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How do you handle the awkwardness of a bad shot?

I usually start by belittling them endlessly till they either start playing as well as I do or start crying and go home.

Just kidding...of course....but maybe not.

Actually I will try to read them and either encourage them or just leave them alone.
We've all had our bad days out there and somedays it just gets downright comical.
 
I think a good laugh can really help some people, including myself. Other people - not so much. It really depends on the person, the day, the mood, etc.
 
Hawk said:
I think a good laugh can really help some people, including myself. Other people - not so much. It really depends on the person, the day, the mood, etc.
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It sure helped me after my tee shot on Saturday morning on 1!!!
 
I usually don't say a whole lot, but I'm very quick to give out an atta boy when they come back with a nice shot. Of course I'm usually the one with the bad shots so what do I know
 
i tend to just look away. I have been blessed with the ability to laugh at all the wrong times. My best friend could be digging trenches with his irons all day and i wont laugh, but the second someone i dont know comes in and mishits ill die. If i had a dollar for every teacher or coach who asked me " is something funny?" back in the day, i would never need to work again. So i just put on the shades and look away.
 
I just try to be supportive. It can only get better :p. i do hate it when people are losing themselves, swearing en throwing clubs. It's still just a game... Hell I even hate it when Tiger let's his club fall down when he hit's a bad teeshot.
 
I keep quiet, certainly do not offer advice if I do not know them, and most definitely wait for them to laugh before I do. If I hit three in-a-row in a bunker, I do appreciate some alone time without someone telling me what I should do. Of course advice is sometimes needed, but I think the time for advice is after the round.
 
I will buy the person a beer and help him look for his ball and try and give some positive encourgment. If it gets really bad I will throw a couple of shots so he knows that it happens to everyone but it's rare that I have done that maybe twice.
 
I have no idea, I'm too busy cussing up a storm from the bad shot I just hit.
 
I try not to say anything right after the shot (to a stranger) since I never know how they will take it. I will later joke with them about how golf is the most frustrating sport. And that its easier to hit a moving baseball than golf ball.
 
Thainer21 said:
Their body language tells you what to do. So I usually do that.
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I always use this policy....but sometimes it's ME that is "that guy". I'm usually pretty pissed for a couple holes and then go into humor mode.

If its the other guy...I just watch how they are acting and go with it. Mad = me quiet. Laughing = me encouraging.
 
If Im really trying I just shrug it off and move on. If its a just for fun day with friends then I just laugh. I try not to let them bother me much.

Took years of practice to do this. I used to be an angry golfer
 
You will see me walking around doing a bunch of head shaking...... Probably a little swearing under my breath.
 
Why do you have to say anything?

Nothing more unnecessary than to say "settle", "hit the pin", "get going", etc. All you're really saying is, "That's a bad shot. Hope you get a good break".
 
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