Golf - Social Game vs Skill Game?

JB

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Question for THPers as it kind of came up in the USGA thread. So many golfers go as solo for multiple reasons and it got me thinking. In your opinion for your personal love for the game, how much of the game is about social activity and how much of it is about a skill activity?
 
Question for THPers as it kind of came up in the USGA thread. So many golfers go as solo for multiple reasons and it got me thinking. In your opinion for your personal love for the game, how much of the game is about social activity and how much of it is about a skill activity?

Yes


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For me, its the balance between the two. I practice the skill side of the game (playing as a single) to make my social game (playing at outings) more enjoyable.
 
It's both for me, but I just don't always have the time or the schedule to plan a round with others. Nothing beats playing with THPers IMO, but I love the game itself enough and the challenge it provides that I enjoy solo rounds and try to get out as much as possible.
 
I really dislike playing alone, so maybe the game is more social than skill for me, but I really love trying to improve at this impossibly hard game.
 
60/40 for me. Didn't play a single solo round this year (a first) which would make it seem those numbers should be different but I expect to be competitive when I do play as we like to make friendly wagers and I'm too competitive just to show up and completely suck.
 
Question for THPers as it kind of came up in the USGA thread. So many golfers go as solo for multiple reasons and it got me thinking. In your opinion for your personal love for the game, how much of the game is about social activity and how much of it is about a skill activity?

In all honesty for myself it really is about both, but just because I can't have the social aspect for a round I won't let it get in my way of playing solo and enjoying working on the skill. But the social aspect of the game makes the game more fun than it already is.


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Skill for me. I basically play to compete against myself while getting some good exercise by walking and getting to smoke my cigars at the same time.



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For me, its the balance between the two. I practice the skill side of the game (playing as a single) to make my social game (playing at outings) more enjoyable.
Well put Joe, the playing is for the love of the game and trying to become a better golfer, but in the end it's the sharing of time playing this great game with friends that brings my true enjoyment of golf!
 
I enjoy the social side as a bonus to always competing against myself.
 
For me, it's skill first, social second. I very much enjoy playing golf by myself, JUST as much as I enjoy playing with friends. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE competitive team golf, probably more than Individual...but still.
 
Question for THPers as it kind of came up in the USGA thread. So many golfers go as solo for multiple reasons and it got me thinking. In your opinion for your personal love for the game, how much of the game is about social activity and how much of it is about a skill activity?

60:40

I don't grind the game like I used to, but I'm not having fun if I am playing poorly. I love when golf is social but I must be playing somewhere in the realm of my capabilities to have fun and be social.
 
I really dislike playing alone, so maybe the game is more social than skill for me, but I really love trying to improve at this impossibly hard game.

I love playing and trying to improve, but the time spent on the course with friends and being able to forget about the stresses of daily life is just as big a part really
 
Can't it be both?

If at all possible I prefer to play with friends, but if I want to play and nobody else wants to or is able, I've no qualms playing myself.
 
It's both for me. When I'm playing alone, I'm more focused on the skill aspect of the game, along with clearing my mind and relaxing. When I play with others I know, the social aspect becomes a lot more for me and my game more often than not suffers. I simply don't focus as much on my game as I typically do, as there's a lot more to pay attention to.

But it's very much both for me.
 
Definitely both. Depends completely on the circumstance, but golf is great for both.
 
I love the test against yourself that the game provides. I obviously want to play well and can get frustrated if not playing well but the social aspect of it really balances that out for me.
 
Can't it be both?

If at all possible I prefer to play with friends, but if I want to play and nobody else wants to or is able, I've no qualms playing myself.

I definitely think its both. I think everybody's ratio is different however. To give you an example, I am closer to 80% social and 20% skill now, where as I used to be closer to that 50/50 mark. I dont play alone anymore, because I lose most of the social factor
 
75% social, 25% skill. +/- 25% from each, depending on the round.
 
Both. What started as purely a skills game has transformed into a social aspect also.


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It's equal for me. I'm a competitive guy, so if I'm constantly getting my butt kicked with my buddy's, I'll go work on my game to try and get to their level. Having said that, I enjoy golf a heck of a lot more when playing with others than I do when I'm playing by myself.
 
Both for me. Sometimes I like to play alone to concentrate only on my game but usually just to clear my head. I prefer playing w/ THPers but the occasional solo round can do wonders.
 
Its really both for me. Even if I am having a blast with my playing partners if Im playing bad it still bothers me. I guess the competitive side of me hates not playing to the best of what I think my capabilities are.
 
I much prefer to play with friends or even strangers so the social aspect is important to me, but like others have said, the competitive part of me wants to play to and exceed my skill level. So BOTH!

JM
 
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