Real Nasty Tournament/Playing Partner Experience. Anyone else got stories?

[LimaSierra]

I played in a qualifying event this week to try and make it into a bigger event. Its not the first time I’ve played in a tournament, but it was the biggest event so far. Previously, I’ve had no complaints about playing partners. Been lucky to have good guys who were both good and fun to play in pairing with.

 

The guy I got paired with was a nightmare. 

 

On the first tee, we introduce each other and show each other golf ball we are playing. I play a fairly unique golf ball likely no one else in the field does. It’s the old Top Flite Gamers. The ones with the urethane cover. I got 5 unopened boxes as a gift a while back and I’m not one to turn down free stuff. However, I’m sure most of the guys had some sort of high pedigree ball like a ProV1. 

 

So this guys first remark is “Eh a top flite, can’t afford anything better”? And if you were there you could tell the inflection in his voice was not one of a joking manner. I just say “that’s what I got”. Regardless I shrug it off and we tee off. Play fine first 3-4 holes. Pars, no need to talk about rules, where did ball go.

 

Get to 5^th hole. It’s a dogleg right. I hit a solid drive but it looks like it just rolls into the rough. But I could see it from the tee box landing so it can’t be far off. And my playing partner says “its gone”. (there is water further down that side). I say its just in rough and he just has this look of disgust. I get up there and there my ball is, right where I said it was. I’m trying to give this guy any benefit of doubt I can. Maybe he just isn’t great at conversation.

 

Get to hole 9 and its clear I’m likely not going to qualify. I’m already 3 over and cut is likely even par. To this guy’s credit, here is playing well and right on likely line. 

 

I settle down some and make 5 straight pars. I’m not gonna make it in but I will post a respectable score. But on 15^th, he has a bad 3 putt bogey that likely will cost him. 

 

And 16 tee he just starts complaining about how I’m ruining his round. Talking about how it sucks when people who shouldn’t be in qualifiers show up. I just ignore him cause you can tell he is spinning out. 

 

I finish the round, sign for scores and that’s it. Sit down for second, check phone etc and this guy is in the clubhouse complaining to guys in there how “LimaSierra really messed up my round and cost me the chance the qualify”. He’s really starting to cause a scene. The qualifier manager that was there asked me what happened. I explained to him our round and he then asked what I shot. I finished with a 4 over 76. 

 

Look, it was not my best round. I will admit that. But if a guy making 5 bogies, 1 birdie and 12 pars really cost you the chance to qualify that’s on you. If I shot a 90-95 I can understand complaining. But this guy just had to say something for everything. Had to get his word out there.

 

What gives with some people? 

[RichieHunt]

I was playing a tournament in Canada (I was living in NY at the time).  I see the pairing sheet with the names and where the player is from.  One guy was from the Toronto area, another guy was from Quebec.  From my knowledge of Canada, people from Montreal usually could speak English (and French).  But the more rural areas in Quebec people couldn't speak English.  I was thinking that this may be a problem if we have some sort of ruling.

The day of the practice round I see the guy from Toronto that I was paired with.  He had his name embroidered on his golf bag.  I introduce myself and we start talking and I mention that we are playing with a guy from Quebec and I was afraid that he doesn't speak English and that may be a problem.

'Well, I just want you to know that I don't speak French' the Toronto golfer said. I said 'oh well' and played my practice round.

Tournament round starts and sure enough, the Quebec golfer doesn't speak English (or at least just a few words).  And immediately I can sense a tension between the Quebec and Toronto golfer that you could cut with a knife.

Eventually we get to the back nine and the tension had been building up.  We get on the 15th or 16th hole and the Toronto golfer hit his tee shot to the right where there's a water hazard and adjacent to the pond was deep brush.  The Toronto didn't see the ball fly and I thought I saw a splash in the water.  The Quebec guy said something in French, but I'll be d*mned if I know what he said.

So the Toronto golfer is trying to glean from me where the ball crossed into the pond to take his drop.  I took my best guess and the Toronto golfer made the drop and then hit his next shot.  

Right after he hit his shot the Quebec golfer started yelling at us in French.  Again, d*mned if I know what he's saying.  And now the Toronto golfer starts yelling back at him in what I can only assume is French.  And now they are nose-to-nose yelling at each other as loud as they can in French.  A rules official comes by and he pulls the Quebec golfer away and I pull apart the Toronto golfer as they are still yelling at each other in French.

I tell the Toronto golfer to calm down and then I ask him 'I thought you told me you can't speak French?'

'I never said I CAN"T speak French.  I said I DON"T speak French.  I can't stand those m@!#%@^$!' he replied.

 

 

On a side note, apparently the Quebec golf claimed that the ball went into the deep brush instead of the water.  Why he let the Toronto golfer drop the ball and then hit the ball instead of doing something is beyond me.




RH