Hacker or Player

[Chas]

I'm a golfer and aspire to be a player of sorts, if I live long enough .....

As a solo walk-on I sometimes play with older guys who've played for decades and are clearly REAL PLAYERS, no doubt about it. They might have lost some of their form through a touch of arthritis or lumbago or whatever, and they might shoot as high as the mid-90's, but I can still tell who's who out there. These guys tend to have a lot to teach, one way or another - and they don't even know they're doing it.

"Once a player, always a player."

[shockingslicer]

What wrong with the number of your handicap telling us about your ability , its quite clear , words like hacker , player etc are just not needed

as for your  attitude and whether anyone wants to play with you , that can only be discovered on meeting you and playing with you

[MajorSlice]

i have never shot in the 80's.  i shoot in the 90's, from 90 to 99 and everywhere in between.  every now and then, ill shoot over 100.  most of you would consider me a hacker, based on the previous posts.  however, i dont consider myself a hacker.

I play every sunday from march to november, longer if the weather is good.  I know how long i can hit each club.  I do shank shots.  I have a wicked slice that no one knows what to do with, but i play it well.

I consider myself a player and ill give you an example why i do.  This weekend, on a par 5, i teed off and my slice got caught up in the wind and landed between a bush and a tree with the hole being 270 yds in front of the bush.  I had a lane but needed to wrap it around the bush the get it close.  At first i took my 4 iron to punch it out, but after looking at it i decided i could get it out with my 3 wood and get it close or on.  i hit it with my 3 and it landed about 5 feet from where i planned it to go.  It wasnt a lucky shot, because i can do it over and over.  it was a visualized, planned shot.  that is not a hacker, no matter what the score.  it shows control and knowledge of what you are able to do.

i'd consider a hacker someone who hits the ball and then just grabs the closest club in their bag to hit the next shot with no planning prior to said shot.  it doesnt matter the score as long as that person is constantly improving.  you see the hacker on the course and you know them as soon as you see them.  most of the time you dont even need to see them hit the ball.  from my experience, they do act differently than a player.

[vo-man]

Originally Posted by Uber$winG

Shooting in the 70’s makes one a "player" in my opinion.

By that standard, and the stats that claim that only 24% of all weekend golfers break 90,  76% of us are hackers.

50% shoot over 100.  I'm proud to be in the 26% that shoot 90-99 despite what label may be put on it.

[dpgator33]

My opinion; there are too many skills in golf and levels of mastering them to be limited to two categories.  Myself, for example, I've never broken 80, but I'm typically in the 80s.  But just because I have a poor round by my standards and shoot a 94 doesn't make me a hacker.  I shot a 90 the other day on a fairly average course, and the only reason is that I made some bad decisions. I mean, I didn't hit hit the center of the green with every approach and I missed every "makeable" putt outside 5 feet, but I really just had two holes that killed me.  I stupidly hit a driver up the right side of a lake on a 340 yard par 4 trying to slip into 20 yards of fairway, when any sane person would have just hit a 5 iron and left a 8 or 9 to the green.  My drop ended up in a poor lie which led to more trouble, ended up with an 8 on a 4.  Had a similar experience trying to land a par 5 in two shots and got another 8.  I hit what any reasonable person would describe as "golf shots" the rest of the day, but hit the beach a couple times and ended up with 5 pars, 11 bogeys and the trip and the quad.  Sorry, but playing like crap and still going bogey or par on all but two holes is not "hacker" material.

If all I do is play smart golf on those two holes, I shoot probably 82, which is pretty good if you ask me.

For many years I played with guys who didn't work on their game and just went out to have some fun, drink some beer and try to be a hero from every tee box.  I was that guy too for a long time, but I am learning to resist the temptation to use the most club on every shot under the notion that closer is always better/safer.

[vo-man]

It seems that so many people, involved in all types of sports, find it necessary to compare their skill level to the sports professionals.  Those of us who are not

Pro's, despite the sport we may participate in, are amateurs.  And by definition, amateurs are not expected to perform or score at Pro levels.

Once a person is able to accept that, and find satisfaction in playing to his/her own level, no matter what ones handicap may be, the game becomes less frustrating and more enjoyable.  When I play a round I play against the course, try to manage course strategy as well as my physicality, and play a good round at my skill level, even if we have some sort of betting game going.  And playing the course usually helps me come out ahead.  It's when I lose focus on my game and try to compete against other players that I usually botch a hole or two.   If I score what I consider to be a 'win' against the course then I feel I've  had a good round.

I have an old friend who, when he hits a wild shot, says "Blue Sky-Green Grass-Isn't it wonderful". That's his way of letting the bad ones go and reminding himself that any day on the golf course is better than a day spent at work.

[chenwood]

Originally Posted by SubPar

Probably anyone who can regularly shoot under 100 should not be called a hacker.

A hacker is someone who misses or tops the ball, chunks shots and takes +3 to +5 on several holes. In order to shoot under 100 regularly you have to have some ability to advance the ball and have a shot at a few pars during a round.

SubPar

Agreed.