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How do you feel about strangers hitting your equipment?

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mesaman777

mesaman777

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For me, I don't mind as long as it's not my driver. I don't let anyone hit my driver, not even my Brother. Here's why....

Years ago when the Titleist 975D drivers came out, I let a friend hit it when I first got it. One swing, huge pop up, nasty sky mark! It bothered me the entire time I played that club.

Fast forward and the 983K drivers are launched. I immediately go out and get one. Later on that season I am playing in a company tourney with the same guy. Oddly enough he actually asks me if he can try it. Of course I politely tell him no and I explain why, that the mark he left on the last club bothered me a great deal and I didn't want to chance it again. In fact, I would bust his chops about once in a while. Later on in the round, after a few beers, he decides that it would be a good idea to sneak the club from my bag and give it a hit. He sunk a tee in the fairway on a par5 and hit from there. I had no idea what he was doing. Sky ball = Sky mark. I was furious!!!! Ruined my day. After much prodding in the coming weeks, I actually made him buy me a new driver, same specs. After that our friendship dissolved. I just thought his actions were so disrespectful.

I know many of you think clubs are tools and may not be bothered by sky marks, but it is my biggest pet peeve in regards to equipment. I have gouged irons on rocks and that doesn't bother be too much because it's inevitable. Being a sweeper of the ball I don't really worry about popping up drivers anymore.

If someone asks me if they can try my driver, I will tell them that they can try any club in the bag except the driver and fairway woods off the deck only.

Is it just me or do you guy's feel the same way?
 
Dont care at all.
Never have.

Just for some extra info, a sky mark can occur just as easily off the deck as off the tee. Most think its from the pop up, but its actually more in line from the swing path than tee height.
 
I believe its part of my job, particularly when attending THP events. As always, my bag is fair game.
 
I generally don't go out of my way to let people try my stuff, but that's the 'only child' in me speaking... If somebody wants to try something and asks, i usually let them. I would expect them to take care of it if they broke it.
 
If they're better than me, no problem. If not, no way. THP events or rounds with THPers are the exception :wink:.

When I was in high school I was at the driving range with a friend of mine who played for the golf team. He let me hit his burnt orange TM (older Aeroburner IIRC) and I drop kicked it and splintered the shaft right above the hosel. He ended up getting another one without issue, but I'll be damned if that happens to me!
 
Pre Grandaddy? Have at it. Now? You need to sign my waiver that makes you responsible for any and everything that can happen to one of my clubs haha

In all seriousness, I was given a full bag of gear with the intent to not only remember the event but to go play the equipment and bring my feedback to the forums. The more people that can bring that feedback to the forum the better
 
mesaman777 said:
For me, I don't mind as long as it's not my driver. I don't let anyone hit my driver, not even my Brother. Here's why....

Years ago when the Titleist 975D drivers came out, I let a friend hit it when I first got it. One swing, huge pop up, nasty sky mark! It bothered me the entire time I played that club.

Fast forward and the 983K drivers are launched. I immediately go out and get one. Later on that season I am playing in a company tourney with the same guy. Oddly enough he actually asks me if he can try it. Of course I politely tell him no and I explain why, that the mark he left on the last club bothered me a great deal and I didn't want to chance it again. In fact, I would bust his chops about once in a while. Later on in the round, after a few beers, he decides that it would be a good idea to sneak the club from my bag and give it a hit. He sunk a tee in the fairway on a par5 and hit from there. I had no idea what he was doing. Sky ball = Sky mark. I was furious!!!! Ruined my day. After much prodding in the coming weeks, I actually made him buy me a new driver, same specs. After that our friendship dissolved. I just thought his actions were so disrespectful.

I know many of you think clubs are tools and may not be bothered by sky marks, but it is my biggest pet peeve in regards to equipment. I have gouged irons on rocks and that doesn't bother be too much because it's inevitable. Being a sweeper of the ball I don't really worry about popping up drivers anymore.

If someone asks me if they can try my driver, I will tell them that they can try any club in the bag except the driver and fairway woods off the deck only.

Is it just me or do you guy's feel the same way?
Click to expand...

That Sux.
I don't have a problem with people trying out my gear.
Its kind of what this site is all about, Range sessions before rounds are a plethora of people hitting other peoples clubs
 
Only THPers (so not really strangers). And/or my buddies. Not letting a random guy just walk up and hit my stuff.
 
I don't really mind if someone wants to try my clubs, but I don't run into it too much being left handed.
 
There's a saying - not sure if it's just in my group or across golf - "You sky, you buy."
 
JB said:
Dont care at all.
Never have.

Just for some extra info, a sky mark can occur just as easily off the deck as off the tee. Most think its from the pop up, but its actually more in line from the swing path than tee height.
Click to expand...

So too steep a swing has a better chance than a shallow swing? I would think a FW wood would have to take a pretty big divot to produce a sky mark off the deck. I don't know, maybe it's my OCD and I need to just move on from it.
 
OITW said:
Only THPers (so not really strangers). And/or my buddies. Not letting a random guy just walk up and hit my stuff.
Click to expand...

Yea these were my thoughts as well haha. Not sure how I'd handle a random guy on the range walking up and asking to.
 
No issues with it. In fact, just yesterday Artm was having equipment problem with his driver so I offered him my GBB. Mburnham just got a new Cobra 3W and he offered it to me to use off the deck.
Edit, forgot to mention 3rd swing with my new GBB on sim I put tiny mark right where face meets crown...idiot
 
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I have my clubs that I love protected from sky marks. Prevention is the best form of protection, even from myself, because skymarks bother me too.

That being said, a club, as disrespectful as someone's actions are to go against your wishes and use it, is not worth a friendship in my opinion.

Have at my equipment, that's always what's been offered to me so why isn't it a 2 way street. Just know what the ramifications of your actions are.
 
Have at it.

I however will not hit anyone's hybrids or fairways

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
How do I feel?

Paranoid.

So I don't do it.

Once I let a friend hit a Miura 3 wood, about 7 years ago. It was for sale, he hit it and put a gash in the crown. He bought the club.
 
Doesn't bother me a bit. If a sky mark should ever happen, it's a great reason to buy a new one!
 
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At a THP event, no problems everything is open for demo. Some random dude on the range, I won't offer it.
 
I have no problem letting people give them a try. It's not like the clubs are made of gold or anything.
 
Irons I have no problem letting anyone hit. I don't know that I would let any stranger hit my woods though. They just cost too much to chance. If it's a THP member then they can definitely give any of my clubs a whirl. Anyone else, probably not.
 
Anything in my bag is always fair game.
 
No problem, you mark it , you bought it!!
 
My bag is always open to THP'ers.

Luckily I've never had any "damage" done so have never had to cross that path.
 
tpluff said:
I have my clubs that I love protected from sky marks. Prevention is the best form of protection, even from myself, because skymarks bother me too.

That being said, a club, as disrespectful as someone's actions are to go against your wishes and use it, is not worth a friendship in my opinion.

Have at my equipment, that's always what's been offered to me so why isn't it a 2 way street. Just know what the ramifications of your actions are.
Click to expand...

Believe me, there was way more involved in the friendship dissolving, not just this one action. I don't want to appear like I am not an understanding fellow, I usually am. I've had friends do way worse things than this over my life time. This was just the last straw in this instance.
 
mesaman777 said:
For me, I don't mind as long as it's not my driver. I don't let anyone hit my driver, not even my Brother. Here's why....

Years ago when the Titleist 975D drivers came out, I let a friend hit it when I first got it. One swing, huge pop up, nasty sky mark! It bothered me the entire time I played that club.

Fast forward and the 983K drivers are launched. I immediately go out and get one. Later on that season I am playing in a company tourney with the same guy. Oddly enough he actually asks me if he can try it. Of course I politely tell him no and I explain why, that the mark he left on the last club bothered me a great deal and I didn't want to chance it again. In fact, I would bust his chops about once in a while. Later on in the round, after a few beers, he decides that it would be a good idea to sneak the club from my bag and give it a hit. He sunk a tee in the fairway on a par5 and hit from there. I had no idea what he was doing. Sky ball = Sky mark. I was furious!!!! Ruined my day. After much prodding in the coming weeks, I actually made him buy me a new driver, same specs. After that our friendship dissolved. I just thought his actions were so disrespectful.

I know many of you think clubs are tools and may not be bothered by sky marks, but it is my biggest pet peeve in regards to equipment. I have gouged irons on rocks and that doesn't bother be too much because it's inevitable. Being a sweeper of the ball I don't really worry about popping up drivers anymore.

If someone asks me if they can try my driver, I will tell them that they can try any club in the bag except the driver and fairway woods off the deck only.

Is it just me or do you guy's feel the same way?
Click to expand...

Wow!!! That guy has some nerve. Glad you made him replace what he damaged. Not much of a friend in my opinion.

For the most part, I'm with you. No one hits the driver, fairway wood, or hybrids. Being a lefty makes that pretty easy. Irons and wedges really can't be damaged, so those are fair game.
 
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