Dear angry man at the range

[Shanks A Million]

The only person he needs to impress is himself. If he hit one out of ten today, fine. If he makes it two out of ten tommorrow, he's making progress. He won't even take one thought if he was wearing all the gear or might have had the BVD's on.

You haven't played this game very long, have you?

But to elaborate, no. The posers never get anywhere. They club ho, constantly searching for the right club to make them hit it better. The good players go out and buy used clubs, and learn to hit those clubs. I've been playing this game for 20 years, and I don't think I've ever seen a poser get very far. The guys who become good are the guys who don't care about having all matched clubs, or don't care about having staff bag.

[Ryanmal]

Why is it that people seem to feel compelled to tell other people what to do with their money?

If I am new to golf and I have some coin, I am going to go out and buy a set of golf clubs to learn on. I may very well decide that I like TaylorMade, for example, and buy all TaylorMade clubs. I may even be wearing Adidas gear.

I agree that the guy's behavior at the range was not appropriate and the whole scene was, I'm sure, quite humorous. What I don't necessarily get on board with is the litany of "if you have a bag full of all one brand and aren't good you are a poser" mentality. The last time I think I heard somebody called a poser was in 8th grade. The whole thing sounds kind of 'junior high' to me.

[Shanks A Million]

Why is it that people seem to feel compelled to tell other people what to do with their money?

Wait till you've been playing for 10 years, and you've seen this same guy 1,000 times, at ranges all over the country. Trust me, they're out there.

[sean_miller]

Why is it that people seem to feel compelled to tell other people what to do with their money?

You very well might look like a TM/Adidas poster, but to move to "poser" you need the most important element - a shi++y attitude - a day one sense of entitlement.

[Shanks A Million]

You very well might look like a TM/Adidas poster, but to move to "poser" you need the most important element - a shi++y attitude - a day one sense of entitlement.

Finally , someone who gets it! That's the point. The guys who go out there thinking they're hot stuff, those are the posers. There are plenty of people who may have all clubs from one brand, but that's not the point. Usually, if a guy has all matching clubs, a staff bag (matching) and all clothes, from hat to shoes, in his club brand, you're starting to push it. Too many golfers look like walking billboards out there, and they have the bad attitude to match.

[chilly]

I don't understand getting fired up about what a guy plays. So, the guy has money, wants to play golf, and walks into the local Golf Galaxy. He gets a kid to set him up with all new gear, and figures that he'll get all the same brand so that it matches. If you're new to the game, wouldn't it take some of the guesswork out of it to stick with the same brand? Not everyone is as golf "obsessed" as a lot of guys on this board, they don't know about the used club market and think that going to a golf shop to get their equipment will ensure they get the right stuff.

Lots of people making assumptions about this guy's intentions, and in the process basically looking down on him in a condescending way.

[brgolf]

In the end both points of view have an element of truth. He could be a pratt that is out to pose with the best gear and therefore people should laugh, or he could be someone who has the misfortune of being wealthy by the standards of others and therefore laughed at because he is not as proficient at golf as he is rich.

These state of affairs will exist no matter what but the last thing he ought to have done was draw attention to himself.

[Gioguy21]

I think it's hard to honestly tell based on appearance how someone is going to play, after they swing tho is a diff story. as for a bag full of new clubs and top of the line gear...good for him, least he feels important. I get judged that i have new stuff but i have a reason. I was coming home from a business trip with my clubs...instead of going longways through the baggage tunnel, they were forced through sideways bending every club in half, and breaking the graphite shafts on my woods, and ruining my bag. needless to say i won't be flying continental.

[sean_miller]

I don't understand getting fired up about what a guy plays. So, the guy has money, wants to play golf, and walks into the local Golf Galaxy. He gets a kid to set him up with all new gear, and figures that he'll get all the same brand so that it matches. If you're new to the game, wouldn't it take some of the guesswork out of it to stick with the same brand? Not everyone is as golf "obsessed" as a lot of guys on this board, they don't know about the used club market and think that going to a golf shop to get their equipment will ensure they get the right stuff.

You're probably right. Some people do judge a book by it's cover (or a birthday gift by the fancy wrapping), but personally, I notice the behaviour and attitude first, then glance at the bag of equipment. Often times there's a brand new showy bag-o-crap, but just as often, the bogus attitude is matched with a set of either hand me downs or clones. Those latter guys seem to be forgettable though - it's the "instant golfer in a box" guys that are really memorable.

[newtogolf]

Why is it that people seem to feel compelled to tell other people what to do with their money?

I see your point, maybe the guy has so much money that dropping a few grand on golf equipment was like buying a pack of gum for most others. It's possible this is the result of a rich guy sincerely wanting to take up the sport, walking into a golf store,telling the sales guy he wanted to get into the sport and to hook him up with the best equipment. If that's the case then he's not a poser.

It's also possible the guy bought all this gear to impress everyone or to make himself look like a golf pro to friends and stangers. You don't outfit yourself like a pro to go to a range unless you want to draw attention to yourself (thus the poser term). His actions make it more likely he's a poser because after getting the attention he sought he became self conscious and embarrassed by his inability to hit a decent shot and realized he was exposed as a poser. Overall is it any of our business what his reasons are, no, maybe we're jealous or being petty, but it is a funny story.

[trog2233]

You haven't played this game very long, have you?

I know lots of Great players that club ho too so you cant really say that. It goes both ways.

This whole thread could be summed up easily. A poser is a guy that drops a ton of cash for everythign then has a TERRIBLE attitude about the game because they think its easy.

[Tweetie]

This whole thread could be summed up easily. A poser is a guy that drops a ton of cash for everythign then has a TERRIBLE attitude about the game because they think its easy.

And there are quite a few uptight people that are easily affected by others.

[golfro]

And there are quite a few uptight people that are easily affected by others.

not sure whos more uptight...the guys who share a funny story and get a good laugh out of it or the self righteous dudes who are too uptight to laugh and have to put in their obligatory lecture.

either way, if you had witnessed the scene he caused and all the commotion he caused, you would have posted the same thing as I did. I don't care how much money you spend on your clubs, that wasj ust the added cherry on top of his sh*tty attitude. Nobody should ever bring that sh*tty attitude to the range where people are trying to practice. Don't get me wrong, I've had my days of frustrations but theres a fine line between letting your frustrations effect you, and letting your frustrations effect others around you. If the latter, then go pick up UFC fighting or something, sure aint golf.

[kpaulhus]

Yea, I love my Titleist underwear...now my wife's car has the "I'd rather be driving a Titleist" bumper sticker....

I have a liscense plate frame that says "I'd Rather be driving a Titleist" lol, I only use a Scotty and ProV1X's...but Im looking at the AP2's

[Bigtank]

Like I said, these guys exist in every sport. But you know who else exists in every sport, the super judgmental “purists”. The guys that can judge you because they use a hodge-podge set of clubs and they are “keeping it real”. Maybe the guy thought to himself, why spend $500 on a set I am going to trade out and then buy a good set, why don’t just by the good set now and save myself the first $500? Maybe he asked his staff pro that he is taking lessons from, what he should buy and his staff pro sold him on his brand (because that is what he is sponsored to do)…
Why aren’t we happy that one more person has taken up our sport? The more money generated by our sport, is more courses, better courses, etc. We should be happy this guy spent all this money. Last time I checked the Equipment manufacturers are not spending millions on R&D; on our “purists” 10 year old clubs, and we have all benefited from that R&D.;

I know its the crappy attitude and all, but maybe we would be better focused on accpeting them than jealously judging them???

[Judah Ben-Hur]

You haven't played this game very long, have you?

If you count 3 weeks as not very long, then the answer would be YES. lol

I've seen it in other sports that I was into. I figured golf would be worse and a few notches above the tennis crowd. So far, I haven't been proved wrong just by surfing the different forums in this short span. I thought about it even before I hit the golf store. If I had the money, I would have gone higher end without a care in the world. Like I said before, all one has to do is worry about their game and block the bullshit out.

Like I said, these guys exist in every sport. But you know who else exists in every sport, the super judgmental “purists”. The guys that can judge you because they use a hodge-podge set of clubs and they are “keeping it real”. Maybe the guy thought to himself, why spend $500 on a set I am going to trade out and then buy a good set, why don’t just by the good set now and save myself the first $500? Maybe he asked his staff pro that he is taking lessons from, what he should buy and his staff pro sold him on his brand (because that is what he is sponsored to do)…

Bingo!

[alomar123]

Ill admit it. I am a club ho. I love to have the latest and greatest. I am like that with everything. I love the feeling of trying a new club. I see guys that are just plain rich, and still use wooden drivers, all the power to them, but I just cant sit still with the same clubs. Golf clubs are functional art to me.

[newtogolf]

Why aren't we happy that one more person has taken up our sport? The more money generated by our sport, is more courses, better courses, etc. We should be happy this guy spent all this money. Last time I checked the Equipment manufacturers are not spending millions on R&D; on our “purists” 10 year old clubs, and we have all benefited from that R&D.;

I don't think anyone cares how much money the guy spent, it's the attitude that goes with showing up like a pro when you're not and creating a spectacle of yourself. I'm more than happy to let these guys spend / waste their money for my benefit. I don't care what clubs they have or what chothes they wear as long as they act appropriately in public. If you're going to walk around looking like a pro then act like one.