Do crappy players rub off on you?

[bflat450]

Naturally when I play with much better players, my competitive nature comes out and I start to play better by some weird mental encouragement. When I play with bad players I usually just try to ignore their swings and focus on my own game.

[Garthmo]

I dont think it is the bad play that effects me but the slow play it creates that effects me. Waiting around to shoot and whatnot sucks and screws up my flow.

[PEZGolf]

Im curious. when I play with chops who are 20+ handicaps, I start playing a lot worse also. I don't get it. It must be some crazy mental thing or I think it is also frustration. I'm the kind of guy who practices my swing while waiting for others to hit. That way, when its my turn, I can just swing away.

I never ride in a golf cart. While the main reaons for this are a desire for exercise and the assistance it gives me in planning and preparing for the next golf shot, it also isolates me from people in carts. If they are high handicappers, I can walk by myself, and keep focused on what I am doing. This helps, and my scores are about the same when I play with a low or high handicapper, EXCEPT when the low handicapper and I are battiling it out for low score. That situation obviously "fires me up" and my scores are lower when I face that kind of challenge.

[Brakkus]

I would say this is true in sports for me like Snooker,Pool,and Tennis where your opponent has a direct influence on the quality of your own play.These sports I mentioned really toughed me up when playing partners varied in quality.
Snooker especially,as worse playing partners would spray all the high scoring colours off their spots,making break building impossible.Tennis when your partner can't pull off certain types of shot,less spin and pace to deal with,so you learn to play a game of a lesser standard knowing that if you were pushed to play much better you could.

Golf for me in that case is easy in comparison,because I have already learned how to focus and concentrate.It's worked because my scores are not affected by the quality of my partners,i'm improving month on month.

[nevets88]

All this is assuming being paired up with strangers. I play better when playing with friends or by myself.

It has more to do with pace of play and being able to concentrate. . If someone shoots 120 and moves along, no problem. If someone shoots 80, but takes forever, my rhythm is interrupted. I tend to be a fast player, in terms of walking, being ready, not taking too long to read putts or taking many practice swings.

Even worse is when someone talks too much. Unless the person or persons makes good conversation and always has interesting things to say and knows when to stop.

Playing tennis, squash, basketball, etc..., where someone has direct influence on your game - playing with better players makes me play better, but not golf. I don't shoot any better or worse. Unless the low handicapper tells me all the right places to hit to on courses I don't know.

[907golfer12]

Like some people, I play much better when playing with people better then me, I shot my best round while playing with my swing coach, it was a 73, 36-37. But then on the opposite end, it isn't crappy players that make me play bad, it is slow play. Like if I hit a drive and then they take 4 or 5 swings to get to where I am at then I am just completely out of my game.

[bigoak]

slow play regardless of skill wrecks my game. rude people talking and moving while you address the ball is a nuisance but unless it is continual, it won't wreck your whole game. slow play is usually for the whole round and I hate it and my score shows it.

possibly a new thread; does it bother you to play with left handers?

[Jay-Bird]

Crappy play doesn't really bother me. I'm somewhat bothered when crappy+slow play are combined. The worst thing for me in golf is when I play with someone who just talks and talks nonstop about nothing. Annoying is far worse than crappy or slow for me.

[yeis20]

Years ago, Tom Watson said that most of his friends shot around 100 and that he liked playing with them because they KEPT UP. Playing badly shouldn't affect you if they are keeping up with the pace. If a pro (Watson) can handle playing with "crappy" players so should you, I guarantee you (anyone reading this) aren't as good as him. Crappy isn't bad; SLOW is.

amen!

Using higher HC'ers as an excuse for YOUR poor play seems pretty lame.

[JYB]

not sure about golf but when i play hoops with people who aren't good, i never give it my all as i feel like i'm already beyond them.

however, when i'm playing with college or pro players in basketball, i always give it my best because i want to show myself that i belong with them.

[Parker0065]

I never had a problem playing with "chops" as you call them,,,lol!

I agree with what many have said about "Pace of Play" can be a challenge and I guess it takes a lot more patience. I appreciate it when paired with strangers when they announce they are a +20 on the first tee because I can then prepare my mind for the day and usually have a good experience.

Here is one tip that may help your game that I have been using for years and it works for me. When high handicappers are hitting thier shots I never ever watch thier swing. I will position myself so I can clearly see the intended direction of thier shot to help them find thier ball, but I don't see them swing.
The reason for me is tempo. Higher handicappers usually have very poor tempo and timing and I beleive tempo is contagious.

I have found that by not watching them,(but them watching me) that by the end of the round I have played well, and they start to swing smoother and play better as the round progresses. Another aspect to this is that they may be a little more relaxed knowing the better player isn't watching thier every swing fault judging them. Give them some space and hopefully they will watch the better player and a smoother swing tempo will rub off on them!

[Doctorfro]

Sometimes it feels that way

[JohnTwing]

I've been home 6 hours and I'm still steaming from my round today.

Was stuck next to 4 of the most frustratingly bad groups in history. Backed up every hole, and they never got anything sorted out. I really let it get to me, since when it came to every shot I had people behind me breathing down my neck. Rushed nearly everything.

I finally snapped on the tee on 14. 9 minutes after teeing off (this guy ALWAYS teed off with an iron, even on long par 4's like this one. Note, these irons didn't go long, maybe 120 yards on about a 400 yard par 4.) This guy is still waiting to hit, a good 100 yards behind the rest of the group, who is hitting out of turn, and running around.

The kicker is, after he hits his 2nd shot, oh, 90 yards into the trees, as I get into my routine, I see an argument. Apparently this clown had picked up the tee shot of some guy on 13. I flip out. My tee shot actually goes about 4 feet in the air and lands 2 inches from my feet. I then ship my 2nd shot OB, shake the hands of my playing partners, and drive off.

This was a good 4 1/2 hours after we teed off. At that pace, we were talking 7 hour round here.

[hkmp5]

I never had a problem playing with "chops" as you call them,,,lol!

WOW how true if I watch a bad swing I will copy it , I have a scramble that I'm playing this weekend and the guy has the crazyist swing I have ever seen , I just turn my back and hope he never hits me . (Charles Barkley would laugh)

[iacas]

Played with a guy that shot 150 yesterday.

I just ignore their swing while looking forward so as to pick up their ball (and cut down on the amount of time they have to spend looking for it).

[Smallville]

Played with a guy that shot 150 yesterday.

Did he keep up reasonably well?

Did his taking a lot of shots affect you any or did his pace affect your play?

[iacas]

Did he keep up reasonably well?

I'm not sure I understand what that has to do with the topic at hand. Of course his pace of play affected us because on nearly every hole we had to spend time looking for his golf ball.

We would have been waiting on the group ahead anyway.

[RMD]

I agree that other players affect your game. I have one friend that I play with only occasionally. His swing is nearly as bad as Barkley's. I tend to turn my back until his ball is airborne. I sometimes also have difficulty with lefties. Anyone else?