He's Got Game

[JohnnyCashForever]

Name something that would instantly tell you that someone you meet on the course is a good, or possibly great, player.

 

1. Irons, usually forged, with a dime-sized wear mark on the sweet spot. 

 

[anth]

Iron covers

[gioguy21]

towel on the hip

[Hateto3Putt]

Scorecard with lots of circles.

 

[MtlJeff]

A shirt that says "State Am" on it or something LOL

 

Short of that, anyone carrying their bag is usually good. I've seen a lot of false flags with equipment, but i can't remember the last time i saw someone carry their bag and shoot 85+

[smashdn]

Usually, a Jones or MacKenzie bag.

 

Bonus points for mizuno forged irons and mixed brands for the rest of the bag.

 

Honorable mention, lead tape.

[jvincent]

50 minutes ago, MtlJeff said:

Short of that, anyone carrying their bag is usually good. I've seen a lot of false flags with equipment, but i can't remember the last time i saw someone carry their bag and shoot 85+

 

Haver a look at my recent scoring record. 😪

[Ferguson]

3 iron in the bag. 

 

[TLUBulldogGolf]

I don't know that I could tell without seeing them hit a shot. I could have a decent idea based on their equipment setup. Hoofer stand bags with blades or players' CBs would make me suspect they were decent, but you never really know.

[jholz]

I'm kind of with @mtljeff, I think the bag might be the best tell anymore - although only up to a certain age. 

 

Anyone with a stand bag that looks like it legitimately gets carried around the golf course always gets a second glance. 

 

They may not all be plus handicaps or anything, but I'd be willing to bet that they get around the course competently - probably shoot in the 80's at worst. 

[bazinky]

Older clubs with brand new grips. It seems like every time I run into a guy with that type of bag, it's a solid golfer who has figured out what works for him and is sticking to it.

 

Also, a faded old school headcover from a D1 school or a high level amateur tourney has proven to be a pretty good indicator of a guy that you don't want play in a money match without a bunch of strokes. 

[miamistomp]

a CEO and/ or founder. With a 2 iron

[Frankensteins Monster]

AJGA on the back of his or her shirt.

[Fairway14]

Swing.

[GHIN n Juice]

It’s getting much more difficult to point to something in or around a golf bag that screams player.  With OEMs cranking out new products all the time, even good players change equipment more frequently.  They are also playing a wide variety of club types.  There are plenty of scratch/ + guys with GI irons and hybrids in the bag.  Even the 7 wood has become a regular find in many good players bags.  In fact I’d argue it’s the 3 round a year guys who are rocking the oldest clubs because they aren’t gonna spend thousands on new equipment.  
 

The headcover thing is tough too.  With the popularity of after market covers a lot of players now have custom ones.  

 

These days I’d refrain from entering into a first tee money game with anyone I don’t know, regardless of their setup.

[Baitkiller]

Deep tan, worn out shoes.

[Cellis]

Wood shafts for sure.

[Murphy76]

 

Gaming the Hammer x

[MtlJeff]

3 hours ago, jvincent said:

 

Haver a look at my recent scoring record. 😪

 

Haha, i've done it too. I had a couple of 85+ last year!

[sittingbull]

Guys with boots

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by sittingbull

[mark m]

Butchie standing behind the player, as his coach, watching him warm up. 😀

[Medson]

6 hours ago, Frankensteins Monster said:

AJGA on the back of his or her shirt.

I see your AJGA shirt and raise you a AJGA Champion bag. 
 

Relatively young (maybe in 20s) and have a relatively worn bag. I met a few guys that fit into this mode, they are all decent to say the least. 

[Springsteennut]

I had a guy playing in front of me. Jean shorts, Hawaiian shirt, Merrill hiking shoes and visor with his man bun sticking out. First tee his buddy and him walk back to the tips and he hits down the middle less tha 100y from the green. He also was 3 of 4 reaching par 5s in 2. Oh he had a Top Flite bag. Looks can be deceiving.

[NoTalentLefty]

Clubs with grooves barely left. Golfs early in the morning so he can get away from wood choppers. Hear him a mile a way as he still goes clink and clank as his metal spikes hit cement walking away from you. Grumpy as hell with anyone. Never talks about his score. He’s no pretender and hates pretense. Rarely gives out a compliment and never wants one himself. Never heard of golfwrx and drinks alone. 

Edited August 25, 2021 by NoTalentLefty

[Superfast2.0]

Giant PXG (aka the science of sexy) staff bag...

[bobfoster]

7 hours ago, Murphy76 said:

 

Gaming the Hammer x

 

POWWWWW!!!!!!!! (Ha! Its been a few years since anyone mentioned the Hammer.)

[Ghostwedge]

Toe of his shoe (trail foot) grass stained or worn.....

[me05501]

The combination of a Cameron blade putter and a driver more than three years old gets my attention. 

[Mcgeeno]

I've been fooled by fancy forged blades, premium clothing, scotty cameron putters, names on a golf bag etc before. I cant comment on a dime sized wear mark as I've never creeped a guys clubs that closely haha. 

 

Usually I can tell within a hole or two what type of player a guy is by how he swings, handles his short game and acts around the course.

 

What I have noticed as far as equipment goes is usually 1 or 2 true things over all these years.

 

1) Dont bet with a guy who is playing ping eye2's. I've never seen a hacker use those clubs. They have always been players in my experience. They know the clubs are amazing and indestructible and havent changed after 30 years.

2) Stay away from guys with mostly new clubs but an old fairway wood in their bag. They know whats up. They might have a new putter or a fancy new driver but the 3 wood trusty fairway finder is old and never leaving the bag.

 

 

[anth]

Staff bag