So let me give you a little background. I am new to the game and have been spending all my free time working with lessons and practicing. I have been playing for about a year now and things are going well. My column this week is about the 2 little things that get to me about this game. Not so much the game as the people playing it. Most of the time on this site you will be able to read a weekly article from me about the game of golf relating to women. And although this post is the same in theory, this one is a little bit of a rant.
Let me give some backstory. Im a taller girl about 5’11 and very athletic. I played tennis competitively until I tore up my knee in college. After rehab I decided to take up golf. Joined my local club and started with lessons. Then more lessons. And I am there every single day practicing. So the handicap has started to come down quite a bit in the year I have been playing. I still struggle each day on the course, but it is getting better each week.
Because I play during the week and not on weekends, I usually play as a single or get paired with people. This leads to pet peeve number one. If you men are about to be paired with a woman, please hold your “oh no’s” or “I dont want to’s” until after we see which ball goes further off the 1st tee. It never fails that when I get paired with men, I always get the snickers at first. Then after I hit a ball in the fairway (hopefully) off the 1st tee, things change. This leads to the next pet peeve.
Pet Peeve number two. Just because a woman hits the ball in the fairway off the first tee, does not mean she is a professional. Just yesterday I had scenario one happen to me at a local course and my tee shot went past the person making the comments. Just then, he turns to his buddy and says “it figures we get paired with a pro”. Women can take up this game as a hobby just like men can. Why must some things get into “guys club”.
I never really expected golf to be this way when I took it up. It is not going to change my path because I love the game that much. And let me go on the record and say that I am not a complainer or anything like that. I also understand that many people play this game to be amongst their peers, getting paired with anyone is tough, someone not in their peer group is even harder. Just two quick pet peeves that really should change in todays game. So with that little rant being let out, my question to the readers is this.
One more quick point. Because I am so sarcastic, I had to let one of the classic golf lines fly after this guy had me all worked up. So on 18 we were probably both playing equal. I dont know his score anyway, but I am pretty sure I was beating him by a few. So I out drove him and turned and said “is your husband playing today as well?”. His buddies laughed and he did not like it. But all in all I love the game and look forward to bringing you my updates from the female perspective each week.
How would you go about handling each of these situations? Would you get defensive from the get go? Get sarcastic back? (my normal way by the way) Or just let it go and pretend they are not even there?
