Playing partners Giving Advice?

[DLR]

A few co-workers and I play 9 holes after work every friday when the weather permits. The last couple of weeks I have been getting paired up with a co-worker who is constantly giving me advice all through the round. I am not a great golfer by any means and I am always open for suggestions but I would rather take advice from a good golfer which the person I am being paired with is not. I usually try to ignore him and just play like I have been playing hoping he would get the hint but that doesnt work. Yesterday when we were playing he would stand behind me and give advice on just about every shot that I had telling me to relax and take a slow backswing and this is that. I wanted to just tell him to shut up and let me play but I like the guy but its getting very annoying. Especially I have going to range lately practicing what I have read on here and on other sites and I have been improving. I guess what I am trying to say is this. Has anyone dealt with a playing partner that pretends that they are your coach and constantly giving you advice?

[907golfer12]

Yes, and I hate it!!

As you can see I am a 5 index, and some of my friends that I play with are 18-22 indexes. Now I don't mind playing with them, because for the most part I enjoy our rounds, but some of them are terrible at this.

Like if I hit a snap hook they will give me crazy tips like, swing more in to out, slide back to my right foot on my backswing and all of that nonsense. But since I am older then them, and they know I am a petter player then them, they generally listen when I tell them to stop, but for some reason they do it every round until I ask them not to.

[golf_junkie27]

If this guy is your friend you should not have a problem asking him to stop. If he's not your friend, it should be even easier.

Seriously, though, just tell him "I appreciate the advice but I would appreciate it more if you stopped."

You're paying for the round and you should be enjoying it.

[Craig Mac]

I have a buddy who is a 20-25 hcp that I play with and it seems whenever I have a birdie putt he will read it too, then ask me what I think and give his thoughts on what it will do. I never tell him what I think it will do, but yet he still does it. I guess if I had more birdie putts it would annoy me but he is just trying to help so I don't get too upset about it. I find it more bothersome when they ask me what they are doing wrong, mainly because I can't be of any real help to them as they have about a dozen issues that need to be fixed and I am by no means an expert but since I usually score a little better than them they think I can help. I would just say that if it bothers you find a nice way of letting them know that you appreciate their advice but it is against the rules of golf for them to be advising you.

[DLR]

At first it really didnt bother me because the only time he could really watch me was on the tee box. But the last two weeks he has been in the same cart with me so he would watch all of my shots and give me advice. The thing about it is that if would be giving me good advice it wouldnt be so bad. But he's telling me the opposite of what I have been reading in books and online. For example, I was teeing off on the first hole which is a par 5 and when I got to the tee with my driver and started lining up the ball right inside my left heel he told me the ball should be two to three inches inside my heel almost to the middle of my stance which is the opposite of what I been reading. Then when I proceeded to play it like I always play he seemed like he was getting a little upset that I wasnt taking his advice. I guess Im going to have to either say something to him or just try avoiding playing with him when we get to the course.

[Travis13]

Start giving him advice on every shot

[Craig Mac]

Start giving him advice on every shot

that's funny

At first it really didnt bother me because the only time he could really watch me was on the tee box. But the last two weeks he has been in the same cart with me so he would watch all of my shots and give me advice. The thing about it is that if would be giving me good advice it wouldnt be so bad. But he's telling me the opposite of what I have been reading in books and online. For example, I was teeing off on the first hole which is a par 5 and when I got to the tee with my driver and started lining up the ball right inside my left heel he told me the ball should be two to three inches inside my heel almost to the middle of my stance which is the opposite of what I been reading. Then when I proceeded to play it like I always play he seemed like he was getting a little upset that I wasnt taking his advice. I guess Im going to have to either say something to him or just try avoiding playing with him when we get to the course.

Definitely say something, nip it before it goes too far. Too many times I read something like this the people get all bent out of shape but don't say anything. If he is a friend it should be easy as junkie27 said. A simple "I appreciate your advice, I've been working on a few things and really don't need any extra things to think about". If that doesn't work a STFU is in order.

[GaijinGolfer]

Id definetly say something to him about it. Just be careful how your word it so that you dont hurt his feelings.
If it were me, Id saying something like, "you know, I appreciate that you are trying to help, but its getting really annoying. Could you please just stop?"
If that doesnt work, just dont play with him anymore.

[DLR]

Im probably going to wait till next week and see what happens. I usually try and golf every week but he usually only golfs with us on friday once or twice a month. He has always done this since Ive golfed with him but since he has golfed the last two weeks and playing in my group and in the same cart It has really gotten on my nerves. If he ends up playing next week and ends up in the cart with me I think Im definately going to say something to him the first time he does it. If I wasnt playing as well as I was yesterday I probably would have snapped but even with him doing what he was doing I still played pretty well. Thanks for the advice everyone. I figured I wasnt the only one who has had this problem so I wanted to get some input from you guys.

Thank you.

[gills]

the longer you wait the harder it'll get. Just like anything else in life!

You should just tell him at work.

[DLR]

I have thought about telling him at work and its definately an option I am going to consider. I am hoping he took the hint yesterday but thats probably not the case. A couple of the other guys saw that I was getting irritated by it so I would think he did too but he never led on like he knew it though. I guess Ill just have to see what happens when I see him at work if he says anything about it. If he does Ill just tell him that I appreciate your advice but I have been working on some things at the range and they are helping me improve so I would rather keep things how they are. I guess Ill what happens Tuesday.

[par3forme]

4 thoughts here...

1. Shank the hell out of a drive and then turn to him and say "thanks for the advice...I did exactly what you said to do"

2. Start bugging him on his shots, but make up outrageous tips to make it fun for you. Tell him to try getting a running start on his drives etc.

3. It would be a pity if while driving your club "slipped" out of your hand on follow through? If you know what I mean.

4. Find one of those "silence" signs they use at professional tournaments and hold it up whenever he talks. If he doesn't get that hint he is brain dead. Which he might be anyway after tip #3.

[SiamGolfer]

Just tell him that you think you will play better without all the advice, and want to work on a few things yourself, rather than too much at once. Then no-one loses face and you don't upset your friends feelings (he is trying to help albeit in an annoying way), and you can go back to enjoying a round of golf

[tjy355]

... Has anyone dealt with a playing partner that pretends that they are your coach and constantly giving you advice?

Yes, and I tell them to shut up.

[Fourputt]

A few co-workers and I play 9 holes after work every friday when the weather permits. The last couple of weeks I have been getting paired up with a co-worker who is constantly giving me advice all through the round. I am not a great golfer by any means and I am always open for suggestions but I would rather take advice from a good golfer which the person I am being paired with is not. I usually try to ignore him and just play like I have been playing hoping he would get the hint but that doesnt work. Yesterday when we were playing he would stand behind me and give advice on just about every shot that I had telling me to relax and take a slow backswing and this is that. I wanted to just tell him to shut up and let me play but I like the guy but its getting very annoying. Especially I have going to range lately practicing what I have read on here and on other sites and I have been improving. I guess what I am trying to say is this. Has anyone dealt with a playing partner that pretends that they are your coach and constantly giving you advice?

Next time just add the 2 stroke penalty to his score each time. When he asks how he shot 106 for 9 holes,

explain you've been reading the Rules of Golf and that it's a 2 stroke penalty for each time he offers advice. If that doesn't shut him up, then he's hopeless.

[Dub]

If this guy is your friend you should not have a problem asking him to stop. If he's not your friend, it should be even easier.

Well said.

Unsolicited advice sucks.

[hkmp5]

Stand behind him and give him the advice right back, Ask him why he has a big loop at the top of his back swing or why he pauses on his take away, mess with his head , keep it up until he gets the hint. Chances are he plays at the same level you do but thinks buy giving you advice that he is some how better.

Ray

[JimmyDoesGolf]

Start giving him advice on every shot

"You see those trees over there.. Aim right at them. Don't worry, your natural high draw will bring it round" *Sniggers behind back*

Quick Downhill putt: FRIEND: "Hows this going?" YOU: "I think its pretty flat, maybe even slightly uphill. Just give it a good smack" *Ball shoots past hole* YOU: "Oh dear. Maybe I should stop giving you bad advice."