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Do you play better with someone you don't know?

clg82

clg82

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I find that if I am paired up with someone during a round that I don't know. I play better. I hit the ball straighter, and I don't concentrate on my swing as much as when I'm by myself. Do any of you find this to be true for yourself? I also find this in "scramble" type tournaments........
 
No. I try to play with only people I know. It makes 18 holes go by alot easier with someone I'm comfortable being around.
 
johndeere10 said:
No. I try to play with only people I know. It makes 18 holes go by alot easier with someone I'm comfortable being around.
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That's true, but the three guys I play with are complet hacks. So I feel that watching them hit the ball and then me, makes me look like a complete PGA professional because I don't have someone elses swing or drive, to compare it too.
 
Found out yesterday that majority of the time I play better with someone I don't know. I outdrove a guy who was letting me play through and he was very impressed with my swing for my age. I love getting compliments, and I love beating older people :wink:
 
Absolutely true for me.

Ex. - Last Friday, played the front 8 at 9 over by myself. Caught up to the threesome in front of me and they asked if I wanted to join them on #9.
Played #9 - #18 with them and shot 3 over.
I think I get in a hurry playing solo and playing with others slows me down and helps with my focus more.
 
I also play better with people I dont know a lot of the time. Maybe forces me to bear down and focus a little more than I usually would.
 
Thechosen1 said:
Found out yesterday that majority of the time I play better with someone I don't know. I outdrove a guy who was letting me play through and he was very impressed with my swing for my age. I love getting compliments, and I love beating older people :wink:
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I love getting compliments as well. I am not a 12 hc by any means but when I catch up to someone and they say want to join us. I tell them i'm not very good, and then when I bomb one down the fairway they say yah sure.....it's a great confidence boost.
 
tdinbr said:
Absolutely true for me.

Ex. - Last Friday, played the front 8 at 9 over by myself. Caught up to the threesome in front of me and they asked if I wanted to join them on #9.
Played #9 - #18 with them and shot 3 over.
I think I get in a hurry playing solo and playing with others slows me down and helps with my focus more.
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Never thought of that myself, although that may be my problem as well.
 
I only seem to play my best when I'm on my own. If I'm playing with family or friends I always press a bit too much and don't slow down and think about what I'm doing. Only problem is when I hit a birdie or eagle when I'm alone, no one believes because I have no proof.
 
Nappy said:
I only seem to play my best when I'm on my own. If I'm playing with family or friends I always press a bit too much and don't slow down and think about what I'm doing. Only problem is when I hit a birdie or eagle when I'm alone, no one believes because I have no proof.
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You get to use more footwedges when you play alone ;) I kid of course
 
I don't know if I play better with new people but I do enjoy the game more since I get to listen to new stories while chatting and I feel more relaxed. It really hasn't translated on the scorecard but it is early in the season and things are starting to come around.
 
Playing with other people makes me think I hiave to try to prove something... whereas with my friends, none of us care if the other sucks, so its' all good.
 
Whether I know them or not doesn't seem to matter but I do seem to play better when I play either with people that are a lot better players or a lot worse than I am. I don't know why but alongside someone that is really good I realize that I am not that good and just play my game and relax and usually play better than average. It is also true I guess when playing with a group that is worse than I am - I tend to relax and the only pitfall is the urge to show off and take a few chances maybe I wouldn't take otherwise but usually I do play better and feed off the 'Look at that shot' or 'I don't have that shot' type comments. I play the worst when matched with someone who is about at my same level in a tournament format or match play and I start pressing to try to beat them, that is a recipe for a bad round.
 
Nope. I'm so very competitive that I'm definitely more focused when I'm playing against someone I know. Plus, it's just a whole heck of a lot more fun for me to beat my brother or my good friend than it is some complete stranger!
 
Yes. My regular group is more of the drink beer and hit on the beer girl type. Two of them were scratch golfers and played in college, but now they're in their late 30's, married with kids, and just want a laid back round. Playing with them weekly, I can't help but get pulled "out of my game".
When I'm playing with 3 guys I don't know, I'm not tempted to joke around with them as much. I definitly have played better rounds with strangers.
 
Because I'm so inconsistent it doesn't matter. Sometimes I play really well with buddies and sometimes I shoot 100+. More often then not then when playing with strangers, depending on how good they are, I play alright. Again I'm just too inconsistent to really put a number on it.
 
I do not think it makes any difference in my score. I travel and play a lot with folks all over the country so I am at ease with anyone, young, old, men, women, low handicap, high handicap, as long as they enjoy the game it doesn't matter. I think maybe I play better with better golfers, strangers or not.
 
im a shy guy so i try to play with friends. its just more comfortable and no one can make me laugh after a horrible shot like my buddies.
 
thats funny, because looking back, my best 3 scores, were recorded when i went out as a single and got paired up with a group, i guess when im with my friends i try to hard
 
MagnusRide said:
im a shy guy so i try to play with friends. its just more comfortable and no one can make me laugh after a horrible shot like my buddies.
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I used to dread being paired with someone that I didn't know Magnus. But after awhile of trying to avoid it I just said screw it. You'd be amazed by the interesting people you meet during a round of golf on the weekend.
 
I play worse with "new" people. I don't know why but all of my good rounds come with my regulars. Its on the same courses (and I walk on as a single a lot) but have never posted a "great" round with new people
 
That's a great question! The mental part of my game needs more work than anything. For example, I play in an informal Sunday league, if I'm paired with folks who make me nervous I play poorly, if I'm paired with folks who I'm relaxed with I play well. Last Sunday it was the latter and I shot a 75 and also had an eagle. It drives me to distraction.

I'm more nervous playing with strangers. I know it's all in my head. It's something I need to work on...I don't have anything to prove. Ugh.
 
I do find that I play better with people I don't know. Maybe I concentrate more just so I don't look like a hack. Although two weeks ago i played wtih some single digit guys from my club for the first time and I stunk it up. We were playing teams and I did not help much. But usually I play better.
 
i prefer playing with guys i dont know as you can always learn something new, played one day with a 2 hc'er on a solo round and he gave me some great advise esp putting but i'm involved in a pub society so i pretty much play with the same guys, but i have noticed that the guys who are more laid back and have a bit of a laugh i dont play as well as when i play with guys who are serious about there golf. i think its because i concentrate more and keep focused throughout the round. i also find i play better golf if i haven't played the course before as i have a tendency to over think my shots
 
I never really played alone until this year, it seems im a few strokes better, but I attribute that to the Niblick.

My normal foursome has some goof balls, so its always a good time. but on occasion my game goes south real fast.

Guess thats why im not on tour :)
 
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