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getting grouped with random people?

Coachfrizz

Coachfrizz

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I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I'm not a huge fan of getting grouped with people I don't know to make a 4 some. This happened this weekend and the guys we played with were okay at best, but you would have though we were qualifying for the
US Open. It took 5 hours to play a round and that is too long for me, I like to get in a flow and play. I'm sure this has happened to other guys on here, just wanted to know your thoughts on it?
 
I usually enjoy it, get to meet some new people, even made a couple of good friends this way
 
I go out as a single often and most times I'll be paired with others I don't know and most times I'll just feel them out and see what players they are(not watching their skills but their manners) I try to see if they are serious or if they are just out to soak up the sun. I don't get bothered with playing with other people as the people around here are generally nice to me and I have never had a problem with random people!
 
These guys weren't bad guys, it was just the 8 practice swings before every shot and the walking off every putt from every angle. I understand it if you are playing alone,but there was 2 of us. It wasn't a huge deal, I guess my patience just grew thin with them.
 
Do it at least once a week. Most of the time the people are friendly and we have a good time, but sometimes you get some weirdos. Had one guy whiff it twice in a row on the first tee, got ready for a long day lol...but thankfully he picked up a lot and would just drop in the fairway after topping it into the desert on the tee.
 
I love to getting grouped with random people. You will meet new people and make some new friends.
 
I would rather play with a group of my golf buddies but it is not a big deal. The only downside is if they hold you up, but providing they are fun and not obnoxious things could be worse! It is also a good way, at least for me, to network. You never know who you will meet or what kind of contacts you can make, so in that sense I don't mind being paired up with others.
 
I can honestly say, every time I have been grouped with a random person or people, I have had an absolute blast. Two examples.

1.) Playing in Destin, I got paired up with another guy from Dothan, Alabama. His game was about where mine was at, an upper 80's shooter. He was playing, but his girlfriend was riding along. Somewhere between 14 and 15 I believe, we had to drive through this grassy bottom area to get to the next hole. I was following in my cart behind theirs. I happen to look down because I thought I saw a ball. Well, when I did this, he happened to stop his cart because he though he saw a snake. Long story short. I ran my car up the back of theirs, about knocking his girlfriend out of the cart. I jumped out and said dude, are you flipping alright. He was cracking up. He's like I stopped for a snake. I said, dude, I thought I saw a ball, but if you saw a snake, bump that s**t and lets get out of dodge. I don't think his GF saw the humor in it that he and I did. Nice guy.

2.) Playing Cog Hill (Dubsdread), my buddy Shawn and I got paired up with a local named Tim. Dude was a ringer. Was every bit a scratch player. Obviously, he was better than Shawn and I. Shawn is lucky to break 100. Well, we hit the back 9 and Tim asks, "You guys don't mind if I smoke a little weed, do you?" I told him I didn't, just don't get us kicked off the course. Dude continued to play lights out, despite his new high. However, Shawn and I spent the rest of the afternoon going, "Tim, your club", "Tim, don't forget your ball", "Hey Tim, can you pull the flag". But it was fun. He gave us the rundown and history of the Western Open and where my shots were in relation to shots Tiger had hit. We had a blast. We still laugh about Tim to this day.
 
I usually get paired up cause I play as a single. I don't usually mind. Most people I get paired up with are nice and just out there to relax and have fun and they make some attempt to have decent etiquette. The only thing that bothers me is the people who look for their lost balls forever when you know damn well that thing is in the middle of the lake. Sometimes I get paired up with drunk idiots or major A-holes, or the weird guy wearing blue jeans at the muni course. I had one guy get pissed at me because I was standing on the green while he was putting. He wanted NOBODY standing on the green while he putted. This was a guy shooting a round probably in the low 90's and at a muni course. It rounds like that which make me what to go get a membership at an all private course.

Usually I don't mind. But some days you just get paired up with people you don't like and they ruin the whole round.

Another time I was on vacation in Hawaii and I got paired up with some idiot. I paid $150 for this round in Maui. I got paired up with this guy who forgot his cigarettes. So he kept bugging everyone he saw for cigarettes. After a few holes his game went south and he kept bitching and throwing clubs and complaining he needed a cigarette. After about 7 holes he just grabbed his bag off the cart and walked off. Didn't say a word to the rest of us. The rest of us started laughing. It was not funny at all when it was going on, but was funny when he walked off.
 
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Last week was in Mesa for some winter golf and got paired with complete strangers all three days.

First day played with John, Don and Bob, they were members and lived on the course and playing their usual Monday morning round. At the first tee Don is in a hurry and can't find Bob who was celebrating his 84th Birthday (he had already gone off with a threesome two holes ahead), John is laid back warns me about Bob being a little senile, Don comes back with Bob in tow and we tee off. I'm thinking what have I gotten into but it is 65 and sunny as opposed to sleet/snow back in Illinois so I figure how bad can it be. John pounds one dead straight way down the fairway, this guy had a great day is easily single digit and one of the nicest strangers I've ever shared a cart with. Don is pres of the mens club and super nice and good golfer to boot, his daughter and I both do custom paint so we have a lot in common. Bob hits it 150 max and we have to guide him to within 10 yards of his ball before he can see it, seems to be kind of out of it but turns out he is very hard of hearing and once I realize this and get talking to him he is a really nice guy and is deadly at the short game (I think he one putted every green he was within chipping distance of, and never missed the fairway). As we finish on 18 I realize these guys are the best strangers I have ever been paired up with, I played my best nine holes (seven straight pars) in over twenty years.

Next day my wife skips out of work for an afternoon of golf, they send us out as a twosome and as we tee off the starter runs over and asks if a single can join, we answer sure thing and Rex joins us. Rex who is a member and also lives on the course, is a writer and decided golf sounded better than work and it's his birthday so, we all kinda make a mess of the first hole so it's cool and windy so we just relax and figure it's going to be a little tougher today. There are two large ponds on the course and the ducks recognize Rex as he approaches and swarm us looking for food as he feeds them every time he plays. Rex tells us to swing by his house on the 15th fairway where his wife greets us with lemons and oranges to take home from their trees. My wife is really enjoying the day and is super pumped to be playing golf, she often gets overwhelmed by the pressure of playing with strangers and it can get pretty bad after even nine holes, one of the more enjoyable rounds I've played with my wife thanks to Rex who has put her a total ease. Rex also clued me in that Bob who I had played with the previous day wears a ring with four diamonds on it, one for each hole in one he has gotten, and he was also club champion back in the day.

Third day starts with a 90 minute frost delay and everyone is in a ugly mood, the threesome I was paired with has brought a fourth so I get bounced from my position. Starter says don't worry he'll get me out, tell him no problem I've had two great days of golf and if I get out for a third some time today it's a huge plus. Mens league went off in a shotgun and there are at least twenty people lined up for the first tee, so I'm thinking this may not happen and consider just getting a bucket for the range, just minutes later the starter tells me to round up Mark and Don (not the same as the first day) two other singles and tee off of fifteen. As we play down 18 we ask one another what they are going to do with us on one as surely there is a line up still. As we pass the clubhouse the starter greets us and puts us right onto the first tee while everyone is in line still waiting to get out and the asks if we would mind a fourth we all answer no problem and Erik joins us, as Erik tees off the starter whispers something to Mark. Turns out he asked if we would mind playing all way through 18 again so that Erik wouldn't have to play the last three holes alone. We were all in a mood to play fast and we finish up 21 holes in just over 4 hours. I had the longest drive of my life that stayed in the fairway Mark measured it at 297 yards with 237 yards of carry and then 60 yards of cart path which ran right down the middle of the fairway which it was still on :D, the wind at my back didn't hurt either. These guys would have been at the top of the list for best strangers I ever got paired with but for the two previous days.

These were the best strangers I have ever been paired with and to have it happen at the same course three days in a row still seems hard to believe. :banana:
 
Getting paired up is great. If they are moving slow you always have the option of letting them know 'we' need to pick up the pace. Start playing ready golf if you don't like to tell folks what to do. There are ways of moving a slow group around without being evasive
 
RonInThornton said:
I usually enjoy it, get to meet some new people, even made a couple of good friends this way
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Exactly! This is the beuty of golf imho. You could get pared up with some great folks that you love to play with and sometimes they even might teach you something about the game. I love beeing pared up with better players than myself for this reason. But then ofc, sometimes you get pared with that a-hole but its not like you have to like him. Just play your own game and enjoy it!
 
CostaMesa said:
I love to getting grouped with random people. You will meet new people and make some new friends.
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I have been put with people all across the country and totally agree. Only a time or two can I remember a negative experience and only once when the round was spoiled by the playing partners. It wasn't because they were bad golfers, which they were, but because two of the three didn't have a clue about golf etiquette. Loud, standing in my line, rude, etc. But, I have met many, many nice folks and some very memorable characters. Some of the best have been locals at their own course where they are at ease. I have gotten tips on what to see or where to eat locally, the locals are more open and willing to be themselves. Playing at resorts, people are cordial but reserved for the most part. While it is almost always fun to play away courses, some of the most fun days has not been the big name courses but the good local track just because of the people.

I am almost always looking forward to another trip. After I play in Alaska in June, the next trip, I'm thinking, could be driving and playing at some THP member's home courses. So many possibilities...
 
I've met some great friends this way. I go to a very small charter school and the few kids that do golf live far away from me, so 90% of the time I'm headed to the course, I'm alone. 90% of those times I ask to pair up with someone or there's already someone I know there. Rarely do I actually play alone.
 
I love getting paired with people I don't know. You get to meet some really nice ones along the way. I have played with a few really nice people just from being a single or whatever. Haven't kept in touch with them but it was fun while it lasted!
 
I don't mind being paired. I try to play with a friend or with 3 friends to avoid sharing carts with strangers. If we're in a cart together they feel obligated to talk to me. I don't mind others talking to me, but I keep running into crazies!

I prefer to play alone and FAST. My personal best round was an 81 and I finished in under 2 hours.
 
I don't like getting group with randoms. That said, I've only been grouped with someone unpleasant 1 or two times. Usually when I golf it is for me and friends to hang out, catch up on life. Random strangers usually temper that just a bit. I'm new to the game and shoot in the 90's, I normally warn people who are paired with me. I don't play slow, but if you're a low handicapper you probably don't want to watch me 3 putt all day.
 
Sounds like I had just a bad experience, because most of your guys seem to enjoy it. I guess I just let the slow play get the best of me, but when you are on pace to shoot 95 and you look at a putt from every angle and then take 10 practice strokes, it just kills me.
 
I love getting paired with people. I have had some really great people and some not-so-great. Both make for great - sometimes exaggerated - stories later on.
 
I'm not always a fan of it....it's a mental hang up with me that I can't seem to shake
 
Most of the time we have 2 or 3 playing with us, but there has been times when we have just 2 and we get grouped with another pair, I really enjoy it when they guys are cool and they have the right manners, but there has been times when I have been with a pair and they hit numerous balls off the tee and even after that, and it will hold up play, I like to keep a steady pace myself, I can understand where your coming from Coachfrizz, maybe you were just paired this time with some bad people, but I have experienced both sides, mostly they are enjoyable and you do get to meet new peopel but there ar times where you just want to play ahead or just ring their necks and ask what the H*** are you doing...
 
I like it and will even ask people if they want to play together if I see another single or twosome on a busier day. Helps keep the pace and my experiences have always been positive. I met a couple older gals last year that I'd make my regular playing partners any day.
 
Generally it doesn't bother me at all, as long as they are down to earth and respectful i'm good to go.
 
I kind of like it too. Sometimes you meet some really interesting people!
 
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