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Playing with better players

JD19

JD19

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Aug 12, 2013
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Location
Georgia
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13.7
Do you play better when you are with better players? Does it have an effect on your play?

I guess I would describe it as playing up or down to the others in your group. I know I do. Some of my best rounds have come when I've joined groups of better players. Also my score seems to get worse when everyone is having a bad day.
 
I play OK with better players but I think I play best when golfing with not very good players. I think when playing with not good players, I relax and don't over swing and then hit the ball very well.
 
It's mostly pace and attitude that affects my play. All the stop and go and look for balls as well as club throwing and such is not conducive to good play. I definitely play up when I'm with same or better level players. I focus much harder that way.
 
Plin said:
It's mostly pace and attitude that affects my play. All the stop and go and look for balls as well as club throwing and such is not conducive to good play. I definitely play up when I'm with same or better level players. I focus much harder that way.
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Oh, I play with someone who we have to look for balls for and he throws clubs all the time...and he's a 3 index. I do agree, though, that pace and attitude is the main factor here. It's the 1 time a year golfer that I steer clear of. In my experience, those are the golfers that have zero awareness of how long they are taking.
 
Plin said:
It's mostly pace and attitude that affects my play. All the stop and go and look for balls as well as club throwing and such is not conducive to good play. I definitely play up when I'm with same or better level players. I focus much harder that way.
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Pretty much the same for me. Attitude of the group matters a lot, so does pace. I think that's why I play my best with players who are better than me and have a good attitude.
 
dunkjez said:
Oh, I play with someone who we have to look for balls for and he throws clubs all the time...and he's a 3 index. I do agree, though, that pace and attitude is the main factor here. It's the 1 time a year golfer that I steer clear of. In my experience, those are the golfers that have zero awareness of how long they are taking.
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I have a feeling the frequency of stop for a 3 is much different for 20+ cap players. Regardless, if the overall attitude is relaxed and keeping a good pace. I usually play well.
 
I actually just read an article a couple days ago in Golf Digest about the science behind why this happens. Pretty interesting. Something called "mirror neurons".
 
I play better when I'm with others that are about 1/2 dozen strokes better. Not to unreasonable to compete, It's a good feeling if I an beat or come very close to them.
 
It's been probably a month, but I had been playing with my dad's group on weekends. 1 of the guys in that group is a really good golfer and has been for a long time. Super friendly guy and can still move the ball. He's fun to play with and doesn't get in to the I'm going to help you mode. I think he's given me like 2-3 tips all year. Loves to talk golf and I think playing and watching him makes me better in certain areas.

To me it depends on the better player. I've played with better players who are cocky as hell and just aren't fun to play with at all. I hate those rounds.
 
We have a few scratch golfers in our league and I enjoy playing with them. I tend to play a little better when I do.
 
Good point about pace of play. I never thought about it before but that could be a big part to me playing better.
 
I enjoy it. I like watching good play and they're typically faster players although there are some exceptions.

I'd say that it used to be intimidating playing with real good players because it's easy to feel inadequate about your own game. But I think over time that has gone away and you realize you simply need to play your own game and enjoy the company and that everyone is focusing on their own game and not yours.
 
The level of those in the group doesn't have an impact on my game. I can play good or bad regardless of who I'm playing with
 
I think I play a bit better when playing with someone who is really good. I think it has more to do with the rhythm of the round than anything.
 
Plin said:
It's mostly pace and attitude that affects my play.
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Same here. I have no desire to spend 4 or 5 hours with an angry person in any setting... certainly not on the golf course. It's tough to keep their anxiety and anger from infecting me. I end up ignoring them.

I haven't found that the skill level of the other players in the group has all that much impact on my game.

EDITED TO ADD: Playing with the "here's what you did wrong on that shot" or "let me help you fix your swing" guy is really tough for me. My regular playing partners know that I'm out there to play golf, not golf swing, and we don't discuss mechanics.
 
JD19 said:
Do you play better when you are with better players? Does it have an effect on your play?

I guess I would describe it as playing up or down to the others in your group. I know I do. Some of my best rounds have come when I've joined groups of better players. Also my score seems to get worse when everyone is having a bad day.
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I think I focus a lot harder on making birdies -- Especially if they are on a run. It's fun to get a group playing where there are a couple guys making birdies each hole.

That said, I don't care how far they hit the ball. That will never impact the way I play or swing.
 
I enjoy the heck out of it and have been fortunate enough to play with several of THP's best. :thumb: You all know who you are too :D
 
Some of my best rounds scoring wise have come playing with better players. I just seen to focus more and get the most out of my game
 
I do tend to elevate my game a little when playing with better players.
Why? I don't know. The good thing is my game doesn't seem to go down when playing with higher handicaps.
 
I play a lot better with better players for some reason.
 
I do play better as long as I'm not trying to keep up with the better player, and stick with my game plan, not his.

Although in scrambles I seem to step up when I'm the best player on the team more so than when I'm not for some reason. Seem to play decent with pressure on me.
 
No affect either way.
 
I tend to play better when playing with people better than me
 
Canadan said:
That said, I don't care how far they hit the ball. That will never impact the way I play or swing.
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Of course you still have to play "your" game or what works for you. I found better players are better course managers also.
 
Playing with better players is my preference for 2 reasons, first, I enjoy watching good golf and second, I tend to concentrate more leading to less distractions (and irritation) and ultimately putting up a better round.
 
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