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Equipment Judgement Day?

SuperStroke
First, I don't tend to notice the bag or clubs other people are playing. That's actually a strange thing for me to say given how much I enjoy equipment. I should pay more attention.

As to variable play, from front 9 to back 9 or round to round, I see things like that all the time. In my experience, there are a bunch of good golfers who can go from flail golf to full on superstar golf or vice versa at any moment. My league partner, for example, will have rounds in the high 80s and then all the sudden shoot 68. Golf is a strange sport. :cool:
 
I probably would have thought the guy has a lot more money than talent during the first hole. If the story would have included betting, I would have surely pegged the guy as a hustler based on his early vs. late performance.
 
A few years ago I probably would have been pretty skeptical of the guy at first. However the last couple of years I've been that guy p more often than I'd like to admit so I can totally relate and can't judge anymore. Plus I fully believe in play what makes you happy these days, even if it is disastrous for the person.
 
No judgement at all play what you want no matter the skill level. People have bad days on the course and good for him for torching the back 9!
 
I don't really pay much attention to what guys are hitting. Play with a wooden stick if they want and can hit the ball decent. I would be concerned if someone is struggling that bad and would probably think they are just having a bad day. I would be wishing the best for them and I try to keep a relaxed attitude so not to bring any additional tension. It seems that most of the time it would only be a couple of holes though and not the entire front 9.
 
I don’t judge people for what they play, if they want to spend their coin on a kick ass kit that might be above their skill level then good for them. Hell, it’s just cool they’re out there giving it a go.

Then sometimes, we just have a sh***y day of golf, or in this case he had a sh***y half round! :LOL:
 
I have seen a ton of people with super nice bags shoot a million. As long as he is having fun and not throwing an SFit I won’t think much about it.

I played 3 holes last night where I barely got the ball off the ground so bad days happen.
 
I was asked to sub in a league one day and played with a guy that shot a 72. He was great to be around, never lost his cool, and we all had a great time. I do not judge people on how they hit the ball or what score they end up with but rather how they handle their victory or defeat. By the way, the 72 was on nine holes.
 
I would notice his desire for nicer things but wouldn’t judge his game. I’d be impressed with the back nine for sure. If he was nice and good to play with I would welcome another round.
 
No judgment from me. I would have nerded out with him over his irons for a hot min though. Then topped a ball right after him.
 
JB said:
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.
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No judgement here. The guy is out there enjoying himself (hopefully), so whats not to love? If he had money to burn or simply wants those clubs, thats his business.
FWIW, last year when I played Arcadia Bluffs, I played with a guy who said he was a doctor and had a full bag of PXG clubs. The dude was not a great golfer though, probably a 30 handicap and I felt kind of bad for him that he paid a couple hundred bucks for that round of golf, cursed at his clubs and himself the whole round and shot probably a 120. He did constantly talk about how much he loved his PXG clubs and what a great investment they were. He literally told me, "theyre really not that much more expensive than anything else and theyre way better clubs." Hey, whatever floats your boat, bro.
 
No judgement from me, everyone has one of those rounds. My question is what do you say, encourage him, keep quiet, talk about some other stuff? I’d probably be nervous and anxious for him.
 
hedley_lamarr08 said:
I would notice his desire for nicer things but wouldn’t judge his game. I’d be impressed with the back nine for sure. If he was nice and good to play with I would welcome another round.
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Yeah that back 9 is something else.
 
It’s a far fetched hypothetical for me because I almost never notice what is in anybody else’s bag. Even if I did I wouldn’t assume anything by it. They sell expensive clubs to anybody willing to pay for them. I don’t assume every guy I see riding a sport one is a great track rider, and golf is no different for me.
 
JB said:
Yeah that back 9 is something else.
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I ran into a guy at the driving range with a full set of Titleist 718CB when they first came out. If I’m not mistaken he had a 2 iron. He couldn’t hit any club over 100 yards. Nice guy given bad advice on purchase. I was hoping he was a ringer just to watch the show.
 
No judgements, everyone can have that terrible front nine, no matter what they bag for clubs.

I've played many rounds in the past where the first 2-3 holes are all topped shots beginning to end. I feel the pain.
 
100% I'm making a judgement after the first topped tee shot. We've all been there and I get it can happen, but still. It's only natural to have an initial impression or judgment of someone. In this case I'd be proven wrong by the guys back 9.

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Maybe a little judgement, but it has no effect on me. Good on him for enjoying shinny things, but I would be the first to insert foot to mouth after seeing that back 9. I'd watch him swing and try to learn something.
 
I’m the type of person that cares about equipment in relation to skill level. Some people have a lot of money so why not get the best equipment!

I do wonder what’s the point of the fancy equipment if you don’t play often though.But I think that just goes hand in hand with me not grasping the fact that dropping 5k plus into your gamer golf bag isn’t a big deal to some people.
 
Could have been working on a swing change, getting caught between the two(old and new) and just decided to go with the old on the back nine or just got the new straightened out and/or just trusted it. Been there/done that....well not a 31, but lots better.
 
Paging @OldandStiff as there seems to be some Vessel hate in this thread 😂

Just kidding! Yeah, I probably would have looked at the guy's equipment vs. his first couple of swings and rolled my eyes. But I'll also play devil's advocate: would it be the same if his bag was torn/faded, his putter was naked and full of bag chatter, each of his woods were a different brand but he shot even par on the front 9?

I'm gonna say yes because it's in our nature to make assumptions (judge) other people.
 
How could you not make a somewhat quick judgement after 3 or 4 holes of that? Of course I would. Just proves that anyone can have a bad stretch of holes.
 
Judgement, no. Suspicion, yes. I've seen a person or two hussled in a very similar manner, and have been known to wager a bit, so if anything I would have been on high alert for certain signs.

I mean, a really nice guy showing he has money to spend, but playing horribly, and then turning in a 31 on the back... sounds an awful lot like a guy waiting on a sucker on the front.

Or just a decent fellow and good player knocking off some serious rust. I'd honestly never even make a judgement on that part after only one encounter. He would get points in my book for the Vessel bag though. :p
 
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