Do you like to play with new people?

[JDGolden]

What about the self ego strokers that challenge everyone (loudly, so everyone hears)  to a big money round? I think they're trying to make themselves look like scratch golfers.

[Chas]

Originally Posted by Mozgolf

Its a social game for me. As long as they know the rules and play at a decent pace i generally enjoy meeting other on the course

I'm finding that this is increasing becoming my attitude to the game.  This is not to say that I'm not trying to improve - that will never stop - but really, I can't think of a better way to meet interesting and entertaining people.  No other activity I've been involved with has ever given me this kind of social experience, combined with the pleasure (and pain) of the sport itself.

And IMO it's responsible for most of the dollar value of the sport as a business endeavor.  It's what gets most guys out there on the track beating away at that little round thing - the shared misery and ecstacy of it!

[mailman]

I usually play twilight golf (because of the cost) and always end up playing with one or two others and enjoying my round.

One time (at band camp) I was out playing when I ended up with another chap on the course...turns out he was a Fijian so I said to him "haa...I met another Fijian just last week on the train". Turns out the two were brothers (one was a coach with Saracens rugby and the chap I was playing with is a Pro golfer from one of the other local golf clubs).

So in the space of a few days I end up meeting the only two Fijians in all of Cambridgeshire :)

Regards

Mailman

[golf55]

I prefer the golf game alone, I will never play with friends. Play some with family and strangers. Golf isn't a social game or a hobby for me. I'm trying to play the best game every round. I really hate the small talk, people usually get the hint but every once in awhile someone always ask the most private question and they don't stop asking. They try to talk to you about their personal life or golf clubs etc. I don't CARE.... I try to be polite though. I only play with strangers because the golf course is PACKED. No reason to join in if I can play solo.

Even though we're playing together golf is a solo game. You really don't have to talk to me. I play my game and you do yours. I really don't care if you shoot 150 or 70. Long as you can keep up with pace and don't bother me with small talk.

That being said 95% of strangers were pleasant to play with. I heard couple interesting stuff. It only bothers me if they start asking personal questions.

Originally Posted by Elrey Desol

well, i got paired with "that guy" yesterday at the local course where i play 75% of my rounds.

let's run through the check list:

- talking in someone's backswing? check. and with nice volume too.

- walking in someone's line? check. could hardly be bothered to notice where his own ball was marked, let alone any of the other three players.

- doesn't fix ball marks? check. even when i complimented his approach from 100 yards, "Wow! You're thrown' darts out there. That one landed a foot from the hole, you can see the mark there". i fixed after we all putted out.

- won't pull/tend the pin for anyone else? checkety-check. not that this is a huge thing, but one of my pet peeves.

- can't manage his shadow? check. twice in the last three holes i had to step off the ball while he roamed the green with his shadow on my line and the hole.

- slow player? he's the man. he walked, slowly, after every shot and fully 1/3 of the time he wasn't exactly sure where the ball was.

- can't leave the phone off? you betcha. was texting and checking emails from the first tee through the 18th fairway.

- delusional about his prowess on the course? this guy was a classic. went on and on about how he only picked the game a up a couple of years ago, but got his index down in single digits. meanwhile, his reverse-weight shift is so severe that his feet, knees, hips, and shoulders where ALL square to the target after his might swipes at the ball. would be surprised if he cracked 100, even with foot wedges and 3.5' gimmies on half the holes.

thanks for reading. my wife didn't care at all.

/rant

Lessons are only ok if they mention it once or twice. If they try to teach me every swing I would be very annoyed.

-don't care if ppl are talking when I'm swinging but I'm always respectful and keep quiet when others swing

-once in awhile I totally forget about people's line.

-Why should his ball marks or divots bother you unless it's on your line. I usually don't care if stranger don't fix his ball marks(I fix my ball marks though but I ain't someone's parents)

-Don't care if no one pulls the pin. I'll just walk over and pull it myself but the person who makes the first putt should always put the pin back.

- I walk extremely fast but I take about 30-60seconds to figure out my yardage and where I want to aim. While I was in my swing stance I had one old drunk man yell "anyday now". I made sure I took extra 20seconds when he said that. I'm fast mover and fast player. Usually hit the green on the 2nd shot. annoys me when some old man who takes 5shots to make it to the green. WALK slowly but swing right away doesn't make him a fast player.

-Once in awhile I get a phone call but I hang up in less than 30seconds.

4am and im tired rant/

[Fourputt]

You must be a real joy to play with.

Contrary to your feelings, golf actually IS a social sport.  It's origins are in match play, both single match and foursome or fourball match play, so while you may prefer to go it alone, the game was not founded that way.  Stroke play didn't evolve because players wanted to play alone, but to accommodate larger fields in a competition.  The intent is still to play in groups up to four players.  Now my rant is over.

[SloverUT]

Yeah, I hate getting into a group where people take it super serious and can't even be friendly/cordial.  It makes it so uncomfortable for me to play 18 holes with a guy who hardly ever talks.  I enjoy meeting new people and being social.  Now, that does not mean that I am a chatty Kathy but at the same time I prefer for anyone I am playing with to be sociable.  I also really hate getting paired up with people who start off with 2-3 bad holes and then sulk the rest of the way around the course.

[thanw]

It is always a crap shoot with new people. Many are a good deal of fun, others, not so much. I don't look at golf as a business opportunity and the last thing I want is to talk about work while playing or hear comments from the peanut gallery about my game other than a "nice putt/shot" once in awhile. Beyond that anyone with decent pace and etiquette is welcome to join me/us. On the other hand I am also completely happy to play solo.

[Mac62]

I've had both good and bad experiences being paired with strangers.  The bad ones were bad enough that I prefer to keep it within my circle of friends - or at least friends of friends so I have an idea of what they're going to be like.  I play golf for enjoyment, and it's hard to enjoy it if I end up with one of the "bad" ones.  If I golf with my friends, I know that I'll enjoy the round no matter how badly or how well I play - can't guarantee the same with total strangers.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I think it's very interesting that the better players tee off at 11am!!  I wouldn't play with the later group for that reason alone.  As a low HC golfer, I'd much rather be out in front of the fray.........(not behind it).  My observation:::  It will be slow playing at the tail end of the morning rush......even at a private club.  That is just plain madness.....a recipe for a 4.5-5hr round even on a private course.....IMO

Better players, especially when they are playing for money, bring a golf course to a standstill. At least at our place they do. I hate getting behind them, because I'll be up their ass all day.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by phan52

Better players, especially when they are playing for money, bring a golf course to a standstill. At least at our place they do. I hate getting behind them, because I'll be up their ass all day.

Hmmm...Certainly NOT that way around here. I don't get behind slow groups very often but without exception they are not very good, but insist on keeping score so (I guess) they can get the thrill of writing down that 130 that they shot.

Always tourists though. Any local that is a couple over on a hole is going to put the ball in their pocket where it belongs, and hope for better on the next hole.