Do you really enjoy the "game"?

[Bullitt5339]

Wolf? Umbrella? Care to add some detail? Always up for a new game during a round.

I'm actually playing Wolf today after work. Everytime we play, it's always the most fun I've had on the golf course, no matter how good/bad you are. The simple explaination is that you set an order of who tees off first, 2nd, etc. and you rotate to the next person on the next hole no matter what the scores were. The person who tees off first is the Wolf. He tees off, and then steps to the side to choose his partner for that hole. So he watches the next guy's tee shot, and if he likes that one, he can choose him as his partner for that hole only. If he doesn't, the next person tees off, and the same thing goes. The Wolf has to choose his partner right after they hit though, and can't wait to see everyone hit. If he makes it through all the other players, and doesn't like any of their shots, he can play "Wolf", and it's him against the other players. Whoever's team wins the hole, wins a point, with additional points awarded to individual players for birdies and sandies, and whatever else you setup before the round starts. If you play alone as the "Wolf", and win the hole, you get 3 points for beating the other 3 players. Then on the next hole, the next guy in line becomes the Wolf, and chooses his partner for that hole in the same fashion, and it all starts over. What I like about it is that the game is constantly changing. You could end up being partners with the best guy in the group, or the worst, and it's only up to you every 4 holes. It's a money game, where usually noone gets their pocket hurt too bad, it just adds some extra joy to the game, and breaks up the game a little. You still play your own shots, the rules have to be abided by, because the guy who's sharing the cart with you may or may not be your partner, depending on the Wolf, so it keeps things fair. It's generally a fun game to play that allows you to still keep an accurate score of your own game.

[MiniMoe]

Wolf? Umbrella? Care to add some detail? Always up for a new game during a round. As for your BMW rule....superb. I am definitely going to suggest we try this one next time out .

Umbrella is where it's two on two on each hole. You determine partners any number of ways. They can stay the same, or change every hole. Sometimes we play the two farthest left and the two farthest right off the tee are partners, or sometimes we just draw cards (2 K's and 2 A's) or what ever. Once partners are determined, the hole is worth points... two points for best ball, two points for combined score, one point for the birdie, and one point for closest to the hole in regulation. That's 6 points each hole. If you win all the points outright, then it doubles to 12 points. If you tie any part of that, there is no umbrella. You determine what the points are worth before you start. We usually play $.50 a point.

Example: Team A scores a 4 & 6 for a total of 10 on a par 5. Team B scores two 5's for a total of 10, but also got closest to the pin. Team A would only win 2 points for the birdie. Combined is tied, and each team got a point, one for the birdie, and the other for closest to the pin, so it's a wash on points. Wolf: we play 5 players and they have a designated teeing order. Number one goes first on one and is the picker. He tees off, then has a chance to pick the next one to tee off, or pass to the third guy. After each tees off, he can pick or pass. If he passes on all of the guys, he is WOLF - all by himself against the 4. Points are based on whether you win with a par or birdie. We play 2 points to win with par and 4 to win with birdie (it's easier book keeping as you go as there is no half points). Hole 1, I pick a partner and we win with birdie. Our team wins 4 points off each of the other 3 guys, so the hole is worth 12 points and we win 6 each. Second hole, number two man tees off, but does not pick anyone. He loses to a birdie. He loses 4 points to each of the other guys, so he loses 16 all together. Third hole, number three tees off and knocks it stiff on a par three. He call wolf from the front. He is calling he is not going to pick a partner before he even sees them. That doubles the bet. It's now 4 for a par and 8 for a birdie (this hole only). He wins with birdie, so he wins 8 from everyone for a total of 32. Forth hole, Before he tees off, number 4 calls blind wolf (sometimes we just howl). He is claiming he is going to be all by himself before he hits his shot, so that doubles the double. That hole is now worth 8 for a par and 16 for a birdie. That hole is worth 64 points, so be careful. After we get finished, we cut the point totals in half, so no one get really hurt. Hope that helps.

[MiniMoe]

Another game is 1,2,3,4.

everyone tees off and the teams are determined from left to right, furthest left being 1. 1&3,and 2&4 are partners. Or you can just draw cards, whatever you want to determine teams on each and every hole. First hole, 1 scores a 4 and 3 scores a 6. Put those together for a 46 (lowest number first). Players 2 scores a 5 and 4 scores 5 as well for a 55. Team 1&3 win the difference between 46 and 55, so 9 points. Now say 1&3 won with a birdie. The score for the there team gets flip-flopped. So on hole two, 1&3 score a 23 (par 3), and 2&4 score a 35. The 35 gets flopped around to a 53, and the difference is paid. This game can get very expensive very quickly especially if you are playing dollar points.

[Gingerzebra]

I'm guessing I'm swinging too much around my body as I've all of a sudden started getting too much fade, or is it my body getting round?

[lionking]

i get what you're saying. especially considering all the rants on this and other golf fourms.

however, i think it's worthwhile to point out that those who take the time to partcipate in golf forums lean on the more serious side of golf (me included). in addition, people tend to not hold back when they're typing versus talking to another person.

my bet is that if you polled 100 random golfers, you'd get a lot more laid back people like yourself than this or other forums would indicate.

[Dub]

Thouroughly enjoy the game.

I tend to talk to my ball...sometimes badly...sometimes nicely. I don't stew over poor shots or substandard play....that kind of thing is going to happen. The game is very much about "what have you done for me lately". I understand that. I don't take my own performance that seriously....just give it my best every shot and have fun in between....accepting the outcome of each.

I enjoy playing with folks that maintain conversation and banter....jokes and appreciation for the course and wildlife observed.


Yes....slow play does get under my skin a bit...especially when it's visably obvious of why / how the speed is being killed. Call me crazy, but I enjoy 4 hour rounds or less.

Golf is at its most fun when there is a little competition...a small wager...bragging rights....etc. This combined with some humerous lighthearted trash talking is like the icing on the cake. Throw in a flirty beer cart girl and the laughs multilply.


Greatest game ever....no doubt about it....every round begins with hope and promise.....ever round ends with the desire to tee it up soon. Great fellowship!!!!!!

[wsjer88]

Ohh yes, I defiantly enjoy the game. Especially over the last few weeks, when my girlfriend of three years breaks up with me, my job got tough, and my best friend moved away. Golf pretty much clears my mind and keeps me sane. I love it, and look forward to every tuesday and sunday.

[fdv]

The only reason i play golf is because i have fun doing it. I am not good at all but always enjoy myself on the course.

[schigara]

Yes, I really enjoy the game. I played 45 holes today so I really do enjoy the game but I'm not some fool that loves to lose. I always want to win.

Do I enjoy the game enough to play while doubling every hole?......no. If I were playing Pebble Beach for free and didn't care about the score, i'd really love it.

Problem is, I care about my score and can't really enjoy the game unless I am shooting bogey or under.

Golf , for me, is not something I enjoy with friends if I shoot good or bad. If I shoot bad, I don't enjoy it.

When I play golf, I want to beat my playing partners or learn from those I lose to.

I am 35 and have been playing seriously for about a year. I want to win and want to shoot under 80. My best score is 83 and am close to 80 and under.

To answer you question, I do really enjoy the game but I am not goofy enough to be happy with shooting 10 over my handicap. I always want to improve.

[enis750]

i do enjoy the game, but also put a lot pf pressure in myslef
why? not 100% sure, but i have always been somewhat of an athlete that is VERY comptetitive

i dont have a lot of playing partners (well none actually) that can hang w me
a few buddies are pretty good, but shoot in the mid 40's or 80's pretty consistently

i do enjoy the game, but if i play like crap it sorta puts me down - i get over it quick though
if i play well, it really puts me in an awesome mood

[jaragon126]

I am just like schigara & enis750.

If I'm playing poorly I don't enjoy it. I've been playing for a while, and my handicap is almost double what it once was a few years ago ... so lately I haven't been in the best spirits.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a jerk on the course ... I don't act like an a-hole to the other people I get paired up with (I almost always play alone because none of my friends are golfers) ... I don't break clubs over my knee. I will cuss at myself (quietly or under my breath), pop the club head on the ground a little harder than I need to after a bad shot, or just look up at the sky in disgust.

I'm very competitive, so when I'm out golfing I'm out there to shoot low scores.

I don't drink when I golf, I rarely talk on the phone when I golf, and I try not to let my other playing partners know how upset I am at myself.

I lost my semi-final round of match play this weekend, so I was in a funk for a few hours after the round.

A few years ago I was shooting in the 70s regularly ... now I'm lucky if I can shoot an 80. I know it's possible for me to shoot lower, I just don't know why I can't get back there this year. Season's almost over anyway & I'll get to start everything all over from a winter of no play again next year. Oh well, I'll keep practicing & hoping.

[lumpuckeroo]

Had this same conversation with my brother this weekend when we were playing. If I didn't play well I would come home frustrated in my game, not anymore. I enjoy being out on the course and playing.

As I have gotten older, I realized that, while I hope to play for ever, you never know what might happen and I just enjoy playing. Not to say that I don't get frustrated, I do, but I am less bothered by events on the course now then even a few years ago.

One of the more talked about topic in these forums, slow play, is still one of the most frustrated things, but if I am playing with my brother or father it just gives me more time to talk with them. I just don't let it bother me, my work and other events in my life are frustrating enough, I don't let golf be a source of frustration.