Intimidated by good golfers -

[khalespace]

My friend and I played on Friday. We were walking and joined by guys who were riding and they look extremely fit. First hole was only 300 yard but there is water at 200 yards. I and my friend hit hybrids. The other two guys pulled out 8 irons and hit 190 yards perfectly straight. The sounds when they hit the ball were just like PGA players. They were hitting drivers 300, 320 straight and we were hitting 220 to 250 all over the places. Since we were walking and hitting the balls more often we felt rushed to catch up. My friend and I played badly in the front 9 with 12 and 14 over. The other two guys shot -2 and 1 over. On the back 9, I calmed myself down and was able to shoot 2 over which was my best 9 hole ever. My friend continued to play badly and didn't break 100. The other guys ended up with -2 and 3 over. I asked if they played college golf but they didn't. They played golf in high school but played college baseball and football division II. They said their handicap is better than scratch.

 

I have never played with golfers who hit as far and as good so I and my friend were intimidated but it was a good experience.

[MtlJeff]

Typically, very low handicap golfers are a lot like snakes, they are more scared of you than you are of them. Or at least, something like that. You know what i mean. Also some of them can constrict and then swallow a pig whole.

 

I get this a lot. I play as a single sometimes on weekdays in the morning and i get paired with Jane Hackitup or John Dufferson---They always end up apologizing all round like they are ruining it for me. Like "OMG you've probably never seen anyone this bad i'm so sorry!"

 

I don't care at all. I just like playing. If you're a nice person i will enjoy playing with you. Some of the people i've been paired with are real sweethearts and i had an enjoyable round, but i got the sense they were nervous hitting balls with me watching. They really shouldn't have been. I've seen people shoot 65 and i've seen people shoot 105. What makes a round enjoyable is if the person is nice and funny. especially a casual round...

 

So--Don't think too much about it.

[LeoLeo99]

How intimidated were you if you shot your best 9 holes ever?

[elwhippy]

Use your handicap. Play to your strengths. By playing with more skilled players you may learn a few things...better set up, take their time over putts etc.

[Ghostwedge]

I tell the high cap players I get paired up on occasion two things.....

1\ if they start hitting it sideways and are receptive " listen, half the guys out here are better than you and the other half are alot worse, so relax and just play your  game."

2\ after the round " well the golf was suspect but the company was great, thanks for letting me join up " 

 

 

[DFS PFD]

As a low single digit golfer who plays as a single frequently, I'd echo what MtlJeff said. I could care less what my random playing partners shoot if they are good, kind, respectful people. I'm out there to play MY game, not yours. It makes it much better when people typically do exactly what you did, which is relax after the first 9-10 holes. And I always point out to them after the fact they would have much more fun if they just relaxed earlier and focused on their game instead of keeping up or impressing me! 

[2bGood]

Things to remember - great golfers don't live in a bubble, they have played with plenty of 'hacks' before. Not that I am 'great' but as low single digit, I expect if I am joining up with random players, they will not break 100 - as most golfer don't. I don't expect them to be good.

 

Bad play does not bother me. What does annoy me when playing with random golfers:

• SLOW play (I am actually pretty tolerant ad expect the round to be slow at a resort course etc, but I hate falling behind the pace of the course)
• Cursing and temper tantrums. 
• Going overboard with booze. Get plastered after the round as you need to be able to physically function.

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by 2bGood

[Flip4000]

12 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

Things to remember - great golfers don't live in a bubble, they have played with plenty of 'hacks' before. Not the I am 'great' but as low single digit, I expect if I am joining up with random players, they will not break 100 - as most golfer don't. 

 

Bad play does not bother me. What does annoy me when playing with random golfers:

• SLOW play (I am actually pretty tolerant ad expect the round to be slow at a resort course etc, but I hate falling behind the pace of the course)
• Cursing and temper tantrums. 
• Going overboard with booze. Get plastered after the round as you need to be able to physically function.

 

Exactly, generally if you don't do the 3 things mentioned on the bottom, most good golfers wont be bothered.

 

I really enjoy the 1-2 rounds every few years I get paired with a guy who shoots under par. It's really interesting to watch and see how they attack a course. 

 

 

[Itsjustagame]

Every single digit handicap was once a 20.

Most of them remember those days, and that they once played with people who where better than them.

[cardoustie]

If the water was 200 on the first holes and they hit 8 irons 190, why didn't they hit a driver or 3w over the water?

[Gsea]

1 hour ago, khalespace said:

My friend and I played on Friday. We were walking and joined by guys who were riding and they look extremely fit. First hole was only 300 yard but there is water at 200 yards. I and my friend hit hybrids. The other two guys pulled out 8 irons and hit 190 yards perfectly straight. The sounds when they hit the ball were just like PGA players. They were hitting drivers 300, 320 straight and we were hitting 220 to 250 all over the places. Since we were walking and hitting the balls more often we felt rushed to catch up. My friend and I played badly in the front 9 with 12 and 14 over. The other two guys shot -2 and 1 over. On the back 9, I calmed myself down and was able to shoot 2 over which was my best 9 hole ever. My friend continued to play badly and didn't break 100. The other guys ended up with -2 and 3 over. I asked if they played college golf but they didn't. They played golf in high school but played college baseball and football division II. They said their handicap is better than scratch.

 

I have never played with golfers who hit as far and as good so I and my friend were intimidated but it was a good experience.

the real question is was it raining ?

[rooski]

1 hour ago, MtlJeff said:

So--Don't think too much about it.

 

Unless you are a 170-220lb feral hog

[Schulzmc]

When I started golfing my grandfather (who was a scratch golfer) told me that as long as I played fast, even the best players would enjoy playing with me. So play fast, and watch carefully - you may learn something from playing with a really good player.

[caniac6]

7 minutes ago, Schulzmc said:

When I started golfing my grandfather (who was a scratch golfer) told me that as long as I played fast, even the best players would enjoy playing with me. So play fast, and watch carefully - you may learn something from playing with a really good player.

As long as you keep up, most guys don't care about your score.

[Hutstar]

1 hour ago, cardoustie said:

If the water was 200 on the first holes and they hit 8 irons 190, why didn't they hit a driver or 3w over the water?

A 300 yard water carry on the first hole is a big ask, for anyone.

[khalespace]

1 hour ago, cardoustie said:

If the water was 200 on the first holes and they hit 8 irons 190, why didn't they hit a driver or 3w over the water?

Green is small and I think they just want to play safe. 266 to carry. Or may be not wanting to wait for the green to clear.

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by khalespace

[GLF4EVR]

1 minute ago, caniac6 said:

As long as you keep up, most guys don't care about your score.

In my experience this is the best statement in the entire post.  Back when I was in my early teens to now being 63, this is what matters the most.  Unfortunately, now I do not get to play with players much better than me, but always like it when I do get the chance.  To watch what they do and how they approach each shot.  Will admit I often feel embarrassed for the player that apologizes for their play.  I was there, & at any given time can revisit that place in a heartbeat.  Fortunately where I play is not usually busy (unless weekends), so I will have them go ahead & hit another ball after a bad shot.  Will tell them do it just to prove to themselves that they can hit the ball....even if it takes more than 1 extra ball.  It usually works because you can see them starting to relax, which to me is the whole point of it.  We are out to enjoy it..it's not a tournament.  Will not say competition cause most of the time it's guys I have know for a long time.  You are never going to miss the opportunity to give out grief when you can.

[chippa13]

Being around a 14 or so and often pairing up with strangers, I get to spend a bit of time on both sides of this. If lesser players start acting contrite then the age old, "I've been there" or "Done that plenty". When I am the lesser player then I tend to actually play better as it is generally easier to get into a rhythm when playing with better players. The down side to those times I've played with the bombers is that I usually walk and then they've got me really hustling to be the first to hit their second shot, especially the times when they've been riding.

[bnperrone]

As a side note, the caddie who carries your bag at a bucket list course also doesn't care whether you're good or bad. Similar to the above statements, they want to work for nice people who are out there to enjoy themselves and just be fun to spend the day with. 

 

It can be hard, but play your game, know when to pick up, don't be slow, and it's all good. 

[Hawkeye77]

On 12/22/2021 at 12:59 PM, 2bGood said:

Things to remember - great golfers don't live in a bubble, they have played with plenty of 'hacks' before. Not that I am 'great' but as low single digit, I expect if I am joining up with random players, they will not break 100 - as most golfer don't. I don't expect them to be good.

 

Bad play does not bother me. What does annoy me when playing with random golfers:

• SLOW play (I am actually pretty tolerant ad expect the round to be slow at a resort course etc, but I hate falling behind the pace of the course)
• Cursing and temper tantrums. 
• Going overboard with booze. Get plastered after the round as you need to be able to physically function.

 

Single digit but not low here, otherwise I agree with all of the above.

 

Like Jeff said I enjoy playing golf and I enjoy watching others enjoy playing golf and genuinely feel bad for folks (including me) that are struggling on a particular day - nothing worse than playing with people you usually don't play with and having a terrible day.  Just have to learn to roll with it and that isn't always easy, lol.  In decades of playing golf I really can't remember even a handful of rounds out of a few thousand where I just wanted off the golf course because someone's attitude or demeanor was out of whack which is why when this topic comes around I never really have any kind of "horror" story to contribute.  

[hahanice]

I just spent the last few years playing with mostly randoms, as I had to move temporarily.

 

One thing I noticed was must people have no idea what you're doing. The amount of times I've heard "you had a nice swing, you must have broken 90 easily!" Only to be thinking "wowser I just struck the ball as well as I can and finished even..."

 

Then thought to myself, wow I have no idea what those dudes shot. 

 

Don't worry about it. No one cares, just have fun

[naval2006]

If you keep the pace of play you can be a 20 capper playing with Tiger.  If you  have a suitable line or two and a little joke, Tiger will have a good time playing with an average Joe on a relaxed weekend.  

 

Good golfers know they are a serious minority so they can adjust to almost any level of player as long as the group runs smooth.  

[DallasDan]

8.2 here. I definitely feel more pressure when playing with lower handicappers so I understand the feeling when a higher handicapper says stuff like "let me get out of your way so you can finish up" or "sorry for holding you up" or "wow I am playing so terribly today. i'm usually not this bad".  But in the end I have figured out that the number at the end of the round does not in any way correlate with how much I enjoyed playing with a particular person. Previous post put it the best: don't cuss up a storm (although I have to admit I do spit out an occasional F or S in the moment), don't get lit up, keep a decent pace of play. 

[AndersUK]

I find the opposite. I enjoy playing with plus handicappers and learning how different players approach the game and attack the course.  I feel more intimidated when grouped with high cappers because then I feel like the expectations are on me to perform.

[Mike_Honcho]

i used to be.  now?  not so much.  my game is what it is, their game is their game.  i'll occasionally play shot for shot with them and the other 97% of the time, they'll be asking which version of me they're playing.

[ShupeSC]

Once you learn the only thing that matters is playing fast… there is nothing to worry about.

[milesgiles]

i would never be rude to a playing partner

 

I might be thinking 'get the hell off my golf course'

 

but Id never say it

 

 

 

 

jk..

[br61]

As a plus player, I've played with many high handicappers that really are enjoyable to play with. They usually keep acceptable pace of play, once a while I do run into a bad apple that tries too hard to beat me but they don't need to, just have fun at golf.

 

Once at Kapalua Plantation, they paired me up with 3 golfers from Japan. Not very good players, well over 100 shooters, can't speak English so we did the universal hand gesture language. Absolutely a delightful day with them.

Edited December 31, 2021 by br61

[bobfoster]

Used to care about what others were doing in my 20s. In my 60s, not so much. I walk on a lot as a single, and have been put with twosomes and threesomes of widely varying abilities. Now and then I get the opportunity to play with someone better, and it is always a thrill. Simply love watching a great ball striker. Not really worried about being judged. While I no longer bother to religiously enter scores to keep an official handicap, I generally shoot in the 70s or low 80s - so I don't really embarrass myself even playing with someone really good. 

 

More normal is to get put with people I'm better than (the average US golf round is in the high 90s). Many don't care how I shoot. Now and then it will be clear that someone feels bad about their own game, but it is easy to just say a few things that put them at ease. I rarely play competitively any more (except for the occasional charity tournament, which doesn't really count), so I usually have a couple equal intentions for a round ... to play the best golf I can, and to make the round as enjoyable as possible not just for myself, but for the group I'm playing with. 

 

Golf is such a weird sport. On any given weekend, there will be amateurs that shoot 68, those that shoot 128, and pretty much everything in between. And while it is an individual sport (not a team sport), it is still usually played in groups. So it is inevitable that disparities - sometimes even large disparities - in ability will wind up in the same group. Nice thing is, however, unless it's a competition, you aren't so much playing against the group as you are playing with them. Quite different than other individual sports. If there's a big disparity between two tennis players, for instance, neither are likely to have a very good time. Either one will have to hold so much back it won't even be tennis, or the other will get completely slaughtered. Not so with golf. 

 

No one should ever feel bad about their game.

[miamistomp]

 As a musician , I always want to play with people better than me as it ups my interest

 

Golf too, I prefer to play with people equal or better than me,   I am about an 8 or 9 , but a pretty good ball striker

 

 I hate to watch and hear people duffing the ball and complaining about it