I Hate Getting Paired Up With "That Guy"

[Southern by Choice]

You sound like a true gentleman!  Your playing partners had the opportunity to respond to your offer by saying, "Thanks, but I’m trying to work things out on my own" or "No, thanks.  I really do know what I’m doing, just can’t seem to execute."  Either way, there's no ill will.

[shooter]

I cant stand golfing w people that play "casual" golf. 

They are very inconsiderate. They think cause they are there to have fun. It's ok to not watch my putting line, or bother to hold off on there conversation while I'm going thru my pre shot stuff.

Cracking open beers whenever they feel like (in my back swing). I can go on and on, I know it's a by product of playing at public courses, but instill wanted to rant.

I race motocross, and practice days at mx tracks are split up by how fast the riders are, because a having slow rider and fast riders on the same track,  at the same time can be dangerous.

So, the track groups the rider based on skill level. Fantastic system!

I wish courses had days, or blocks of tee times saved for only low cap golfers. That way I can feel better about going to play as a single and not get stuck with someone who doesnt really care for golf or the its etiquette. Maybe even get to play a competitive round. If the other player is feeling it.

[uitar9]

Out on the muni yesterday paired with two friends, one who was golfing for the second time, and another single.

He was "that guy" who angrily told the new guy how he was flagrantly breaking all the golf etiquette rules, especially stepping on his green line.

on a busy course, the number of people who have stepped on my line...for hours...before I ever got there...unknownst to me...is probably in the 100's...

poor guy may never come back...Life is too short....

[Talldog]

You can never be sure if he is trying to help or trying to get in your head.

Reply: "I never make changes during a round; I'll save that for practice on the range."

"Helpful" people are often that way, because it boosts their ego to see someone taking their advice. Without that immediate feedback, they'll back off.

[jetsknicks1]

2 hours ago, shooter said:

I cant stand golfing w people that play "casual" golf. 

They are very inconsiderate. They think cause they are there to have fun. It's ok to not watch my putting line, or bother to hold off on there conversation while I'm going thru my pre shot stuff.

Cracking open beers whenever they feel like (in my back swing). I can go on and on, I know it's a by product of playing at public courses, but instill wanted to rant.

I race motocross, and practice days at mx tracks are split up by how fast the riders are, because a having slow rider and fast riders on the same track,  at the same time can be dangerous.

So, the track groups the rider based on skill level. Fantastic system!

I wish courses had days, or blocks of tee times saved for only low cap golfers. That way I can feel better about going to play as a single and not get stuck with someone who doesnt really care for golf or the its etiquette. Maybe even get to play a competitive round. If the other player is feeling it.

I think your confusing rudeness with what you call casual golf”. People who make noise during your pre shot or backswing are just rude and has nothing to do with how serious they take the game. As far as walking thru your putting line, I’ve never understood why that bothers people. The days of actual metal spikes that could leave a mark in the green are over. The newer shoes don’t leave any marks and odds are plenty of people have walked on your line before you got to the green.

As fas as having tee times set aside just for lower handicap golfers, that’s just silly and a bit rude. I play to an unofficial 17 and I have as much right to be on the course, at any time of the day as you do.

[p1n9183]

Agree with the last post. I play a lot of casual rounds and I´m very considerate with my playing partners that are playing tournament. 

Rude people that only cares about themselves are just rude people, it doesn´t matter their handicapp or their playing intentions. 

 

 

[IowaGreg]

I guess I'm spoiled here.  None of the local course require being paired up......even on busy days.

OR..........

Oh Crap, maybe it's me that they won't pair up with anyone else !!!!!!!

 

Edited July 25, 2019 by IowaGreg

[Patch]

Said this before, I don't care who I golf with. I can be as sociable as the next sociable golfer. I am also totally checked out on ignoring others. If not ignoring the problem, I can also give that problem a taste of it's own ignorance. 

Will I knowingly golf with a jerk of a golfer? Not hardly. There's been a few times I have bowed out, and taken a later tee time. 

I am golfing. Doing something I love to do. Letting someone else spoil that for me just isn't in my wheel house. 

[Southern by Choice]

4 hours ago, shooter said:

I cant stand golfing w people that play "casual" golf. 

They are very inconsiderate. They think cause they are there to have fun. It's ok to not watch my putting line, or bother to hold off on there conversation while I'm going thru my pre shot stuff.

Cracking open beers whenever they feel like (in my back swing). I can go on and on, I know it's a by product of playing at public courses, but instill wanted to rant.

I race motocross, and practice days at mx tracks are split up by how fast the riders are, because a having slow rider and fast riders on the same track,  at the same time can be dangerous.

So, the track groups the rider based on skill level. Fantastic system!

I wish courses had days, or blocks of tee times saved for only low cap golfers. That way I can feel better about going to play as a single and not get stuck with someone who doesnt really care for golf or the its etiquette. Maybe even get to play a competitive round. If the other player is feeling it.

 

There's RUDE and then there's IGNORANT, and skill level has little to do with it.  I played in a foursome where one of the women kept standing right behind the cup when someone else was putting.  She kept being waved aside, and then she’d roll her eyes at me as if to say, "What's up with HER??"  I finally took her aside and explained what she should be doing and where she should be standing.  For whatever reason, she’d never known that part of golf etiquette!

I'm a high-handicapper, but I chair our club's Handicap Committee, so I know rules and I know etiquette—and I can keep pace on the course with even strong players.  So skill level is not really the issue...

[Double Mocha Man]

5 hours ago, Talldog said:

You can never be sure if he is trying to help or trying to get in your head.

Reply: "I never make changes during a round; I'll save that for practice on the range."

"Helpful" people are often that way, because it boosts their ego to see someone taking their advice. Without that immediate feedback, they'll back off.

I had a friend I played a lot of golf with years ago.  Over the course of two years he was playing worse and worse.  There was an easy-to-spot serious flaw in his swing.  Being courteous, I asked if he'd like me to point it out, allowing that some people don't want advice.  He said "No".  He went on to play horrible golf, getting worse, over the next couple years.  Then he gave it up.

5 hours ago, uitar9 said:

Out on the muni yesterday paired with two friends, one who was golfing for the second time, and another single.

He was "that guy" who angrily told the new guy how he was flagrantly breaking all the golf etiquette rules, especially stepping on his green line.

on a busy course, the number of people who have stepped on my line...for hours...before I ever got there...unknownst to me...is probably in the 100's...

poor guy may never come back...Life is too short....

Just a word in defense of stepped-on putting lines.  Yes, 100's have come before to make impressions on the green.  Look close after someone picks up their foot... you will see it.  But after the passage of a few minutes that turf springs back and is flat again for the next group.

[Double Mocha Man]

On 12/27/2013 at 11:24 PM, plum said:

whenever paired up with "that guy" i find that one nasty/mean comment to them shuts them up for the round or they quit after a few holes cause i dont talk to them at all. its really pretty simple.

I think there's a U.S. diplomat job in your future...

14 hours ago, DrMJG said:

Today, paired up with a guy with little to no basic golf course related courtesy.

When it was time for my shots from the tee, he would talk somewhat loudly to himself, usually mumbling about his last shot. Also walked around more than in my vision. Solving one problem and ignoring the other, I asked him to stand still or simply be behind me.  Needed a reminder every 3 or 4 holes.

He he preferred to walk, at least I did not share my cart!

But this is what annoyed me the most!

He walked away from every fairway divot he made and every  needed green repair after his wedge shots. One the first green, I made the repair of his damage so I could make my putt.  I offered him my extra repair tool but his reply was "What would I need the for". I gave a rather low key answer and told him how the repair is simple to do, He grunted, "That's what the greens keepers are paid to do."  I guess that also applied to his simply dropping his cigars anyplace he felt was ok.

I made repairs to three wildly big divots made after his very bad 7i shots.  I did not even bother to say anything to him any more. I love this course and do my best to keep it playable after I cause damage. 

Mild revenge was achieved when the starter, who knows me fairly well, asked how my game was and I replied, "My game was OK, but never pair me with him again" He sighed and said "We get more complaints about him than any other golfer on our course. We may have to suspend his playing privileges again".  As the starter is about 6'4 and very much in shape, I suspect there was no back talk when he went to speak with him.

The starter gave me a free beverage at the 19th hole as thanks.

I will take true novices, duffers, teenagers, middle school players, old guys who no longer play well (like me), people who talk except when anybody is hitting the ball, even unique scoring system people, over guys who think they own the course!

Oh, I want to be that guy's wife!  Me, me, me!  Just kidding, I am straight... though not always on my drives.

[Buckeyebowman]

9 hours ago, jetsknicks1 said:

I think your confusing rudeness with what you call casual golf”. People who make noise during your pre shot or backswing are just rude and has nothing to do with how serious they take the game. As far as walking thru your putting line, I’ve never understood why that bothers people. The days of actual metal spikes that could leave a mark in the green are over. The newer shoes don’t leave any marks and odds are plenty of people have walked on your line before you got to the green.

As fas as having tee times set aside just for lower handicap golfers, that’s just silly and a bit rude. I play to an unofficial 17 and I have as much right to be on the course, at any time of the day as you do.

Besides, with the new rules you are allowed to tamp down spike marks. I think the footprint issue can have more to do with the condition of the green rather than the golfers on it. Well, unless there's some slew-footed rhinoceros in front of you who can't pick up their feet and scuffs up the green! 

There's a course, I guess I'd call it local since it's in NE Ohio, but it's a pretty good drive to get there, that had greens that would just hold footprints! There were even comments about that on GolfAdvisor, and other golf course rating sites. We had noticed this ourselves. Then last year, when we went to play the course again, the greens no longer showed footprints! 

I noticed this on the second hole, and it continued that way throughout the round. I have to feel that course management changed some of their practices. I really can't imagine anything else that would cause that kind of change.

[jetsknicks1]

45 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Besides, with the new rules you are allowed to tamp down spike marks. I think the footprint issue can have more to do with the condition of the green rather than the golfers on it. Well, unless there's some slew-footed rhinoceros in front of you who can't pick up their feet and scuffs up the green! 

There's a course, I guess I'd call it local since it's in NE Ohio, but it's a pretty good drive to get there, that had greens that would just hold footprints! There were even comments about that on GolfAdvisor, and other golf course rating sites. We had noticed this ourselves. Then last year, when we went to play the course again, the greens no longer showed footprints! 

I noticed this on the second hole, and it continued that way throughout the round. I have to feel that course management changed some of their practices. I really can't imagine anything else that would cause that kind of change.

Fair enough.

[imsys0042]

Two kinds of "that guy" that I cannot stand.   They are related, but there really is quite the difference between them.

The first is the self-absorbed guy.   Not someone who is into his/her game and doesn't say much.  Nothing wrong with that.   it's the selfish, "no one else really matters" persona that drives me crazy.   The best example I have of this was a match I was playing against another member where I used to play in the NE.  We get paired up with a twosome, one guy is fine the other is .... exactly what I described.

We tell them that we are playing a match.  First hole goes ok.  Second hole, he starts playing music while I am teeing off.   Fourth hole, we wait for him to stop talking while he tells us that he belongs to another club and it's much better than this one.  Couple of times on the front nine, he drops extra balls while myself or my opponent are hitting their shots.  Finally we get to 16 and he just starts laughing and laughing at some joking while I am swinging, lose the hole to even the match.   On 17 he does the same damn thing as earlier...drops a ball while I am hitting my approach shot (over a lake and woods) to the green.  I end up losing one down because my approach flew crazy left.   It was right in my back swing and he was like 15 feet from me.

Hilariously, my opponent told me "you shouldn't let someone like that bother you".   My unspoken response was "he did it to me more than you!".   I didn't even shake his hand or acknowledge him at the end of the round.   People like him are just poison, because while most people are nice and won't get into it with people, they put up with a lot from buffoons like them.

 

Second person is the person who obsessively has to tell you that their play doesn't reflect how good they are.   The "this is the worst round I have ever had" guy, despite carding a handicap that leads you to believe that this is exactly how he plays.   There is someone like that in my Sunday game.   Several people won't play with him.   It's not that he is a bad player, its that in his mind he has to justify every bad swing he hits, to the point where he won't shut up.  He'll follow you around and go on and on about what esoteric thing is causing his troubles, yet he is clearly much better.  And then, whoa boy, when he hits a good one...that's your conversation for 4 holes.

The main issue that I have is that he can't just shut up.  No one cares.  If you are a nice person who doesn't cause trouble, you're gold on the golf course.  Secondly, I'll freely admit when I hit a bad shot, or have a bad round.   I am confident enough in my play to say so.   It's no big deal.   If someone asks me what the heck happened on a swing, I'm fine to say "I just made a bad swing".   However, this guy....you'll here it's the ground conditions, the slope of the ground, his wife, an injury, etc....  Next time I'm unlucky enough to be paired with him, I'm wearing my Beats headphones the whole round.

[Double Mocha Man]

32 minutes ago, imsys0042 said:

Two kinds of "that guy" that I cannot stand.   They are related, but there really is quite the difference between them.

The first is the self-absorbed guy.   Not someone who is into his/her game and doesn't say much.  Nothing wrong with that.   it's the selfish, "no one else really matters" persona that drives me crazy.   The best example I have of this was a match I was playing against another member where I used to play in the NE.  We get paired up with a twosome, one guy is fine the other is .... exactly what I described.

We tell them that we are playing a match.  First hole goes ok.  Second hole, he starts playing music while I am teeing off.   Fourth hole, we wait for him to stop talking while he tells us that he belongs to another club and it's much better than this one.  Couple of times on the front nine, he drops extra balls while myself or my opponent are hitting their shots.  Finally we get to 16 and he just starts laughing and laughing at some joking while I am swinging, lose the hole to even the match.   On 17 he does the same damn thing as earlier...drops a ball while I am hitting my approach shot (over a lake and woods) to the green.  I end up losing one down because my approach flew crazy left.   It was right in my back swing and he was like 15 feet from me.

Hilariously, my opponent told me "you shouldn't let someone like that bother you".   My unspoken response was "he did it to me more than you!".   I didn't even shake his hand or acknowledge him at the end of the round.   People like him are just poison, because while most people are nice and won't get into it with people, they put up with a lot from buffoons like them.

 

Second person is the person who obsessively has to tell you that their play doesn't reflect how good they are.   The "this is the worst round I have ever had" guy, despite carding a handicap that leads you to believe that this is exactly how he plays.   There is someone like that in my Sunday game.   Several people won't play with him.   It's not that he is a bad player, its that in his mind he has to justify every bad swing he hits, to the point where he won't shut up.  He'll follow you around and go on and on about what esoteric thing is causing his troubles, yet he is clearly much better.  And then, whoa boy, when he hits a good one...that's your conversation for 4 holes.

The main issue that I have is that he can't just shut up.  No one cares.  If you are a nice person who doesn't cause trouble, you're gold on the golf course.  Secondly, I'll freely admit when I hit a bad shot, or have a bad round.   I am confident enough in my play to say so.   It's no big deal.   If someone asks me what the heck happened on a swing, I'm fine to say "I just made a bad swing".   However, this guy....you'll here it's the ground conditions, the slope of the ground, his wife, an injury, etc....  Next time I'm unlucky enough to be paired with him, I'm wearing my Beats headphones the whole round.

Both those guys seem to have an ego bigger than their skill level.  Yes, they are poison.  

[Yukari]

I can only think of one type of player I would rather not get paired-up with: slow players.

I can tune out any noise as long as it is not a sudden loud noise.  Sometimes, people would apologize for talking during my swing.  I tell them that I honestly did not notice them talking.

[Double Mocha Man]

So you wouldn't play with Mr. Dechambeau?

[Yukari]

13 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

So you wouldn't play with Mr. Dechambeau?

Just shoot me and put me out of my misery.