me to want to hang around after the round and talk but this round had me wishing we could sit down for dinner and share some more stories.

[ChunkyMunky]

I only started hitting balls and getting lessons at the range a few months ago, so I don’t have many stories, but...

New years day was a clear, dry day, and not being a party animal, I was up at about 8, as the sun was rising. I decided it would be a good time for my first outing on the local par 3, with no one around for me to be in the way of.

The course was empty, and I was enjoying playing. When I got to the sixth tee, there was a guy there. He introduced himself as Bob, and explained his regular playing partner had not turned up, and asked if we could pair up for a few holes.

I noticed that he was only carrying a hybrid, which he used to hit a pearler off tee. As walked up the fairway, we spoke a little. He was 83 years old, and had started playing when he was 6!

We ended up playing seven holes together, with Bob using his hybrid masterfully for every shot. Not that he had to hit many shots! I can’t remember exactly now, but I know he parred at least three of those holes, and I don’t think he shot more than one over!

It definitely taught me to be less precious about equipment, and focus a little more on my own performance!

[jaysno24]

One day I hope to have a good story like this. My best friend and I don't like being paired with people because we are still learning and shoot in the mid 90s. I get nervous having strangers watch me hit and it usually ends up being bad!

[theothertwo]

I have enjoyed playing with strangers several times. In Hawaii people are very friendly. I played with 4 strangers (we were a 5 some) at the Pali Golf Course and they fed me, coached me on the lay out and were generally just nice and relaxed. Another time in Hawaii, I played the famously difficult Koolau Golf Course in Honolulu with a couple of locals and they were very good golfers playing from the tips and I played from the whites, I lost so many balls but from time to time, they would just go in the woods and come out with a bunch of golf balls and give me a few. They knew exactly where to look. Hah hah hah....Playing with difficult people/strangers is more of an exception than the rule in golf in my experience.

[MikeW2]

Many years ago when a new member to a club I used to have a very erratic work schedule and would go down as a single when time allowed. One day I got paired up with an older member (in his early 70’s) who was almost deaf. He was very friendly and talkative throughout the whole round. The 12th hole was a dog legged reachable par 5 with the landing (waiting to hit) area situated in between two other greens and a tee box. This day was also pretty full with members on each of those areas. As I’m standing waiting to play my shot, Ed comes over and asks if I’d like to hear a joke. Sure I do. So he tells me the joke which to this day I cannot remember other than the punchline. It was BECAUSE IM DEAF! He said it at the top of his lungs and it was funny so I laughed. It was at that moment I realized that all of the members playing around us were looking at us because he had just yelled I’m deaf and here I am laughing at him. The looks at me were incredulous and I felt kind of embarrassed. When we walked into the clubhouse after 18 most of those members were sitting around and staring at me as I walked in with Ed. He put his arm around my shoulder and they all burst into laughter. It was not the first time he had done that to a new member and they all knew exactly what was going on in our fairway when he yelled. I was the victim of a hilariously funny right of passage. I enjoyed many rounds with Ed over the next few summers, he was a true gentleman.

[BMC]

I worked part-time at a City course in the 90s. I was going out around 3pm one afternoon and there was a middle aged couple on the tee. They said that they hadn't played theer before and asked me if I had and if wanted to join them. I helped guide them around the course. They were pretty good players and I really enjoyed them. I have a policy of not asking people "what they do" so we didn't talk about jobs.

When we were done, they asked me if I had plans for the night, and did I want to go to his concert? It was Charlie Daniels and his wife.

[Miss_Tee]

Wow! That’s very cool!

[Roody]

I would say it was the one time I played TPC Sawgrass. It was my buddy, his father, and I. They paired us with a 4th, who just happened to be a member there.

Not only was he a fun guy who had a lot of stories, but after the round he said "come on inside with me, I'll take you for a tour of the Champions locker room". Got to see all the players' lockers, the barber chair, etc. That was a pretty neat experience.

[marmaduk]

I LOVE THIS THREAD!

Every time I see the “I only golf alone” or “I hated golfing with so and so” threads I just think the poster and people agreeing with this must have very little personality let alone communication skills

 

I’ve been golfing on and off (mostly on) for about 25 years almost exclusively as a single. Vancouver Canada is pretty golf crazy so golfing alone is normal not an option. I don’t think I’ve ever golfed with someone I didn’t like. Sure, lots of guys get down on themselves which makes it awkward for them and harder to play well. Think of the person who goes “Come on ‘name’, you’re better than this! Stop playing so shitty” That’s about as bad as it gets.

some memorables.

I was paired up with 3 doctors who had NEVER golfed before! Literally. We were on a full size track that was not a walk in the park. I would be shocked if any of them shot under 150. I convinced them that we all play from the front tees as I’m pretty laid back person and I do this maybe 5-10 times a year for fun. Turns out one of them removed my appendix about five years later. When we talked he said that I was probably the reason they even attempted golf twice and they were all shooting low 90’s high 80’s now.

I was offered a full career and apprenticeship as an elevator mechanic from the owner of the company after one round of golf. I owned my own business at the time so had to refuse.

I golfed with a 92 year old who played 9 holes 3x a week from the front tees. He picked up the game at 87!

I golfed with a 68 year old. I only know his exact age because he shot a 65 and then told me he tries to break his age a couple Dozen times a year! Effortless and fluid swing. A wizard around the greens.

Open your mind and Open your heart and good things will happen.

[4x4GGG]

Just this past month...

hit a course I don't often play. Weekday 12PM round and I figured I slip out solo. As I paid in the club house a guy was behind me. We really kinda didn't acknowledge each other. I grabbed my bag and walked to the first tee. The group in front was driving up to the green. The guy from the club house was no where around, so I teed off. Played on and putted out. When I got to 2 the group in front was still in the fairway. I'm doing the math that this could be a long day. Then I hear the thud of a ball hitting the first green. I look back, he's about 165 out and put it 10 feet. The guy from the clubhouse is walking too. I see an opening to drive and hit away. The group in front is walking around the green looking for their ball. The guy behind me is walking up to the tee. So I wait for him. As he gets to the box I just say "Foursome in from, might as well pair up". He extends a hand "Daniel..." "Rick, nice to meet you. I've already teed off".

At the green he asked me flag in or out. Don't care. On the 3rd box we had to wait 3 minutes. "What do you do?" "IT, you?" "I work at Topgolf" "Cool, that looks fun".

The rest of the round was a few "Nice shots", "I see it" and pointing at sprinkler heads calling distances. The occasional nice hit and nice putt. At some point he asked my handicap and jokingly called BS. I shot 83 and I'm a solid 15HCP. On about 15 our drives were side by side with 200 to the pin and water in front. I'm playing brand new irons and not trusting my 4 to carry 175. We briefly discussed strategy and I pointed out I haven't lost a ball yet and I might wedge up. He called me a sissy. I went pin high with the 4i.

Best golfing partner ever.

[delftw]

During college, got paired with a guy who offered me a solid summer job right after the round.

Got paired another time with a single who ended up becoming a really good friend, we talk multiple times a week and golf together at least every month.

My buddy got paired with a guy one time at a muni who ended up being a member at Sherwood Country Club, and took him out to play it 2 times.

[vbb]

A few (maybe 6 or 7?) years ago I took my birthday off from work and went to play a local muni near my house. It was on a weekday, so my regular playing partners were at work. I got paired up with another single who was also off from work that day. We both pipe our drives down the middle and off we go. Both had par on #1. #2 is a part three. I came within six inches of a hole in one. He made par.

At the turn, we were both bringing out the best in each other and were both having a fantastic day. We made the cardinal mistake on about hole 14 of mentioning that we were both on pace to shoot our career bests on that course. Oops! We both imploded through the last 3 or 4 holes. Still had a good round though.

We've been friends and regular golf partners since.