Letting other people hit your clubs...

[tristanhilton85]

I was playing a round yesterday as a single and got paired up with a twosome and another single.  One of the guys in the twosome noticed my Titleist bag with my Titleist irons and commented that he was surprised that I didn't have the new 910 (I use a Mizuno driver).  Anyways, I noticed that he had the 910 driver and throughout the round we talked about equipment quite a bit... on the 7th hole I asked him if he would mind if I hit his driver just to see how it felt to which he said no.

Really I have no problem with this but thought it was odd...  I've been paired up with other people before who have asked to hit something in my bag and I have no problem with it and I've hit others equipment without issue...  It almost felt like he was almost inviting me to hit it with the way he was talking throughout the round about it; I mean it's not like we were keeping to ourselves the entire time.  Like I said, no problem with him not letting me, it just seemed odd.

Anyways, my question is do you have a problem letting others try something from your bag?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

Anyways, my question is do you have a problem letting others try something from your bag?

Depends on the person.

If they're highly unlikely to put an idiot mark on the club or otherwise ruin it, OR if they're the type to pay instantly if they do screw up the club, they can hit whatever.

But in all other cases, nope. And even if someone's the latter (will pay instantly), it's an awkward situation in which to put a person (imagine how badly you'd feel if you put an idiot mark on that guy's 910), so I might still say no.

[weavej2]

To me....yes, I have trouble letting a complete stranger/someone who I just met....hit my clubs.   Likelyhood that they would do damage is low..but...I have zero reason to take the risk.  To me..I think it is out of line to request to hit someone elses club.

I wouldnt hit someones club if they offered it to me....I dont want to open that door for something to go wrong.  Strange, dumb, idiotic...all YES.   it is the way I am.

[kurisu]

I have come to regret the few times I did, so now I never let people try/use my clubs.

[jamo]

I don't think I've ever asked to hit someone's clubs before because, as an idiot, marks will be put on the club. Plus I've hit them all at golf stores anyway.

I have no problem letting other people hit my clubs, though I usually throw in a nonchalant "you break it, you buy it" followed by a few laughs just in case.

[meenman]

I would let a friend try my clubs or even use one if they are too far away from the cart and went in the sand or something. I will not use anyone else's clubs - if I need to try something, I will demo it somewhere.

[TheGeekGolfer]

Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

Really I have no problem with this but thought it was odd...  Like I said, no problem with him not letting me, it just seemed odd.

Kinda sounds like you did have a problem with it (kidding)

Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

Anyways, my question is do you have a problem letting others try something from your bag?

My general rules are this... if I don't know the guy and will most likely never see him again, then no, you cannot hit one of my clubs.  Nor, do I ask of someone that I randomly got paired up with or will never see again.  I will generally only let people that I play with on a regular basis and know their 'level' of golfing ability, to hit any of my clubs on the course (ie - my brother or other basically good golfers). Typically, that's the only time I will ask someone to hit their clubs, too.

[zeg]

A friend, sure.  A stranger?  Depends.  After a discussion of equipment, I probably would, and might even offer to let someone try if that came up.  If he just asked out of the blue, probably not.  I don't care enough about a ding on the club to mind if he happens to put a sky mark on it.

Actually, now that I think about it, I have done just that---someone commented on the shaft on my FT-iQ and asked if he could give it a try.  In that case, he was a better golfer than I am and I at least owed him that because he was extremely patient through my all-time worst round.

However, I probably wouldn't ask someone I didn't know to try one of their clubs.  If they offered, I *might* try, but I think it's best to let them make the offer so you don't put them in an awkward position of saying no.

[clubchamp]

I would let a friend hit my clubs but probably not a stranger unless we have played enough holes that I feel the odds of him dinging it aren't very good. I also have the luxury of being a lefty so I generally never run into this type of dilemma.

[Chief Broom]

As iacas said it depends on the person.  If you and I were playing together and after the course of nine or so holes I can tell you know what you're doing and can use my club without damaging it or putting some kind of sky mark or something on it then sure no problem.  If after playing a few holes with you I'm not so sure about that then no you can't hit my club.

[xxsoultonesxx]

One of my main golfing buddies, who plays at about the same level as myself used my Burner Superfast in the first week I had it, and his very first swing with it he left a nice sky mark on it. It was a used club to begin with, and nothing I haven't done myself every so often (although, with older equipment) I really didn't get upset about it, though. I know it was a freak thing, he usually bombs his driver, but he also uses much heavier shafts than I'm used to.

In general, I don't have a problem letting people try my clubs. If they have an interest in what I have in my bag, I'm usually happy to oblige them with a quick demo at the range or a tee shot on the course.

[2bGood]

I can't say i find this odd. Lots of golfer would not let a stranger hit their driver. As it was 910 it was likely pretty new, and as you list yourself an 18 capper I am sure you would leave some doubt in the guys mind.

To be honest I would never ask a stranger to hit his club, if asked by a stranger it would be 50/50 if I would say yes, depending on lots of factors. As for buddies, I think nothing of it, even if they do suck.

[Kamas]

I left friends and teammates hit my clubs but I wouldn't let a stranger or a random playing partner hit my clubs.

[alo1984]

No, Mr. 18 handicap you can not hit my club.  No.  Have a nice day.

[Williamevanl]

My friend bought a brand new ping driver years ago and the club pro at our course asked if could take a look at it. He took a semi-practice swing and bounced it off the pavement. It made a horrible sound and then he handed it back to my friend who had a bit of shock in his expression. The club pro assured him that the scrapes would not affect the peformance of the club.

[Roblar]

I wouldn't ask to hit someone's clubs unless they were close friends to start out with.

I have had someone insist that I try his hybrid.  ("Here, try this - it's the perfect club for the shot you have...")  I refused three times, but accepted on the fourth -- after I'd hit the ball with my club (badly sliced).  Dropped a ball down, and hit it.  It still felt awkward to me precisely because I am the 'idiot' that just might put a sky-mark on a club or do something else stupid --- I didn't want to risk it.

This reminds me of my uncle's favorite golf joke though.

A guy, let's say he's a friend of ours, is walking up to his ball after a nice tee shot, and he sees another golfer on the adjacent fairway hit a lousy shot.  The other guy slams his club into the ground, swears, drops another ball and swings again.  Hit fat, the ball plops into the nearby water hazard.  The golfer, obviously upset, throws his club into the water, looks up, and notices our friend as he's getting to his ball.

"Hey," says the angry golfer. "Do you have a 5-iron I can borrow? I just lost mine."

"Sure. Try it out - maybe you'll have more luck," says our buddy.

The angry golfer takes the 5-iron, drops a ball, swings, and sends another ball to the water.  The golfer is outraged, and he grabs the 5-iron with both hands and snaps the shaft in half across his knee.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" exclaims our friend.

The angry golfer stares at him, allows for a brief pause, and says, "If you can't afford it, what the hell are you playing this game for?"

[max power]

I let my best friend hit (36 'capper) my new Titleist driver a year and a half ago-instant sky mark.  Wasn't mad cause I knew the risk, when I got my Nike Dymo last year he understood that I didn't want another sky mark and didn't ask more than once.

[Williamevanl]

My friend bought a brand new ping driver years ago and the club pro at our course asked if could take a look at it. He took a semi-practice swing with it and bounced it off the pavement. It made a horrible sound and then he handed it back to my friend who had a bit of shock in his expression. The club pro assured him that the scrapes would not affect the peformance.