Do you like to play with new people? - Page 2

It's not a cut and dried, yes or no answer for me.  If I have friends wanting to play, I would generally always chose a friend, but I've played with a lot of interesting "strangers" over the years.  I'm a little less likely to want to play with a stranger if I'm a single, but don't mind if a friend and I are paired with other people.

Usually time is a problem for me so more often than not I prefer to be out there alone. The less people on the course the better. If I have time I don't care either way as long as they aren't a distraction. Though I'm not big on the usual small talk. I don't want to know what people do for a living and I don't want to talk about my life off the course with people I don't know.

I enjoy playing golf with strangers.  Its fun to meet new people and Ive had the pleasure of meeting people from all walks of life on the course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by twug 

I'm just asking this question to get an idea of what everyone prefers. I work for a country club and I think it will be a good idea to show my manager some new ways to get more people to the course. So, I'm going to say some scenarios and you just tell me what you think of them

 

(Let's say everyone's in your same skill area)

 

Do you like playing with strangers when you're on vacation?

Do you like to play with new people even if you have friends willing to play?

Do you like to only play with friends?

 

I'm going to try to put in a poll option too, please tell me what you're looking for in a match!

I have no problem being hooked up when on vacation (since my wife has pretty much given up the game in the last year), although I've had a few bad experiences in that regard. As far as where I play regularly, I make a point of trying to play with as many different people as I can. Thursdays are for my regular game with my buddies, but I'll play with anybody outside of that.

I don't mind playing with strangers, but prefer with friends.

I usually get a little more nervous on the first tee box with strangers.

Have had some real dinks, but also some good people.

I once paired up with inspector fu*cking gadget. He had every piece of training equipment possible in golf. He also smoked the most pot I have seen a person smoke in 4 hours. 

He offered me a beer and I said 'Sure' and he handed me his driver by accident?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran123 

I don't mind playing with strangers, but prefer with friends.

 

I usually get a little more nervous on the first tee box with strangers.

 

Have had some real dinks, but also some good people.

 

I once paired up with inspector fu*cking gadget. He had every piece of training equipment possible in golf. He also smoked the most pot I have seen a person smoke in 4 hours.

 

He offered me a beer and I said 'Sure' and he handed me his driver by accident?

I got paired up with some strangers in a charity outing once because my fourome fell apart at the last minute. One of the guys had a doobie and offered it around on the sixth tee. I now make a point to play with him every year in that outing. Indulging once a year doesn't hurt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512 

Usually time is a problem for me so more often than not I prefer to be out there alone. The less people on the course the better. If I have time I don't care either way as long as they aren't a distraction. Though I'm not big on the usual small talk. I don't want to know what people do for a living and I don't want to talk about my life off the course with people I don't know.

With that sort of an approach I guess it's good that you prefer playing alone.  It doesn't sound like you'd be much fun to play with if other people are only seen as a possible distraction.  I'd rather play with almost anyone than just by myself.  I'd miss both the competitive and social aspects of the traditional round of golf.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt 

 

With that sort of an approach I guess it's good that you prefer playing alone.  It doesn't sound like you'd be much fun to play with if other people are only seen as a possible distraction.  I'd rather play with almost anyone than just by myself.  I'd miss both the competitive and social aspects of the traditional round of golf.

Ditto. I don't mind being by myself if I am just getting a few holes in but, if I am playing a round of golf, I want to play with others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512 

Usually time is a problem for me so more often than not I prefer to be out there alone. The less people on the course the better. If I have time I don't care either way as long as they aren't a distraction. Though I'm not big on the usual small talk. I don't want to know what people do for a living and I don't want to talk about my life off the course with people I don't know.

I agree with this.  I'll be polite and all, but I'm not really interested.

Playing most often as a walk-on single at a local muni, I've often played with new and different people. The vast majority I've enjoyed the holes I've played with them. There's really only been a few that got on my nerves, and the most prominent of those both have holes-in-one involved.

The first one is a guy who plays semi-frequently at that muni, so I've ended up playing a few times with him, although every subsequent time has been with ever more dread. But the first time I ended up playing with him, I got to see a hole-in-one live for the first time. And it was Mr. Cuss-after-every-wayward-shot who got the hole-in-one. But for the 8 holes before his hole-in-one, it was one long litany of cursing, cursing at the ball, cursing at the course, cursing at the weather, cursing at the angle of the sun, cursing at how the tree branches moved in wind, cursing how there are such things as hills, cursing at those sandy areas called bunkers, cursing at his clubs, cursing at his putter, cursing at his golf cart. Did I mention the guy just didn't seem to be all that happy? But there at the 9th hole, the best hole on the course to see a hole-in-one shot, he hit a nice looking shot towards the left front corner of the green where the pin was, it hit just in front of the green, got a forward roll off the slope, and tracked on in for a hole-in-one. The other guy who was with us and me congratulated him and both of us felt a certain relief that we got a break from the usual stream of cursing.

The next guy that I was glad to see the round end and hopefully never have to worry about pairing up with again was someone who just seemed to have no concept of courtesy or etiquette. Early on, I asked him if he would take the time to avoid stepping on the putting lines of the rest of us in the foursome. Nope, didn't take. It happened to me again on the 4th and 5th holes, and I didn't feel like harping on it. When we got the 6th hole, the first par-3 on the course, I remember looking at the flag. Slightly left of center, front-middle, a slight wind from the right, and I just got this incredible instinctive feeling -- "I've got this shot. It's a 5-iron, I just start it at the right edge of the bunker, let my fade die against that wind, and it'll be good." My mind went completely empty except for how much I felt I owned the shot at that moment. And when I made my swing, everything clicked. The ball took off right where I aimed it for and then began curling lightly back, and tracking for the hole. Unfortunately, the light in the afternoon there makes you most often lose the ball against the background, unless you have really young and sharp eyes, and we all lost it. I just said, "That felt right."

It sure turned out to be right. It was my first and so far only hole-in-one. I remember thinking to myself I did it specifically so I wouldn't have that guy trample over my putting line, again.

In some ways, I both look forward to, and dread my next encounter with a hole-in-one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512 

Usually time is a problem for me so more often than not I prefer to be out there alone. The less people on the course the better. If I have time I don't care either way as long as they aren't a distraction. Though I'm not big on the usual small talk. I don't want to know what people do for a living and I don't want to talk about my life off the course with people I don't know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsc123 

I agree with this.  I'll be polite and all, but I'm not really interested.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt 

With that sort of an approach I guess it's good that you prefer playing alone.  It doesn't sound like you'd be much fun to play with if other people are only seen as a possible distraction.  I'd rather play with almost anyone than just by myself.  I'd miss both the competitive and social aspects of the traditional round of golf.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phan52 

Ditto. I don't mind being by myself if I am just getting a few holes in but, if I am playing a round of golf, I want to play with others.

Looks like we have two separate factions here.   Count me in with Fourputt and Phan here.  While I could certainly appreciate the occasional, peaceful afternoon alone on the course (if that ever happened), I would much rather be playing with other people.

All of the strangers I've ever been paired with have been perfectly acceptable partners.  Some are quiet, some are loud, some tell dirty jokes, some ask about your clubs or family, but they've all been friendly.  I've never been paired with a jerk (knock on wood) just friendly people who already have something in common with me, so it's easy to get along with them.

EDIT:  I do have to admit that even though all experiences have been pleasant, there is still always some anxiety as I approach my tee time and am about to meet my new friends for the next 4 hours.  I am eventually bound to play with a jerk, and I'm always afraid this time it's going to be that guy.

For me in depends on my environement, If I play at a familiar course I don't much care but when i go to a course that I have not played much or never I prefer a playing partner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt 

 

With that sort of an approach I guess it's good that you prefer playing alone.  It doesn't sound like you'd be much fun to play with if other people are only seen as a possible distraction.  I'd rather play with almost anyone than just by myself.  I'd miss both the competitive and social aspects of the traditional round of golf.

I'm not rude or anything just not into the social part. Last year was my first year back in more than a decade and my social experiences on the course were somewhat limited. Mostly people asking me personal questions I wasn't comfortable answering and telling my ball to hurry and sit. I don't mind the happy go lucky types that want to chat about all the nice courses they've played as long as it is happening in the cart as we travel to our balls. I don't want to hear about on the tee or green while people are waiting on us. For now it's not the reason I get out there. 

Originally Posted by Golfingdad 

Looks like we have two separate factions here.   Count me in with Fourputt and Phan here.  While I could certainly appreciate the occasional, peaceful afternoon alone on the course (if that ever happened), I would much rather be playing with other people.

 

All of the strangers I've ever been paired with have been perfectly acceptable partners.  Some are quiet, some are loud, some tell dirty jokes, some ask about your clubs or family, but they've all been friendly.  I've never been paired with a jerk (knock on wood) just friendly people who already have something in common with me, so it's easy to get along with them.

 

EDIT:  I do have to admit that even though all experiences have been pleasant, there is still always some anxiety as I approach my tee time and am about to meet my new friends for the next 4 hours.  I am eventually bound to play with a jerk, and I'm always afraid this time it's going to be that guy.

Don't get me wrong, I play with strangers 75% of the time and don't mind it one bit.  I am pretty easy going on the course and it takes a lot to bother me.  I've only been paired with someone I couldn't stand two or three times.   I'm pleasant, and friendly, and I get the sense that people like me but I generally try to avoid talking about anything beyond "nice shot" or local courses.  For some reason the "what you do for a living" conversation is just one I have no interest in.  I know its just harmless small talk, its just that work is the last thing I want chat about when I'm on the golf course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones 

You have to be challenged in some way to not want to golf with this:

 

 

 

I'd love to discuss grip with her....

What about shaft length? Or good positions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran123 

 

What about shaft length? Or good positions?

I'm sure you're being facetious or attempting comedy but this is a good example of why I don't like to play with others. My bad experiences last year included a half round with guys at least 40yrs older than the cart girl detailing how they would ravish her. By the 9th hole I'd heard enough and elected to pass on playing the back 9 with them and headed for home. I'm all for admiring the female form, just don't understand the purpose of being gaudy about it in the company of strangers. Though I'm sure the beer had something to do with it. Another thing I enjoy almost daily but not at 10AM.

Where is the option for I prefer to play alone?  I actually do like this the best because you play faster and I enjoy the ability to just focus on your game alone and nothing else.  I do also enjoy playing with friends and family though as well.  Strangers, not so much.  But Holy...I would be down for that.

I've had good luck when paired with an unknown partner.  I'm not competitive and the last time we were near Port Huron, MI and a guy from Sarnia Canada joined us.  It was his home course and his tips helped quite a bit.   The course didn't give us an option.   We were a threesome and he was alone.  

I'm not sure what I'd do if the unknown partner was a real piece of work.   I'd probably play 9 and ask to either play ahead or behind.