Advice for higher hc from lower hc's when paired

[TheNatural]

i agree with most the comments here. I haven't had problems with higher or lower HCs. I fall in the middle so have been on both sides of the fence.

Yes I feel put off but dont doubt doing the same, the difference here is that I am trying to find out what not to do when playing with the 1-14 hc's...believe it or not,, %80 of golfers are worse than me,,and some much much worse..courses are crowded so there are times when you cant call that shot and are stuck with a 3some that can be bothersome...the worst of worst is a golfer who is on his 4th or 5th stroke looking for a ball in the high grass,but not yet to the green...I could just say ready golf rules and tee off alone next hole if they persist on looking for every lost ball.... Again, Im trying not to be judgemental, im sure you would try to be the same but everyone has limits of patience..

[TheNatural]

Play your game and know when to pick up. Also, be mindful of proper etiquette, like not talking or moving around during their swings, walking in their putting lines, etc. And the #1 tip, do not try to give them advice! Believe it or not, I have played with several high hcp'rs who have at one point or another during a round, offered some kind of swing tip, putting tip, etc. etc. Good golfers usually arent interested in a tip you picked up from Golf Digest. I dont offer any advice unless asked, and I dont want any given to me either. Just play the round like you normally would play.

Im online w this ,,but once someone talks to me about my game, i cant shut up, but ill hold off for swings etc and try to clam up...,,,nevr have i tried to give advice to someone unless asked...thanks for the post....

[texaseagle76]

Its call ediquitte. Dont move. Dont talk. Stand to his right, out of view during shot. If in a cart, dont set the brake anytime during his play of a shot. Anticipate the next move with your bag. Dont stnd inline of putt including through line. Get the flag if its close. Rake the bunker if it speeds up play.

OH - Dont say nice shot unless you mean it.

[Ian]

the one thing that cracks me up is when i walk up to the first tee and im playing with a group of 3 guys who will range from anywhere from 35-60, and assume because i am a 16 yearold kid i cant play golf/are just learning.

My fav example: i walk up the the first hole to meet the guys im paired up with, i shake hands with them, and they all introduce themselves.

one of the guys asks me "son are you familiar with the routine? do you know the ettiquitte etc etc." acting like im new/have never played before, basically acting like a real tool.

he tees off slices his shot off into the woods. the other guys finish teeing off, i walk up put my tee into the ground, and turn to him and say "i hope you dont mind ive never played before." basically pretending i suck.

he looks at his friends and rolls his eyes giving them the "oh boy here we go" look

Hit my drive 260 in the middle of the fairway and birdie the first hole.

that shut him up. LOL



basically lower handicaps can be jerks, and so can higher caps...depends on the person.

[Ian]

OH - Dont say nice shot unless you mean it.

i agree i hate it when i hit a shot badly and someones like "nice shot" i wanna trun around and be like NO its not why do you say that when obviously im right next to a tree now. ?!

[TheNatural]

the one thing that cracks me up is when i walk up to the first tee and im playing with a group of 3 guys who will range from anywhere from 35-60, and assume because i am a 16 yearold kid i cant play golf/are just learning.

Kool story, what a bunch of flakes....I historically will tend to wburn a drive low on 1 and 2, the players may roll their eyes, by the 5th hole im honing in and smashing drives 100 yds beyond theirs...then I get the whole ,,,the short game is always going to be more important, despite mine not being all that bad.....like I dont know a short game is more important, BUT IF I CANT GET THERE IN 2 or 3 then it means nothing! That demon is starting to be excorcised ...Thanks to a golf pro! BTW the funny thing is when a player inspects my irons and gives me the snob act since they are crap clubs, doesnt matter much when I can usually hit with them just as well as he does with his $1000 IRONS! All good advice.....

[Norm3333]

the one thing that cracks me up is when i walk up to the first tee and im playing with a group of 3 guys who will range from anywhere from 35-60, and assume because i am a 16 yearold kid i cant play golf/are just learning.

Actually, I have a different take on this. I don't have a problem with an original 3-some asking me about my game. I am coming into them. They might be just trying to break the ice. And, acting like a "tool" because they asked you those questions, was just as bad.

I wouldn't followup boorish behavior with boorish behavior. Let your game do the talking.

[chriskzoo]

The ONLY thing I care about when someone gets paired up with me is pace of play. I don't care uif you shoot 120 or scratch - if you can play in under 4, you're fine by me. Also, you don't need practice swings. If you want to give it a quick swing to get the tempo down, fine. But I just roll my eyes when I see soeone out there taking 2 or 3 full-bore practice swings, stepping up and clanking one out to the right 100 yards.

Hell, the person I have the biggest problem with is my buddy who I play with all the time. When putting, he has this long ass routine where he looks at it from the ball to the hole, then walk over behind the hole (mind you, sometimes this is 40-50 feet), then walks back for one more look from his ball before set up to putt. I can imagine guys watching this routine from the fairway and wondering if he thinks he's in the US Open.

I keep working on it though. He used to be a PGA pro and would always chip with his SW around the green. Needless to say his touch is not what it once was (he used to be money) and I would always harp on him to just chip with a 7-iron or something. Finally after 6 years of telling him that, he finally switched and I bet it has saved him 2-3 strokes off his game.

[GDWindowpane]

Other than all of the responses above... And not really specific to high or low handicappers... Don't talk to my ball... I have a guy I play with somewhat regularly that I have to constantly remind not to talk to my ball...

Every shot... Give him a bounce left... Oh that's going in (and misses)... You missed that one right (and it goes in)... Seems to always do the opposite... It's tough getting him to shut up... Especially after a few sodas...

[Mats++]

I generally don't have a problem playing with higher HC except when they act like I'm a pro, hell I'm a 12 hcp and that's a long way from even close to that good. The second thing I have a problem with isn't that they slices or hooks the ball in different places but the pure fact that they seldom know where the ball ended up. So instead of focusing on my game I become a ball finder.

As most other has written I have no problem with questions on both rules and swing tips, but I never give swing tips unless asked.

However I always inform other players if they break a rule.

[JetFan1983]

I'm a high handicapper. My idea of etiquette is as follows. I don't expect others to do the same. This is just the code I always hold myself to:

1. Don't act like a dickhead

2. Don't walk in other people's putting lines

3. Tend the flag when it makes sense that I do so

4. Pick up my ball if I'm taking too long

5. Keep a positive outlook throughout

6. Don't give people advice unless they ask me

7. Don't ask about their private lives unless they ask me or the conversation is naturally geared towards it

8. Keep very quiet during all of their shots...I never ever, ever want to be a reason someone looks back on their round and says "if only that guy wasn't there, I would've played better."

9. Always help them look for their ball to keep the pace of play up if they are having trouble finding it

10. Play my own game, focus on each shot, and live with the results

If a low handicapper still can't stand playing with me after I've done all that, it's his own damn problem, not mine. Whenever this happens to me, I am always thinking to myself "Maybe this jerk would be a scratch golfer and not a 9 handicap if he had a stronger mental game, a better outlook, and didn't get caught up in another player's mishit."

[Slim 11]

Yes I feel put off but dont doubt doing the same, the difference here is that I am trying to find out what not to do when playing with the 1-14 hc's...believe it or not,, %80 of golfers are worse than me,,and some much much worse..courses are crowded so there are times when you cant call that shot and are stuck with a 3some that can be bothersome...the worst of worst is a golfer who is on his 4th or 5th stroke looking for a ball in the high grass,but not yet to the green...I could just say ready golf rules and tee off alone next hole if they persist on looking for every lost ball....

I am not intending to judge you, either. I appreciate that you are looking for ways to make yourself a better playing partner.

In general, I think as long as you have a good, friendly demeanor you shouldn't have any issues. Of course, sometimes you just get stuck with an ******* (high or low HC). I love playing, even if I am playing with someone awful, as long as they realize this is just a game and can accept where they are at their skill level then we will have fun. If you slow me down a little, no big deal. If you are taking 8+ on every hole and spending time looking for lost balls...maybe an issue.

[golf_junkie27]

I don't ask for much from others that I don't ask of myself. Aside from good golf etiquette, I only ask three things:

1) Be prepared to hit your shot. If we're waiting on the fairway, take some practice swings. This way, when the green clears, you're ready to fire away. Same thing on the tee box. Get your tee, clean your ball while the group is on the green. Makes no sense to be ready to go and you're walking back to the cart or your bag to look for items.

2) Repair all ball marks, including those that don't belong to you, that are in the vicinity of your ball. I don't expect someone to walk around the entire green but you should repair those that are near you.

3) Replace your divots especially those from the rough.

Other than these, I don't have any peeves and could care less about a person's ability. I played one day where all three were routinely ignored and actually saw someone in the group ahead walk away from a putt so he can go purchase beer from the cart girl. Karma being what it is, in a fit of anger, he broke his driver on the tee box a few holes later. Yup, the golf gods are always watching.

[Norm3333]

However I always inform other players if they break a rule.

This would be aggravating as hell.

[David in FL]

Please don't ask me for advice.

Even if I play better than you, it doesn't mean that I'm qualified to help "fix" your game. I have enough problems trying to focus on my game.

[Ian]

I wouldn't followup boorish behavior with boorish behavior.

exactly what i did, he assumed i sucked because im 16, my game proved him wrong.

[TheNatural]

the ball finding reminds me of a time when i was paired with 3 10 hc's. I knew one of the 3,,he knew all of us. i teed off and worm burned a ball into the ladies tee, it proceeded to bounce off the tee grass and carried 140 yds, then rolled another 80 for about a 220 yard drive, it was funny as hell...i actually was in the fairway(roll)(my fairwayLOL and outdrove the group. LOL again. the 2 guys i didnt know both topped theirs into the high grass and spent a good 15 minutes looking for their ball, while I played to the green in 3. This was a very high end LPGA course, always crowded rangers everywhere keeping up pace.... I continued to drive ok and play decent and actually helped them find their balls on the next 4 holes, since we were warned about pace. Remember IM the 20+HC. then on the 8th hole i push a 290 yd drive 10 yds deep into high grass, playable but need to find it...they are all on fway and play their 2nd stroke then proceed to walk to the green for 3rd stroke, leavin me to find my ball by myself...pshaw! I was more than annoyed at that lack of respect...I helped them find at least 8 balls over 7 holes. I decided to return the favor on the back nine...no more help from me..finding errant balls...driving the approach at the 16th 330yd par 4 i think really pissed them off.....

[Ian]

jerks...i always help people find their ball