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Do you play better with better players?


Maverick
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I typically drive when I'm in a cart. Whether that's because I'm a control freak or because of another reason I can't say. The other reason is that I like to minimize the chances I'll get annoyed during the round, and when I'm driving, there's less of a chance of that.

That being said, I agree with the above about walking wherever you can. I've always felt that feeling the elvation changes in your feet, the solidity (or not) of the soil, the wind in your face, etc. really helps you play better golf. Some of my worst rounds have come playing out of a cart, and very, very few of my best ones have.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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I agree a lot with Erik's first post in this topic. He said he really don't play much different when he is with a high-handicapper or low-handicapper.

I used to think I played better with better players, but nowadays, I play about the same all the time(crappy that is).

My boss at State Farm, also one of my best friends, has about the same handicap as I do. We have a great routine when we play because we both play very fast. We can get in 18 holes in a couple hours easily, and I probably play my best overall golf when I play with him.

When I play with one of my best friends, Indian Sensation here at The Sand Trap, it's a much different pace because he just started. It takes a lot more time to play because he is a beginner. At first, I thought I would play bad playing along with him, but I've really learned to be more patient and play well. I shot my only round in the 70s this year playing with him, and I've shot a few other rounds in the low 80s with him as well.

So I guess I've become more patient and really don't play much different with good players or bad players.

I did play pretty crappy at The Newport Cup, but I think it was more nerves than anything. I never really felt that comfortable. So maybe next year will feel a lot different, and I can actually play halfway decent.
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What a good question. There are two possible sides for this. One guy in one of my leagues actually complained that the better players who played together had an advantage because they "made each other better." He was lobbying to have the starter mix high and low handicappers to make it more "fair."

My reply to him was I thought he was stepping over the line and that when I played with great golfers, they didn't sink my putts for me or hit my drives for me.

When I play with better players I usually concentrate more. When I play with better players I don't worry about them stepping in my line or talking in my swing. I'd say 80% of the time I play better with better players.

Now I look at playing with hacks as a challenge. As a 2 handicap I find it very hard to play with hacks. I don't even watch their swings. I think it is challenging to try to concentrate on my own game and play well, despite the fact that the hackers are moving around while I'm hitting, talking while I'm hitting, standing in my line etc... Sometimes you just want to smack them though, but they don't know these etiquette things because no one has told them yet!

Now if I end up playing with someone and they take their shirt off? NO WAY.

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What a good question. There are two possible sides for this. One guy in one of my leagues actually complained that the better players who played together had an advantage because they "made each other better." He was lobbying to have the starter mix high and low handicappers to make it more "fair."

These are great points too..one of the guys is a absolute beginner and is usually out here for the social reasons and not for golf. He walks all over the place and doesn't concentrate at all to get better..it bugs me.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I play better with those whom i feel more comfortable with, i think my advantage is that other's people game doesnt afect me as it afects others, a bad shot lasts me 5 or 6 steps......
Bottom line is i do better when im in a good ambiance.....
Regards
Sergio

In My Bag
Driver: 905r 9.5 (Fujikura Speeder )
5-Wood: Titleist 904 (Fujikura Speeder)
Hybrid: Sonarted MD 21
Irons (2-PW) : Titleist AP2 RifleWedges: Vokey 50, 54, 60Putters: Scotty Cameron and Co Sterling and Stainless.Ball: Titleist ProV1

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Guess I can go both ways on this. Two summers ago I really started playing alot with really good golfers. I was probably 20 or higher handicap at that time playing with with a scratch, 2 and an 8 handicap. The first summer I really seemed to struggle when I played with them. I tried to put so much pressure on myself to play well and not hold them up. I'd also tend to get really upset with myself if I hit bad shots. I didn't go around throwing clubs but it was the anger that I kept in that killed me. Always took 3 or 4 holes to get over a bad shot.

The turning point came on the third hole of a weekend outing early last spring. The first two holes were the usual overly tense swings that led to over par scores. We came up to a short par 4 will all kinds trouble everwhere. I think the hole played about 315 over a bit of a gulley with bunkers everywhere. As I awaited my turn to tee of LAST I watched the first three tee off before pulling a club. All of them hit an iron with only one staying out of trouble. At that point I decided if I was going to get in trouble it would be deep trouble. I pulled driver and left every thought I had in the bag. Went up and put freewheeling unihibited swing on it and rolled it up about 20 feet from the pin. At that point I finally made myself believe I could hang with these guys.

After a two putt tap in birdie I headed to the next tee with alot of confidence. Well after promptly duck hooking my next drive into the woods I was brought back to reality. That one drive was a changing point in my game though. I knew I had the ability to compete with them. Maybe not on every hole or every shot but I could win a few holes.

Now I am pretty competitive with them on a regular basis. I love being the underdog and having the opportunity to compete with better players. We very seldom play with handicap so the urgency to play well is always there.

There are two types of bad players. Bad players who have a passion for the game and are striving to get better. These players I can handle because they typically pay attention and know the basic rules.

The other type of bad players are the people who go out and hack it around and don't care. I work in the lumber industry so I see alot of this in outings. The perfect example was at our company's outing last summer. The outing was for our vendors and customers. I must have ticked off the guy setting the teams because I got paired with 3 guys who couldn't break 100 if they only played 9 holes. It was a scramble. We ended up 5 over!! We only used 5 shots that were not mine. 4 were chips from around the green. One was a tee shot on a 158 yard par three. My partner who's shot we used hit driver to about six feet. They came for one thing free food and beer. Believe me they took advantage of that. That was a miserable round for me because these guys had no interest in golf. I don't know that any of them could have name more than 3 members of the pga tour.

I enjoy playing with anyone who has a love for the game and wants to play good or bad.

Sorry for the rant.

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  • 8 years later...

Reading the thread about who we play with and seeing how many play most of their golf alone got me wondering what is best for our game.

This old thread was the closest I could find.

When I first started playing it just so happened that all of my playing partners were already single digit handicaps. There isn't much doubt in my mind that playing match play rounds for $1 a hole against those guys with no strokes gave me incentive to play much better much faster.

It was pretty much root hog or die poor to me.

Of course another factor was that it also gave me incentive to practice for hours on end and play golf every single day whether there was anyone to play with or not in an effort to compete. When I played alone I hit many extra balls, practiced every hard shot that could possibly come up, played best ball against myself, and played worst ball against myself (that was interesting).

When my play leveled out, and then pretty much stalled out, both factors had changed. I could compete with my playing partners on an equal basis and I lost most of that motivation factor. I don't practice nearly as much and never play alone...And never really improve.

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Good old thread.

And yep, I tend to play better with better players.  My own fault, but when I play with players significantly worse than I am, I tend not to concentrate as well.  Something I absolutely need to work on.....

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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Now not really because I have found my own wheelhouse as a player. In the beginning most definitely. Friend of mine who at his best is an 80-85 shooter made me want to play better. He's the most passionate and serious player I have played with. Once he shot 80 and I 110 so it was inspiring to try and match him which after 7 years I have finally done

"Repetition is the chariot of genius"

Driver: BENROSS VX PROTO 10.5
Woods: BENROSS QUAD SPEED FAIRWAY 15"
Hybrids:BENROSS 3G 17" BENROSSV5 Escape 20"
Irons: :wilson: DEEP RED Fluid Feel  4-SW
Putter: BENROSS PURE RED
Balls: :wilsonstaff:  Ti DNA

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  • 3 weeks later...

Of course always play with better guys to stretch you; it's a given! But if that's not possible what I do is give full handicap allowance to the others as that will make me focus more and play to the highest standard I can so not to lose the money!

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I've played with all skill levels. Golf pro through 20 something handicappers. How good

or bad the other players are doesn't really affect my play so much. I do try to pick up things better players do and sometimes try to add it to my game.

Playing with or behind players with sub standard etiquette can throw me off. I don't think the do's and don'ts of the game get emphasized nearly enough.

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Of course always play with better guys to stretch you; it's a given! But if that's not possible what I do is give full handicap allowance to the others as that will make me focus more and play to the highest standard I can so not to lose the money!

Yep.  Nothing like having to give someone 2 strokes on a hole to make you bear down.....!

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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Note: This thread is 3696 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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