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Equipment Judgement Day?

SuperStroke
JB

JB

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Albatross 2024 Club
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Let me paint this picture and please read through if you are commenting.

You stroll up to the first tee at a private course and get paired with a newer member. He asks to join your cart and proceeds to take his bag and clubs and attach them to your cart. You explain pleasantries and he seems like a nice guy making small talk about the course and PGA Tour.

You glance at his golf bag and see a brand new Vessel bag, full set JDM (Japan only) irons and custom wedges along with a Bettinardi custom putter that is torched. New metal woods are under throwback head covers but they all feature after market shafts.

First tee, he tops the ball. Do you make any judgement?
Approach goes way right. Judgement now?
Takes a quad on the first hole. Starting to wonder about the gear, right?

Front 9 was pretty much all of this repeated. Super nice guy, loves his equipment, but struggling. Do you make the judgement?

On the back 9 he shot 31 with a double bogey on 18 because he hit it a bit too far over the green OB.

Not sure the reason for the post other than to say it would have been rather unique and literally just happened this morning to a friend of mine. He said he rolled his eyes after the first tee shot and through much of the front 9 was curious. Then thought about this very community and the love of equipment that takes place here regardless of skill level and just had a great time. Then proceeded to see a guy come out of nowhere and just steamroll the back 9 (which he said was the harder 9) of his course.
 
if i said i wouldn't judge the guy a bit on the front, i'd be lying. his money to do whatever he darn well pleases, and as long as he's cool about it and not the guy who repeatedly insists "this never happens to me" and uses every excuse under the sun, eventually i'd do the same as your buddy: sit back, relax, and enjoy the round with the guy.

also, i've absolutely BEEN that guy. shiny gear. looks the part. plays like a$$.
 
I would be more worried about my pop ups ;-)

If we are playing a casual game and he wants to drop his money on stuff then that’s fine, it’s his to do

By the back nine if he’s lighting it up like that, guess I’d feel like he was off on the front. Maybe distracted from the night before or work or whatever
 
TBH, Sometime nerves really mess with me getting started and once I calm down, I play a better back 9 and having "Upscale Equipment" is me for sure compared to other golfers I play. Don't think I'd ever shoot 33 on a 9 however this could be me.
I don't judge - People have a their Handicap Rating for a reason.
 
I don't know, seems like I know guys like that, and can definitely relate to having a horrid front nine followed by a pretty good back nine, so I'm not sure I'd be all that judgmental, but I'm sure we would have been talking about the cool gear.
 
My only judgment is he's a guy who likes his toys, more power to him. As long as he's not snobby about it and is enjoyable to play with, I couldn't care less what somebody has in their bag. I've played with guys sporting shiny new PXG clubs who struggled to break 100 and guys whose bag looks like a garage sale and they shoot in the 70s, it's all good to me.
 
I'm never going to judge someone for how they play the game, how they choose to dress, or what they spend their money on.

Some people have bad holes. Some people just aren't good. Some people (like this lad) are hot and cold. To each their own. If you're fun to be around, I want to be around you.
 
Since he shot 31 on the back, I'm going to assume that I would have seen that capability in his swing, even though he struggled on the front.
 
If he goes from double to par, then likely there was something distracting him or he was very stiff or something.

To answer your question, I don't think I would judge because I don't really care. If the personality was there, I'm good with whatever.
 
I have been that guy before. I have a bag of newer gear compared to most of my playing partners and there are guys with 20 year old clubs that play better than me.

I just love the gear and the fun of it. I'd be more apt to ask him questions about his gear and what he likes/hates about it - then pass any judgement. Especially if he's a nice guy.
 
McLovin said:
if i said i wouldn't judge the guy a bit on the front, i'd be lying. his money to do whatever he darn well pleases, and as long as he's cool about it and not the guy who repeatedly insists "this never happens to me" and uses every excuse under the sun, eventually i'd do the same as your buddy: sit back, relax, and enjoy the round with the guy.

also, i've absolutely BEEN that guy. shiny gear. looks the part. plays like a$$.
Click to expand...
I definitely have been this guy haha.
Minus the whole shooting 31 or what could have been a 29 on the back.
 
I probably would have judged. Although I would think based on a guy's swing you would be able to get some idea on his ability.

And I cold topped a 3 wood yesterday. Happens to the best of us haha.
 
I'd just assume he was a THP'er... #kanyeshrug :ROFLMAO:
 
Lions81 said:
I probably would have judged. Although I would think based on a guy's swing you would be able to get some idea on his ability.

And I cold topped a 3 wood yesterday. Happens to the best of us haha.
Click to expand...
I did it twice in my last round. Once off the tee and once on a sidehill lie. Hate those lies with a passion.
 
Good lord what a monster back 9!!

I think it's hard to not judge a book by its cover. Usually for me that's more about the person than the game, but I also would definitely make a point to ask about the equipment. I can usually get a sense whether he's a gear head or just has "mad stacks" haha

Also, I know it was a typo, but you saying "you explain pleasantries" made me laugh so hard. I can see you on the first tee talking to someone joining your cart saying "please don't touch me, it would mean a lot" hahahaha
 
I'm playing some pretty pricey after market shafts as a 19 HC so no judgement from me. That said, if I had seen someone start out like that I would have said 0 in a million they shoot 31 on the back so I guess in that sense definitely making a judgement and apparently a poor one. End of the day a nice person who's fun to play with is all I care about.
 
It's all fun. The back 9 monster that came out makes it... Funner.
 
Will I judge? Nope. If for no other reason than because I am, in a way, That Guy :ROFLMAO:

Just started playing last year. Actually playing, late last year. Yet in my brand new bag I have a brand new driver (the second of two); three, five, and seven woods (the second "new" 5w), four hybrid, 54° and 58° wedges, and putter (the third of three). Mind you: All that I got on clearance at a LGS or from CPO, but still... And quite possibly the only reason I don't have shiny new irons is because an injury has kept me sidelined and the equipment fulfillment delays.

If it amuses somebody to spend a bunch of money on shiny, who am I to judge?
 
Would the judgement be reversed if he was playing some old blades & classic persimmon woods? "Oh crap, he's playing with some old equipment. He's not going to take this seriously. This is going to be a long day?" :eek:
 
Interesting....What does it say about someone who analyzes each club/shaft/headcover/putter of your playing partner. What logo was on his shirt? That's usually my first look see.
 
I was kind of that guy last week. I was playing solo, having a fairly good round, caught the single ahead of me on the 8th, as he had caught everyone in front of him. He asked me to join him, which I did, and I then doubled the 8th, and tripled the 9th. I did redeem myself after that though, with four pars and a bogie in the next five holes. :confused2:
 
I'll rarely look at a rando partner's clubs.

but that is a hell of a round to watch. I'd order whatever he ordered at the turn every time.
 
I don't spend other people's money so they can play whatever they want. Golf is crazy, people can play completely different 9's. I won't say that I wouldn't rush to judgement but my mind can change too.
 
No judgment at all. Newer member playing with someone he doesn't know probably wants to make a good impression and was a little tight. I think we have all had those days with the first hole or holes not playing well and then turning it around on the back. Im a 13 and should be much lower but have been inconsistent and im working hard to fix that. So I wouldn't want to be judged on a few holes either. Im guessing based on what he did on the back at some point you could tell he was a player even when things were not going well for him. And regardless of how he ultimately played if he was a good guy and fun to golf with in the end I think that is what matters . Some of my best friends in the world are guys I met at the club who were once new and joined our group. And as far as looking at someones clubs lol if someone is smoking drives out there I tend to look to see what driver and shaft they are playing and im guessing im not alone on that here.
 
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