Playing with a Scratch Golfer - thoughts?

[Kelzzy]

Is that your mom in your avatar @BuckeyeNut

[Pretzel]

Is that your mom in your avatar @BuckeyeNut

Is that the most chlidish form of "humor" @Kelzzy ?

[Jakester23]

Easy pretzel he actually is like 11.

[flopster]

Easy pretzel he actually is like 11.

He's 14 and it still was very childish.

[Hey Joe]

I am new golfer, but take my game serious.  I have been playing about 9 mos now and am shooting in the low 90's and feel my 80's game any day now.  That said, I enjoy getting paired up with scratch/single handicap players of all sorts.  I enjoy seeing their game up close, and try to study their thought process.  I have learned a lot about etiquette.  I have also learned to not ask about my game during the game.  I end up trying to change my swing mid round and end up stuck in a ditch.  If they are the right personality type, I will ask at the end of the round if they have any advice on what they saw from my game.  I don't expect a free lesson just because they are better than me.  I will also contine to say "nice shot" vs "shot".  ;)

Joe

[flopster]

I am new golfer, but take my game serious.  I have been playing about 9 mos now and am shooting in the low 90's and feel my 80's game any day now.  That said, I enjoy getting paired up with scratch/single handicap players of all sorts.  I enjoy seeing their game up close, and try to study their thought process.  I have learned a lot about etiquette.  I have also learned to not ask about my game during the game.  I end up trying to change my swing mid round and end up stuck in a ditch.  If they are the right personality type, I will ask at the end of the round if they have any advice on what they saw from my game.  I don't expect a free lesson just because they are better than me.  I will also contine to say "nice shot" vs "shot".  ;) Joe

Good luck on your improvement, And about telling a low capper nice shot, just make sure it's a nice shot from the start not just the result is all.

[rkim291968]

After reading some posts in this thread, I am going to be a lot more mindful of saying "nice shot."

[rehmwa]

After reading some posts in this thread, I am going to be a lot more mindful of saying "nice shot."

not me, I'll take my playing partners as individuals.  The idea that a kind or friendly comment or gesture is out of line is just stupid.

A low or high handicap isn't a badge of honor or shame, it's just their current track.  It's just small talk and they aren't a different species - frankly, this whole thread is disturbing.  Be yourself and find people that you like to play with. If it bugs them, it's their issue.  If they don't like it, they can politely mention it and I'm happy to adjust at that time - as I would expect them to for me out of common courtesy.  However, if they are rude about it, too bad for them, every single duffed shot or mediocre hit might just get effusive praise from that point on.  It's pretty easy to tell when little compliments are being received well or not and to be sensitive to those clues.  Courtesy gets courtesy, arrogance and irritability get mockery.

Actually - arrogance and irritability get a couple bloody marys first...if that doesn't work, then the mockery will commence.

(Most people are really decent, regardless, I'm really talking about the outlyers types)

If a really good player acts like he's a better human than others and people should walk on egg shells around them, ........... seriously, should I have to finish that sentence?

(I've yet to see someone that's that bad...FWIW)

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

I agree with everything you said.   I was referring to my inability to note what my partner thinks is a good shot for his standard.   I don't want to annoy any partner by complimenting his bad shot again and again.  Some find that annoying (I do, too, when it happens to me).

[Hammer 4]

Scratch players were once HC's too. We all had to start somewhere, imho being humble is a virtue.

Happy Holidays..

[flopster]

Wow disregard what I said about compliments then, talk about being taken the wrong way. All I said was make sure to compliment a good shot because of it's entirety not just the result, I play weekly with much better players than me and if I complimented every fluke shot someone hit I know they would get tired of it. You know as well as I do good players expect and strive for a better all around shot than just results ( of course they will take the lucky breaks) because they know being lucky is not good enough to score low. Hell even Erik said it bothered him before but not now when he would blade a shot and have it still turn out and someone would say nice shot, I think he's just accepted it as part of playing with the public as I have. Anyway I certainly don't expect anyone to know someones playing ability at the first tee but after 3 or 4 holes they should have a pretty good idea of what this player is doing or that player. I'm not going to start a long drawn out back and forth over this because it's not worth it so I'm done with this topic.

[tqcishark]

Glad to see so much action on this thread...I personally love playing with scratch / single digit handicap players...however I am very mindful to the situation, depending on the personality of the other player which is usually pretty easy to pick up on after 1-2 holes...

If I hit my tee shot OB, I dont hit a second shot (I either pick up  on the hole or drop from where the other players are hitting their second shot), I always ask if they would like me to putt out if im closer to the hole to get out of their way and maybe let them see the break, if I chunk a bunker shot or send it sailing over the green I immediately pick up and am out the hole, I also never spend more than 30 seconds looking for my ball, I may drive over to the area where I think it could have stayed in bounds but if I dont see it almost immediately I just hit a second from their spot or am out the hole...HOWEVER I have also played rounds with scratch golfers where NONE of this applies and they are very patiend and tell me not to worry (go head and hit a second tee shot, spend a minute or two finding your ball etc.) it all really depends on the personality of the player which like I mentioned, you can usually tell after 1-2 holes or it might be someone you already know...

I played 9 holes with a scratch player and we were on a par 3 thats similar to 17 at TPC, 155 yard island green. I hit my first shot in the water (obviously) and immediately started walking back to the cart with no intention on hitting another shot...The scratch player said "hey, give it another shot, go head" - long story short he wanted to see me make the green and encouraged me to take as many shots as it took...(it took 4, ugh). I thought it was super cool of him, I could tell he could see how frustrated / nervous I was about the shot but wanted me to overcome it...I know many players arent that patient, there was no one playing behind us too - which obviously helped.

your experience, perspective, and approach is similar to mine.  Keeping up is a priority.  I find if a hacker recognizes scrtch pace, returns can be much greater.  Some of the best tips I've received were in these situations.

[David in FL]

Scratch players were once HC's too.

Don't necessarily believe it!

[Hammer 4]

Don't necessarily believe it!

Wanna splain that..?  Hard to believe that someone just starting out has the ability and knowledge to be a low HC or a scratch golfer right off the bat.

[Kelzzy]

Don't necessarily believe it!

Everyone was a high HC at one point.

Is that the most chlidish form of "humor" @Kelzzy ?

Yes

Easy pretzel he actually is like 11.

Lol no, I turn 7 next month.

[David in FL]

Wanna splain that..?  Hard to believe that someone just starting out has the ability and knowledge to be a low HC or a scratch golfer right off the bat.

Not immediately, but he was likely past the "high hcp" stage pretty quickly.  A scratch golfer is an EXTREMELY good player.  Most recreational golfers can't even begin to understand how good they really are.  Most that I know were shooting into the 80's very quickly from picking up the game, even as a fairly young kids.

Think of it this way, a top, D-1 college basketball player picked up a basketball for the first time at some point.....but he was never really bad at the game.

[Hammer 4]

Not immediately, but he was likely past the "high hcp" stage pretty quickly.  A scratch golfer is an EXTREMELY good player.  Most recreational golfers can't even begin to understand how good they really are.  Most that I know were shooting into the 80's very quickly from picking up the game, even as a fairly young kids.

Think of it this way, a top, D-1 college basketball player picked up a basketball for the first time at some point.....but he was never really bad at the game.

I see your point, but as some people have a knack for certain things. I do think comparing B ball isn't a great comparison, and I only say that because there is much more to golf than B ball, I played some when I was younger, and My Son was palming and Dunking when he was 13, What I'm saying is golf is more technical imho, but, I could be wrong.

I've never known a golfer  that was good from the get go, that's why I made the comment. but I'll take your word for it.

[iacas]

not me, I'll take my playing partners as individuals.  The idea that a kind or friendly comment or gesture is out of line is just stupid.

It's not like that. I get what you're saying, but again, it's just not like that.

If it bugs them, it's their issue. If they don't like it, they can politely mention it and I'm happy to adjust at that time - as I would expect them to for me out of common courtesy.  However, if they are rude about it, too bad for them, every single duffed shot or mediocre hit might just get effusive praise from that point on. It's pretty easy to tell when little compliments are being received well or not and to be sensitive to those clues. Courtesy gets courtesy, arrogance and irritability get mockery.

That's all people are saying, the bold part. @David in FL knew that Graeme didn't particularly agree when he said "good shot" and he knew not to say it again unless it was a truly great shot. But the people - including me - who are saying "be careful when saying 'good shot'" are just trying to help people avoid the little stink eye that Dave got.