Do you have any irrational habits about golf?

[Spyder]

Sorry if this is a long rant ahead of time! Kinda OCD here!

I have to use 2 3/4" long neon green tees. When I set up for a drive, the side label ("focus arrows") need to be centered and facing the pin. I MUST have my hot dog at the turn, or before we start if playing 9 - a long with 2 cold ones

On the green I cannot stand seeing ball marks from lazy people. I usually walk around the perimeter and fix ball marks so long as we're playing casual and it's not going to penalize me or distract anyone. I also always spread seed on the tee box because it seems the locals around here do not understand that the big green box with the sandbox shovel in it is their friend after they leave a crater on the box.

(No I do not slow play down, I'm usually a speed demon and it sometimes kills my game. Sometimes I need to slow way down and relax!)

[calicaddy]

I always have to take my glove off between every hole. I'm not sure why, just a habit I've developed as a little girl.

[upstategolfer]

I play with two tees and two balls in my front right pocket. I've come off the tee box to put the 2nd tee in my pocket before if I realized I only had the one I was using to hit.

[ezmorningrebel]

i don't like playing with anything in my pockets.  i small divot tool and coin are all i can stand.

[Inebriated]

I always take all the club covers off my clubs before the round starts... sort of defeats the purpose of having them.

I can't even touch a club if my hands are remotely damp... I feel like I'll lose it.

I avoid sand traps, not because they can hurt my score, but I hate hate hate having to walk on the sand in shoes. It gets in my shoes, and I hate having to rake it. I just avoid it.

I can't play with a girl. I feel like it's like working out or doing yard work with a girl.

I can't play with any unread texts or emails. My game legitimately suffers if my phone rings, and I don't check it.

None of these are really irrational, but I've noticed them.

[Fairway_CY]

I absolutely REFUSE to let anybody tee off before someone who made a birdie or eagle on the previous hole.  It bothers me when someone else takes the tee box, even in a casual round, when someone else had a good hole.  Golf is a game of momentum to me.  I believe in ready golf, for sure... but do NOT step on the tee box before me if I made anything better than par on the previous hole.  I WILL say something...

CY

[mirv]

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

I won't putt until the player before me removes his ball from the cup.  Unlike the cups on the putting greens there is only room for one ball at a time in the cups used on the course.

me too.  my dad, if he sank a long putt that he was proud of, would just cross his feet and smile at me like "that was such a good putt, i'm going to let you get the ball out after you put yours in on top of it."  something about knowing there's a ball already in the cup just bothers the bejeezus out of me, so i let him do his proud pose a couple of times, then finally said "i can't putt until you get your ball out."

[RPMPIRE]

Originally Posted by parbreaker

Just curious, so I figured I would ask. Golf can be a very personal game, and many of us have developed little habits, superstitions, and beliefs. Not all of these are logical, and some may even go against the general concensus as to what is best for our game. I was just curious what some other peoples are.

Personally, one of mine is that for the life of me I don't like hybrid irons. I started playing before hybrids existed, and tend to be more of a traditionalist. I fell in love with my 5 wood when learning to play, and now always carry that or a 1 iron. Yes, it's stubborn. Yes, I can see the benefit of hybrids. It's just how I feel.

Any others?

I am the EXACTLY the same when it comes to hybrids. I am a little more traditional as well and I refuse to put a hybrid in my bag despite all the benefits. Can't go without denying all the technological benefits put in drivers, 3 woods, irons, etc, but the hybrid just doesn't feel right. Just my personal opinion.

[lumpuckeroo]

And to think my brother calls me OCD because I play in a white or very light colored shirt in the summer time, if only he knew!!!

[goblue107501]

I don't think I have any irrational habits, most of the little things I do are beneficial.

Same here. I like to put certain things in certain pockets. I keep my bag organized. I like to have golf balls marked before I arrive at the course. I do some goofy things with my gloves at times. But for the most part I don't think any of it irrational to the point where I can't play or I feel uncomfortable. For me it is just good organization so I keep things in order and I know where everything is.

[trackster]

I like to take my head cover off of my driver before I use it.  When using my driver I will always put a tee into the ground and then place a ball on top of that tee.  After I hit that ball I will put my club back into my bag.

In all seriousness thought, why have a something like this.  It is just one more thing to think about.

[gjsuicide]

Originally Posted by trackster

I like to take my head cover off of my driver before I use it.  When using my driver I will always put a tee into the ground and then place a ball on top of that tee.  After I hit that ball I will put my club back into my bag.

In all seriousness thought, why have a something like this.  It is just one more thing to think about.

Interesting.  I actually place the ball on the tee first, then place the combo into the ground.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by 1par2win  Also, if I were to try and make a putt with my glove I suspect the universe would become out of balance and possibly implode so best not take the chance.

Hahaha...I'm right there with ya!!!  I never putt with a glove.  In fact, I remove my glove after every shot!!......need to keep it fresh and sweat free as possible!!  Putting while wearing a glove is a big-no no...... I wouldn't necessarily consider this superstitious.  No good players wear a glove while putting that I know of for good reason.

My most irrational habit:  I positively cannot play golf without a big dip of skoal..  Yes, I know...it's very redneck, but it is what it is.....I hate to confess.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by JoelCochran

Also, I'm almost neurotic about wearing a hat: I can take it off in between shots but I almost can't take the club back if I don't have a hat on when I swing.

Hahaha....good one!!!!  Thanks for sharing......

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by JoelCochran

I clean my club after every shot with a brush I have clipped onto my bag and sometimes use the club washers attached to the carts at our club

Ditto......although I prefer to spit on the clubface and use a towel. LOL.....I use a tee to clean the grooves.

Probably my most anal Idiosyncrasy

I special order my gloves by the box of 6 and I rotate 2 gloves during every round.  As I mentioned before, I remove the glove from my hand immediately after every shot.  If I'm driving the cart, I fasten them to the steering wheel so they can air-dry and stay as fresh as possible.  If I'm riding shot-gun, I hang them on the roof support post..LOL One glove is always in near-mint condition for big-full shots...IE...tee shots that require a wood or if I'm hitting a long fairway 2nd shot attacking a par5 in two.  I wear the other glove for all other shots.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by trackster

I like to take my head cover off of my driver before I use it.  When using my driver I will always put a tee into the ground and then place a ball on top of that tee.  After I hit that ball I will put my club back into my bag.

In all seriousness thought, why have a something like this.  It is just one more thing to think about.

I sometimes play my driver from the deck with no tee at all, so I can see why using a tee might be considered by some to be irrational.

[gilagolf]

One ball in the right pocket to remind me to shift my weight properly.

Other than that, always use Maxfli balls. Because I like the straight Logo when I look down on it at Address. Titliest Pro-V word is simply too cursive for my fragile mental state.

[trickymicky69]

I wont leave the house without a spare glove, 2 granola bars, a powerdade, a bag full of tees, at least 7-8 spare balls and my gps fully charged.

I also clean my clubs after every round and clean all of the crap from my bag.

I change my spikes as soon as they get worn and have my shades in my bag (always clean and ready to go)

I hate forgetting things and will have waterproof tops and trousers as well as waterproof gloves.

I also change my ball marker after a bad round and clean my grips every month.

I would say I have OCD but its so bad I had to put it into alphabetical order so I have CDO