New guy played w/ my usual partner and i today, need help...

[Philip9210]

Alright, this is the first time he has ever been out on the course, but he shot a 178!, it took forever, we had to let three FOURSOMES through because he would swing and just straight miss the ball, me and my usual partners who admitedly arenot the best, but we can keep up speed of play becasue we actually hit the ball. On the 12th tee box he took 12 swings to hit the friken ball. Now my question, he is our youth director at the church we all attend, how do we let him know that he needs to go to the range and get to where he can at least hit the ball. WE are planing on going to a local course and walking it friday, and do not want to spend forever waiting on him and chasing down his ball. Thanks Guys!
Frustrated,
Philip

[opie]

There is no reason to keep score at that level. none at all. He should have been picking up and dropping balls next to you guys shots just to hit it. He certainly needs to hit the range to start striking the ball consistently

[CG031]

There is no reason to keep score at that level. none at all. He should have been picking up and dropping balls next to you guys shots just to hit it. He certainly needs to hit the range to start striking the ball consistently

Exactly. No one needs to be embarrassed with a posted score.

Some kid that played in a high school tournament I was in shot the highest score of a 186 . He should have never been out there and I feel bad for not only him, but more so for his playing partners.

[Philip9210]

Me and my partner kept score, however, he wanted to play from wherever he hit his ball, we hinted to him several times that he could move it lol...and since the rest of us keep score, he wanted us to keep his score also...

[Undr Par]

I would just simply tell him the truth, I mean by the sounds of it is has to be a guy with some humility about himself so just tell him he needs to hit the range several times before he hits a link with you guy's, also when/if he goes next with you guy's to a course, set grounds rules up front, no keeping score, 2 maybe 3 times top swinging at a ball and missing, if his score is aboue double bogey pick it up etc.....

hope this works

[Chief Broom]

The next time you play together just tell him that the max you can take on a hole is double par. After that you pick up and take an "X" on the hole (and is scored as one over double par). This is what they do in my son's middle school golf tournments, and it does help to speed up play.

[Shindig]

If he insists on keeping score, he needs to know to pick up after 10. Unless that 178 was 16x10+2x9, he should learn that.

I would be almost tempted to tell him the incorrect interpretation of ESC and tell him he's entitled to a 10 on any hole as a maximum score.

[Leftygolfer]

That is rediculous. My wife is new to the game. She just picks up and he should do the same.

[David in FL]

Ack! I'd have killed him on the 6th tee and stuffed the body under a palmetto bush!


Tell him......gently, if you must, but tell him. You'll be doing him a favor.

[HytrewQasdfg]

Just set some ground rules for him (tell him this is standard for beginners):

1. He has to play "best ball". No matter where he hits his own ball, he always plays from the best ball hit by the group.
2. 2 swing max off the tee. If he misses them both he is done with the tee on that hole.
3. Total max score is par + 4 on any hole (if he doesn't hit the green in that number of swings, he doesn't put; suggest to him that he skip the tee and just play the mid/short game on any hole to conserve his totaly swings.)

[Crey23]

...He should have been picking up and dropping balls next to you guys shots just to hit it. ...

This is what I did when I started to play. I went out with folks playing in the 90's so that I could learn from watching them, but I made sure not to slow thme down too much. If my tee went of somewhere in the left or right of the course, I would drop aprox at the location of exit, or where my riding partner was. This practice cut about 1.5 hours from the first time I wint out (Had the same mind set as your friend, but I scored a 146).

The next time you play together just tell him that the max you can take on a hole is double par. After that you pick up and take an "X" on the hole (and is scored as one over double par)....

This is actually the best way to do it. Some players (even myself at some point) use the max 10 rule, but for par 3's it get a little slow.

Ack! I'd have killed him on the 6th tee and stuffed the body under a palmetto bush!

don't kill him!!! , but do tell him. He must understand that it is not about him, or you, but it's about the rest of the players on the course.

[tjy355]

I don't think a beginner belongs on a course until he is able to make contact every time he swings at the ball. It may not go far or straight, but at least he can swing at it and hit it.

Until then, he belongs on the driving range.

[powerfader]

I don't think a beginner belongs on a course until he is able to make contact every time he swings at the ball. It may not go far or straight, but at least he can swing at it and hit it.

I'd go further and say anyone who isn't likely to break 100 should leave the fairways for people who can actually play. I learned the basics at the driving range and with lessons at practice facilities, it never occured to me to book a tee time until I was reasonably competent. Next time you're going to the driving range invite this bloke along with you and give him some pointers.

[jcard71]

I'd go further and say anyone who isn't likely to break 100 should leave the fairways for people who can actually play. I learned the basics at the driving range and with lessons at practice facilities, it never occured to me to book a tee time until I was reasonably competent. Next time you're going to the driving range invite this bloke along with you and give him some pointers.

I agree, if you cant break 110-105, you should be playing at Par 3 courses or just hitting the range...not playing regualtion courses.

[timtim]

You tell him, "Pick up your ball and get moving forward. You are slowing us down."

It is not about the number. It is about your position on the course. I tell beginners that they have a responsibility to keep the group in front of us in view and not slow down the group behind. We are in a moving bubble, and we are all responsible for keeping up with that bubble.

Let me say it again, tell beginners, we are all, as a group, responsible for keeping up with the bubble.

[Undr Par]

I'd go further and say anyone who isn't likely to break 100 should leave the fairways for people who can actually play.

that's a bit extreme imho seeing roughly 60% or more weekend golfers don't, but I love it, the courses would be empty even come Saturday and Sunday Mornings..... ....

[powerfader]

that's a bit extreme imho seeing roughly 60% or more weekend golfers don't, but I love it, the courses would be empty even come Saturday and Sunday Mornings.....

I suppose you're right, it just gets frustrating being stuck behind glacially slow fourballs every weekend. Everyone gets so worked up about summer but it just means that all the hackers decide to play golf again. I miss Winter/Autumn when only dedicated golfers are on the course.

[HSip]

Ask for divine intervention and if that doesn't work buy him a few tokens for range balls.