We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Need New Golf Friends

Diane

Diane

_________________________
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
7,721
Reaction score
50
I had a an epiphany on the course yesterday. I need new golf friends. Don't get me wrong - I like the people I play with - well most of the time - but they are wrapped too tightly on the course. If someone gets mad, I usually ignore it, but I'm finding that harder to do lately and it is affecting my game. I've decided Aesop was correct - familiarity breeds contempt - on the course at least. I'm thinking I should go as a single and play with strangers for a bit. If they behave badly - no harm no foul because I won't see them again. Any suggestions?
 
I play with a lot of different types of people. But as we grow this site I am fortunate to get to play with more and more people each week. It really is great to see the different traits play out on the course.

One thing I see more and more on the course that frustrates me is the "counting player". This player is constantly adding up his/her score and as soon as he/she puts up a bad hole you here "its over there goes this round". I seem to be seeing that a lot recently in a lot of players.

I quickly try to note that it is never the case and I had 44 front 35 not a month ago, but it is hard to work with. It is why I go as a single and play either as a single or with strangers quite a bit.
 
JB said:
IOne thing I see more and more on the course that frustrates me is the "counting player". This player is constantly adding up his/her score and as soon as he/she puts up a bad hole you here "its over there goes this round". I seem to be seeing that a lot recently in a lot of players.
Click to expand...

I have played with a few like that nothing frustrates me more and for someone to do this. Friday when I played I had a horrible time on the front nine but on the back side turn everything around.
 
I was playing with someone a couple of weeks back and had a chance at a 35 on the back 9 (easy course) and the guy right as I was setting up to my putt said "man if you make this you break par". I finished with a 3 putt.
 
JB said:
I was playing with someone a couple of weeks back and had a chance at a 35 on the back 9 (easy course) and the guy right as I was setting up to my putt said "man if you make this you break par". I finished with a 3 putt.
Click to expand...

Friend or stranger? Did you say anything or let it go?
 
Oh I let it go. It was a friend that just moved down here that I have known for years.
 
JB said:
I was playing with someone a couple of weeks back and had a chance at a 35 on the back 9 (easy course) and the guy right as I was setting up to my putt said "man if you make this you break par". I finished with a 3 putt.
Click to expand...

Place were I use to work we had a nine hole Tuesday Golf League. This one guy I always seemed to get paired up with if he was falling behind he would start saying things like that. It would always start me to thinking I have got to make this putt and end up three putting almost ever time. Or he say something on the tee like that sure is a narrow fairway always something to mess your head. I confronted hims several times about it he just laugh it off with if you can't take pressure don't play.
 
I refuse to add up my score in any way shape or form until the entire rd is over. I don't want the thought of "you need X to achieve y".
 
Dyna,
On our carts they have the GPS that keeps the score and I try not to look at it, but it gives you the total right when you input your score.
 
Again not golf related (sorry, I've only been at this a year) but when I used to do competitive shooting, I had a guy who liked to use "the needle" on his shooting partners for the day. The first time he got me but good. I was tied with him, and he said as we were walking up to the next station - "Do you inhale or exhale before you call pull?"

Messed me up for a couple weeks.
 
I have one friend that is always comparing his gameplay to mine, I hate that. I told him after that he isn't playing against me, but playing against himself.

JB: As far as the guy saying that, I know it can really get to you, but it's great to shrug those things off and strengthen your mental state in those situations. Usually, if I have a huge putt or a big shot coming up, I say out loud to myself "If I make this I'll shoot 75" to give myself a good test, as weird as it sounds, to me it releives a bit of pressure knowing that you are saying it before someone else does.
 
I DON'T need a new golf friend, but my long-suffering wife came close during my blow-up round on Friday. I hit the greatest drive I've ever smacked, and it ran out to about 20 yards from the pin on a short par 4. I pulled my sand wedge, went through my routine, and as I'm setting up for the shot, SWMBO says "Now don't go nuts with this."

I stubbed the shot fat, hit the ball about 15 yards right, and ended up carding a 5 on the hole. I love playing golf with my wife but that was a bit of a tester.
 
Diane--the best round I've had this year was with a girlfriend who is just getting back into the game after a long layoff. We went into it figuring we'd just giggle and hit, and it was so relaxed I did really well.

Now that I think about it, playing with Hubby tends to tense me up. He is SO competitive. I do my best to ignore it, but as you said about familiarity...
 
JB said:
Dyna,
On our carts they have the GPS that keeps the score and I try not to look at it, but it gives you the total right when you input your score.
Click to expand...

I always hit No when the gps asks if you want to enter the score.
 
Yeah I suppose I could do that, but that would involve me actually writing things down...hehe
 
JB said:
Yeah I suppose I could do that, but that would involve me actually writing things down...hehe
Click to expand...

Does the GPS system enter it into GHIN at the end of the round for you?
 
No, I just go right into the pro shop for that afterwards.
 
JB said:
I was playing with someone a couple of weeks back and had a chance at a 35 on the back 9 (easy course) and the guy right as I was setting up to my putt said "man if you make this you break par". I finished with a 3 putt.
Click to expand...

if it was a leisurely round i would do it to my friend too-i love to get in his head! haha but in a match i never count anyones score up(including my own) until its over

i hate it when i pass a teammate and they are like "what you at" cause i never know, i dont want to know what i have! :bulgy-eyes:
 
JB said:
I was playing with someone a couple of weeks back and had a chance at a 35 on the back 9 (easy course) and the guy right as I was setting up to my putt said "man if you make this you break par". I finished with a 3 putt.
Click to expand...

Ugghhh. That sounds like something I would do and then realize how stupid it was about 1 millisecond later.
 
Diane said:
I had a an epiphany on the course yesterday. I need new golf friends. Don't get me wrong - I like the people I play with - well most of the time - but they are wrapped too tightly on the course. If someone gets mad, I usually ignore it, but I'm finding that harder to do lately and it is affecting my game. I've decided Aesop was correct - familiarity breeds contempt - on the course at least. I'm thinking I should go as a single and play with strangers for a bit. If they behave badly - no harm no foul because I won't see them again. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I play quite often as a single. At the local munis, I just show up and tell them to put me with the first available group. I have had many pleasant rounds that way.

Also, I would check "Golf Now" or "EZLinks" for available tee times with only one or two slots available. That way you are assured of not playing alone. I have used those methods effectively to find new golfing partners.
 
I've decided to keep my two closet golf friends, but now that we're also real life friends the dynamic has changed. One of them was my playing partner in a two person best ball on Saturday. I missed a putt that we needed (not that we were going to win or anything) and she looked at me and said she should smack me. I just rolled my eyes and kept going. We also started bickering after she got mad at her ball and picked up even though I already had one stroke more on another hole. It's kind of nice to have this kind of camaraderie on the course.
 
Harry Longshanks said:
I so didn't follow you to that conclusion.
Click to expand...

The fact that we could bicker and walk away laughing showed that we were good friends. Kind of like the way it is with family - well in my family at least. We may get loud, but there is never any malice.
 
Diane said:
The fact that we could bicker and walk away laughing showed that we were good friends. Kind of like the way it is with family - well in my family at least. We may get loud, but there is never any malice.
Click to expand...

I think you left out the part about laughing afterward.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top