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Put off by green keepers

J

James

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So I was playing a quick 9 holes this morning. Ended up finishing with 7 bogeys, 1 double and 1 par. I should have parred 3 or 4 of the holes though.
Anyway I tee off on the 5th, green keepers are punching the greens so I am hitting to a winter green. I hit my drive, which ends up on the right hand side of the fairway, I take the 9 iron out of my bag and hit my shot and I shank. I hadn't shanked a shot before this and I didn't shank after this.
Long story short does any else get put off my green keepers?
 
Not me personally. Having played in enough THP Events with dozens watching and standing around, its just part of the game.
 
I concentrate a little more and tend to play better.
 
James said:
So I was playing a quick 9 holes this morning. Ended up finishing with 7 bogeys, 1 double and 1 par. I should have parred 3 or 4 of the holes though.
Anyway I tee off on the 5th, green keepers are punching the greens so I am hitting to a winter green. I hit my drive, which ends up on the right hand side of the fairway, I take the 9 iron out of my bag and hit my shot and I shank. I hadn't shanked a shot before this and I didn't shank after this.
Long story short does any else get put off my green keepers?
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Not quite sure how the greenskeeper caused you to shank a shot?
 
Only when they stand on the green I am shooting into and wave me on. Even though they waved me up it still makes me nervous that I will hit them. Any other time it doesn't bother me who is watching I really don't get that nervous when I am swinging.
Any sport I have ever played everything around me other than what I am doing goes dark almost like I have blinders on. Was like that playing football from a young age all the way up to flag football and playing hockey and golf now.

I have played football in front of some pretty big crowds and never noticed them in the least.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
lightningbolt44 said:
Only when they stand on the green I am shooting into and wave me on. Even though they waved me up it still makes me nervous that I will hit them. Any other time it doesn't bother me who is watching I really don't get that nervous when I am swinging.
Any sport I have ever played everything around me other than what I am doing goes dark almost like I have blinders on. Was like that playing football from a young age all the way up to flag football and playing hockey and golf now.

I have played football in front of some pretty big crowds and never noticed them in the least.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

They use a noisy vehicle to punch the greens, that combined with the movement of the vehicle made me lose concentration.
 
I played Kebo Valley up in Maine last year and it was horrible rain storm and I was the only one on the entire course. I ended up catching up to the greenskeeper and he ended up acting as a temp caddy. He pointed out balls and even tended the pin for me and gave me some cool history of the course. It was pretty cool.
 
Next time just yell, I.N.S and they may just run away. There are two muni's, underscore muni, in the county in which I live. I.N.S showed up and they each lost over half of their grounds crew. Somehow, they just disappeared.
 
I personally don't. I think they have a job to do and they do it best to their ability. They are at times going to be in the way and could be rude about it but they don't have off hours. I know, at my course, they try to do their best to stay out of the way but it hampers what they are trying to accomplish. I see it as a double edged sword.
 
The only reason they throw me off is when i have had to wait for them to finish mowing/raking so as not to hit them
 
lightningbolt44 said:
Only when they stand on the green I am shooting into and wave me on. Even though they waved me up it still makes me nervous that I will hit them. Any other time it doesn't bother me who is watching I really don't get that nervous when I am swinging.
Any sport I have ever played everything around me other than what I am doing goes dark almost like I have blinders on. Was like that playing football from a young age all the way up to flag football and playing hockey and golf now.

I have played football in front of some pretty big crowds and never noticed them in the least.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

ForTheLovOfGolf said:
I personally don't. I think they have a job to do and they do it best to their ability. They are at times going to be in the way and could be rude about it but they don't have off hours. I know, at my course, they try to do their best to stay out of the way but it hampers what they are trying to accomplish. I see it as a double edged sword.
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Brianbigoats said:
The only reason the throw me off is i have had to wait for them to finish mowing/raking so as not to hit them
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Maybe I am reading the OP all wrong.

He said they were punching the greens, so he was hitting to a winter green. Why would he have to ever wait? The winter greens are usually in the fairway, way before the regular green (which the OP said they were punching). And still not sure how them punching the regular green would be the cause of him shanking a shot to the winter green.

The OP never says anything about waiting or the people punching the greens being in the way.
 
I have been behind the greenskeepers for several holes in a row while they hand water the greens in the Summer. It does not bother me from a playing perspective, but it does seem to slow the pace of play a little bit. They are just doing their job though, so I don't mind it too much.
 
Overall I don't mind it but there have been a few rounds when I'm playing early and I catch them on every green they are cutting and half of the green is mowed and half isn't, that throws me off but only for putting.
 
Howzat said:
I concentrate a little more and tend to play better.
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Same here, with more eyes on me I know I concentrate more, which is always good for my game as well!
 
I play when the greenkeepers are mowing, really doesn't bother me, I even have to wait every now and then. They got a job to do and sometimes you just have to put up with it.
 
Noise doesn't bother me. One of the holes at a course here in the has a major divided highway running straight beside it, you get use to movement and noise quickly playing there often.

Don't take this as being harsh, but maybe something to work on. Nothing is going to be perfectly quiet and still all the time, maybe have a playing partner purposely make small noises once in while. On of the pros I play with has me do it to him once in awhile just to lock in his concentration.

Greens keepers just doing their jobs here.
 
Sometimes having a few extra eyes adds to the pressure. I've got a couple courses near me that have roads right next to tee boxes and some people think its hilarious to honk at you mid swing. Its annoying but I kind of like it, makes me mentally stronger. Training the mental aspect of the game is huge, how else can you perform when your chips are down?

Edit: In response to what Golf Ghost said, playing with noisy partners. Back in college a few friends and I would play "heckle golf" where we would talk smack and try and mess the other guy up. No physical contact allowed but nothing verbal was off limits.
 
Nope, doesn't bother me at all, perhaps that is because I work at a golf course. When we are aerating, we usually do greens and fairways at the same time, we shut down the course for 1.5 days. The members are used to that, we do it twice a year, and they do appreciate the effort we put into maintaining the course.
 
It would help if our greenkeeper actually showed up to the course throughout the day. But he does not. So he's never really in the way.....unless you call his lack of maintenance 'being in the way.'

There was one time, at a different course, it was 40 degrees and misting. Some mower would go up the fairway, and then he came back towards us. We believed that maybe when he got down around us, he would pull off to the side so we could hit. NOPE! So, after another pass, I decided I was just going to hit, told my playing partners to yell fore, even though the guy would be unlikely to hear it. Apparently, common sense kicked in, I hooked the ball heavily to avoid any possible chance of hitting that guy.

~Rock
 
If the greens keepers didn't do their job, you wouldn't have a green to hit at. So, no I don't get put off by them, they are just earning a buck like any other guy, right? It happens, but once you get your concentration rattled, back off, take a few deep breathes and step back up to the ball and refocus.
 
Never put off by them. They're just doing their job. The better golfers don't let things like this bother them. They make an adjustment and their mental game is better. Learn from your mistake and use this to your advantage. Next time, expect it to happen and keep your concentration or step away from the ball.
 
I can shank a shot with or without anyone watching, greenskeepers included. However, for whatever reason, I usually hit the ball better when someone is watching. I think I just concentrate on making solid contact vs. worrying about distance, direction, etc..
 
OITW said:
I played Kebo Valley up in Maine last year and it was horrible rain storm and I was the only one on the entire course. I ended up catching up to the greenskeeper and he ended up acting as a temp caddy. He pointed out balls and even tended the pin for me and gave me some cool history of the course. It was pretty cool.
Click to expand...

Kebo is a great track :)
 
Everyone is just doing their job so it doesn't bother me at all. I do really hate though when they are working near a trap or an area and clearly not planning on moving and wave you to hit. Something about the added thought of them being there and being worried about hitting them.... 40% chance the ball is going right at them, 40% chance its going to be a top/flub, 20% chance I'll be able to walk by them and not have to avoid eye contact.
 
I never worry about hitting them. They see thousand of golfers a week. They know how to avoid or be hit...
 
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