Are high handicappers losers?

[ND Fan]

one more thing...

the slowest players i know are good players... they just aren't nearly as good as they think they are.

[Supermanwoot]

I finally got back out on the course after a break the other day. I was usually able to drive it 250ish if I hit it in bounds but last time out I was driving it 200 on a good shot but I kept it in bounds. I had one bad blow up hole but overall played bogey golf which was good for me. The extra 50 yards or more from the tee would have DEFINITELY put me in a place to shoot closer to par given that most of my 2nd shots were from 200+ out giving me little chance to get on the green.

I'm not sure of my point because its confusing. I hit longer drives before, but scored higher (more OBs). I hit shorter last time out and scored better.

I guess the point is, I don't think its how far you can drive but its how far you can CONTROL your drives. If you can hit 200 yds consistenly straight vs 300 yds OB 1/2 the time then you are better off with the former.

[sean_miller]

If you play to the best of your ability, spend hours on the practice range trying to improve, take lessons when necessary, and realize that you can only get out of golf what you put into it, then you are OK. If you do not spend the time, then you are a recreational golfer, and will never improve. In that case, do me a favor, and NEVER play in front of me.

As long as I'm not holding up play how would you know - or more importantly, why would you care - whether or not I'm playing up to my potential?

[Chris Stack]

If you do not spend the time, then you are a recreational golfer, and will never improve. In that case, do me a favor, and NEVER play in front of me.

Don't they usually close the course when you pros play?

[Cussin hacker]

I'd love to be the hacker in front of PEZ.

[ND Fan]

If you play to the best of your ability, spend hours on the practice range trying to improve, take lessons when necessary, and realize that you can only get out of golf what you put into it, then you are OK. If you do not spend the time, then you are a recreational golfer, and will never improve. In that case, do me a favor, and NEVER play in front of me.

I would expect a response like that from some egotistical scratch golfer but not from some middle of the road 4 handicap.

[upah]

This would make you far and away the best driver of the ball within a 100 mile radius of your course's 11th green. What complete garbage.

Can we address the above for a second? I've heard that the PGA's driving distance statistic accounts for all tee shots (maybe minus par-3 holes). Not just those with the driver. This includes holes where pros hit 3-wood or even long irons off the tee. Assuming this is true, I have a hard time accepting that the "fabled" 300-yard drive (with a driver) is as ellusive as some claim on this site. Tiger carries his 3-wood longer than that.

Granted, nobody here can do that with his grace and control, but I see no reason why any athlete with some practice couldn't belt one out 300+ with some practice. I will agree that internet yardages are generally somewhat inflated, but it gets sorta vicious when someone even suggests they can hit a 300-yard drive with some consistency. Good courses don't give players then option to hit the same shot off the tee for every hole. PGA courses force players to choose different shots to yield better scores. Amateurs who claim 300 may not be playing courses so tricky. Most munis are wide open and relatively straight forward. Given today's equipment advances, 300 yards is a good shot, but not an unattanable one. Thoughts? I'll strap on my helmet for all the impending tomatoes...

[wedge player]

high handicaps are not losers as most forget we all started at above a 20 handicap.you just need a little practice and patience.

[Fat Slice]

If you play to the best of your ability, spend hours on the practice range trying to improve, take lessons when necessary, and realize that you can only get out of golf what you put into it, then you are OK. If you do not spend the time, then you are a recreational golfer, and will never improve. In that case, do me a favor, and NEVER play in front of me.

Does it count as practice if I play in front of you and hit 2 balls?

[Doctorfro]

You're right. Anyone can swing out of their shoes and get lucky and catch one sending it straight and 280 yards out. BUT I'm willing to bet that no bogey golfer "averages" that. That's the thing when all the thread pop up about distance, we're talking your "average" NOT "how far can you hit it if you swing really hard and catch it perfectly?" Most bogey golfers that "average" 300 yards, fail to mention the 3 out of 10 that they topped down to the forward tees. They only remember their best ever drive and that becomes their "average."

Thank you. My point exactly.

[Kingfisher]

Anybody who thinks high handicappers are all losers is a complete tosser. We were all high handicappers at some point and none of us were born with the god-given ability to suddenly break 90, 80 or whatever from the get go.

Granted, some high-handicappers (maybe we should call them beginners instead) do have their problems, but they're not insurmountable. Etiquette comes with experience, so you can't expect somebody who is just starting out to immediately be aware of all the nuances of golf. Yes it is up the them to learn, but it is also up to the better players to help guide and educate the inexperienced.

Ironically, some of the most frustrating golfers I have played with or been stuck behind are actually low 'cappers, who are under the illusion they are much better than they actually are.

[denver_nuggs_15]

Yes. If your handicap is greater than 20, you are unequivocally a total loser and no one should listen to a word you say.

Yeah sure. Being good at golf doesn't mean you know what you're talking about; being bad at golf doesn't mean you don't know what you're talking about. I got a negative rep saying that I "spoke like a true 14" or something like that. Way to attack the person instead of the argument...and I see that all the time on here. "Oh, you're an xx handicap. What do you know?" Logical fallacy. Address the argument, not the handicaps.

No, we shouldn't. As I said, it takes skill to hit for distance.

I think what he meant is that there are

some who are bad at golf but still hit it far...just like there are some who are really good and don't hit it far. So, if I understood him right, he was saying that people shouldn't be so quick to judge others' distance claims.

If you do not spend the time, then you are a recreational golfer, and will never improve. In that case, do me a favor, and NEVER play in front of me.

Really? Paying golfers have just as much right to play on a course as any of us. Plus, slow players cause slow play. It has very little to do with skill level. Pros play in two-somes and take 5 hours. I've seen 2 20+ handicaps play in 3 hours. I've played in a 6-some and took 3 hours to play 13 holes. Bad golfers don't cause slow play.

As I addressed in the first multi-quote, many times people attack the poster instead of the argument. And it's ridiculous. I've seen 25 handicaps give good advice and single digit caps give crap advice. Who teaches Tiger? Someone who's not even close to as good. So, high handicappers aren't losers.

[upah]

Who teaches Tiger? Someone who's not even close to as good.

That's good. I like that.

[Supermanwoot]

Can we address the above for a second? I've heard that the PGA's driving distance statistic accounts for all tee shots (maybe minus par-3 holes). Not just those with the driver. This includes holes where pros hit 3-wood or even long irons off the tee. Assuming this is true, I have a hard time accepting that the "fabled" 300-yard drive (with a driver) is as ellusive as some claim on this site. Tiger carries his 3-wood longer than that.

I was watching Tiger and Phil play a match and they both flew the 3-wood about 265-275. that is a LOOOONG 3-wood. I think you might be underestimating 300 yards. Thats one heck of a driver shot. I play with a buddy who can hit it that far consistently and its always a hike between my and his balls.

Your comment about the courses is good. I think there may only be 3-4 holes on 18 that you could really open up and even try to hit a 300yd driver without it putting you into woods or a hazard on the course I usually play. Even the par 5s dogleg a lot in a way that hitting 250 puts you in the fairway, 300 and your in the woods/water.

[localhawaii]

Us High Handicappers are not losers! Just keep in mind that all the low handicappers that are making you feel this way were at one time a high handicapper!

[mtsalmela80]

I took lessons this year and I can regularly drive 250, conservatively. If I push it maybe 270+. However my irons still blow, Im very uncertain of myself there, fat, thin chips, etc, so my cap is still above bogey. Does that make sense?

[iacas]

Can we address the above for a second? I've heard that the PGA's driving distance statistic accounts for all tee shots (maybe minus par-3 holes). Not just those with the driver. This includes holes where pros hit 3-wood or even long irons off the tee. Assuming this is true, I have a hard time accepting that the "fabled" 300-yard drive (with a driver) is as ellusive as some claim on this site. Tiger carries his 3-wood longer than that.

It's not true.

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/xm.html?101

Source: PGA Tour's Driving Stats The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite directions to counteract the effect of wind. Drives are measured to the point at which they come to rest regardless of whether they are in the fairway or not. (101)

They also try to select par fives or long par fours where pros are likely to hit driver. Let's keep this on-topic, please.

[zeg]

Yeah sure. Being good at golf doesn't mean you know what you're talking about; being bad at golf doesn't mean you don't know what you're talking about. I got a negative rep saying that I "spoke like a true 14" or something like that. Way to attack the person instead of the argument...and I see that all the time on here. "Oh, you're an xx handicap. What do you know?" Logical fallacy. Address the argument, not the handicaps.

Check my handicap in the little info box and reconsider whether *I* think you should listen to what I have to say...