How to deal with them?

[Leftygolfer]

that is terrible. I couldn't imagine being rude to someone for being bad.

As regards to pace of play, if you are keeping up with the group in front of you, then I don't think you should hurry up to try to make them hurry. This isn't going to do anything but take away from your enjoyment and add strokes to your score. If you are in a hurry, don't play golf or belong to a club. Public golf is going to be slow on the weekends. There is nothing you can do except be one of the first groups on the course or don't play.

I don't like 5 hour rounds. But I can still enjoy them if I don't think about it and don't worry to much. I enjoy being outside. I enjoy the peacefulness of the course. I am not there to get done as quickly as possible. If I was I would choose a different hobby. I will still do my best and line up my putts if there is a group waiting to hit. I had to wait just like they did and don't really care if they are annoyed as long as I am keeping up with the group ahead.

If you are in a hurry why do you play golf?

[wachesawgolfer]

Just ignore them. Sometimes the pairings just do not work. So play your game and move on, who you get paired with is an integral part of the game if you cannot set up a foursome.

[golfbarefoot]

that's unacceptable. There is never a reason for it, and I'm sure it wouldn't feel good if they played with real players and were treated that way.

Personally I prefer not to play with golfers who can't break 90, and it's got a lot to do with them never investing any time to improve. But never ever would I ridicule or embarrass anyone. As difficult as it is to stomach a round with a serious hack, sometimes ya just do, turn your head when they swing and be friendly.

If I saw this personally, I would definitely tell them to relax, he paid his fees too.

[pittpanther]

Personally I prefer not to play with golfers who can't break 90, and it's got a lot to do with them never investing any time to improve.

According to your profile, your HC is 5.4 - meaning you typically shoot high-70's, with an occasional low 80s. So a guy that shoots a measly 10 strokes more than you - that means one extra stroke every two holes - frustrates you that much?

[Cesar]

Eventually the group thats way out in front that is holding everyone up will get the idea and either let people play through or speed up.

Really? Maybe I'm just unlucky in that the slow group never seems to get the idea until somebody says something to them.

Personally, if the course is crowded, me trying to ride up somebody's azz is just going to lead to an even longer wait on the next shot, worse shots, and even more frustration. I'll keep up with the group in front of me and play my game and let the marshalls marshall. If it's getting ridiculous, I'll call the pro shop on the cell phone and ask them to get somebody over to read the bad group the riot act. Most of all though, I try to avoid playing courses/days/times when this is even a possibility.

[Cesar]

According to your profile, your HC is 5.4 - meaning you typically shoot high-70's, with an occasional low 80s. So a guy that shoots a measly 10 strokes more than you - that means one extra stroke every two holes - frustrates you that much?

Personally, they don't frustrate me at all. A lot of my close friends are in the same boat and when we go out, it strictly for beers and laughs. It's good to have those "let your hair down" rounds every once in a while.

I couldn't do that on a regular basis though. Not if I want to improve at least.

[CarlSpackler]

When I took up the game 12 years ago, (not counting tagging along with my dad as a young lad) I was hacking it around pretty bad. I still loved playing but wasn't good. I always kept pace as I was taught, even as a hack. One day, I got paired up with a group of accomplished golfers who were snickering every time I hit a shot, one of them in particular. Of course I was thinking "AH0les", but I held my head high and decided not to let them ruin my day. I kept playing along, whistling and smiling as I chased my ball around the course. One of them eventually topped a ball and threw his club. He turned around and I was grinning from ear to ear. He beat himself up, cussed and carried on for the rest of the holes while I just hacked along merrily. Sometimes, you just need to give someone enough rope.

[jonnythan]

Sometimes, you just need to give someone enough rope.

What a great post.

[Duffy]

Well, to answer one question, I think of everyone on the course as a friend of mine but no, I didn't know the fellow before we played.

[ramrockgolfer35]

I have found that most golfers tend to take themselves WAY too seriously. Everyone thinks they are a tour player. My regular golf buddies are realistically quite a bit behind me on the learning curve, but the last thing I do is make fun because I hate it when someone does it to me. I have just started to routinely shoot 53-57 on 9 so I am getting close to average. If I happened to be playing with those two, I would tell them to grow up.

[TheNatural]

Well in repsonse to the dude who wont play with a 90 or worse.

MY HI is a 22 but I shoot 95-100 on hard courses.

I shot a 85 against a 5 HI player who played a 95 about 3 months ago. If you were going to make a cut-off as far as score goes, I would think 100 might be a more sound number. One of those 90's could get hot and might beat you, then you would feel pretty silly.

I hate to sound like the "pot" but when I see a 110 HI player. I can safely say I wont play THAT bad.

[AmenCorner]

This is conduct unbecoming of a golfer. Beginners should be treated with respect and if anything, should be helped and encouraged to play the game.

[BillDolfski]

I wish I knew how to reply... but I'm pretty sure that the arrogant golfers are what I despise about this sport most.

I'm glad I live in WV and don't have to deal with this issue and I'm sad that those guys don't play with real golfers to the point that they'd go home and weep themselves to sleep.

[ramrockgolfer35]

Personally I prefer not to play with golfers who can't break 90, and it's got a lot to do with them never investing any time to improve.

It's hard not to take offense at this. I have been playing for a year now, and I routinely shoot about 55 to 60 per nine on the front, and worse than that on the back. I get told that I need to invest more time, but time is harder to come by than money. I work evenings at a golf resort hotel, and I have an infant and wife. Golf is my absolute favorite thing besides by family, but it is just a hobby. For most of us it is just that, a hobby. I am really sick of people thinking it should be a requirement to break 100 to be called decent. The average honest golf score has been 100 for a century. Look it up. For those of you who have real 10 handicaps, kudos to you because it takes a hell of a lot of work, but please don't hate on the guys who struggle. Some of us don't have the time, and some of us just weren't meant to be any better. We still enjoy the game the way it should be enjoyed.

[pjsnyc]

...As regards to pace of play, if you are keeping up with the group in front of you, then I don't think you should hurry up to try to make them hurry. This isn't going to do anything but take away from your enjoyment and add strokes to your score. If you are in a hurry, don't play golf or belong to a club...If you are in a hurry why do you play golf?

...Personally, if the course is crowded, me trying to ride up somebody's azz is just going to lead to an even longer wait on the next shot, worse shots, and even more frustration...If it's getting ridiculous, I'll call the pro shop on the cell phone and ask them to get somebody over to read the bad group the riot act...

I think my posts were taken a bit out of context. I guess none of you have to deal with what I go through on a weekly basis so I'm sorry if I offended anyone. I have no problem playing with guys that are new to the game.

All I'm saying is that it is the wrong mentality to use a crowded course as an excuse for taking your dear old time. And by that, I mean taking 30 practice swings only to shank it 90* to the right followed by dropping another ball, taking 30 more practice swings and topping it. Finally when they get up to the green, they drop about 4 or 5 balls to practice pitching/chipping cuz 'HEY, its all backed up man, lets take our dear old time on the green and wait for the next hole to be clear...and then send the drive OB, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc' Now I guess I exaggerated when I said to ride up their a$$ to hurry them up, but even something as simple as eye contact will get the message through. Know what I mean?

[jonnythan]

All I'm saying is that it is the wrong mentality to use a crowded course as an excuse for taking your dear old time. And by that,

That's a very, very, very different thing than we were talking about before.

Go reread the first page to refresh your memory. We weren't talking about people taking their dear old time taking dozens of practice swings - we were talking about newbies shooting 100+ and whether they should be encouraged or even forced to play best ball even when they're not slowing down pace of play.

[pjsnyc]

That's a very, very, very different thing than we were talking about before.

Oh I know - if you read why I started the semi-rant (somewhere on the 2nd page I believe) you'll understand why. I'm simply replying is all.

[Duffy]

Come on guys, let's play nicely.