People say "nice shot" too soon

[Jakester23]

I seem to get it a lot from strangers as well.  I used to get pissed when Id hit a pull fade off the heel of my driver but it would end up in the middle of the fairway and someone would say it to me. I think I had a little bit of an Erik realization when I took my wife(girlfriend at the time) with me and she said it anytime I hit it in the air ha ha.  She had never seen someone golf and was just riding along.  After I gave her a little $hit for always saying something. I would hit the ball, walk back to the cart she started saying "Im not going to say anything with a smart ass grin" it was hilarious. Now I just say thanks but I hit it a little thin, or pulled it a bit, ect.... Unless it is a good shot then I say you dam right it was.

[Moppy]

I get it now. I was just playing 9 single and a group waived me through and I was hitting my three wood on the second shot of a par four,, because, well, I'm a short knocker. Anyway, I hit it from the heel, it flew left but just cleared the rise about six feet off the ground like a cruise missile and it came back right then disappeared over the hill.

One of the group waiving me through says "nice shot,"  and I thought of this thread and tried to take it for what it was, but I was a little mad, I must admit. Anyway, it did roll to about 30 yards out, and I chipped it to within about 12 feet and made the putt with about an 18 inch break for par. They applauded the putt, as did a group of people chilling on their back porch just above the hole. So it ended up feeling pretty good at the end, and it was pretty clear that they didn't mean anything by the "nice shot." I was just mad at myself when they said it. I think it would take The Buddha himself not to let your emotions get to you for a second in a situation like that.

[atxpkrgolf]

Gonna post this and then read but it's reAlly annoying at first when a player that isn't as good as u says it. Like a 150 yd shot that u hit 40 feet to pin and they would just be happy to be close to green. I always say thanks and let it go nowadays but wasn't always like that. I had friend who would get furious when someone said nice shot if it wasn't up to his standards

[Moppy]

Gonna post this and then read but it's reAlly annoying at first when a player that isn't as good as u says it. Like a 150 yd shot that u hit 40 feet to pin and they would just be happy to be close to green. I always say thanks and let it go nowadays but wasn't always like that. I had friend who would get furious when someone said nice shot if it wasn't up to his standards

All it usually means is "I wish I could do that."  It just always comes at that moment when you are mad at yourself for a mishit by your own standards.

[tefunk]

I say "good shot" or "nice shot" all the time if it is a good or nice shot to me. Complimenting someone seems like a nice thing to do! If someone started giving me attitude or the stink eye... I'd give it right back to them and tell them to get over themselves, or something to that effect. If it's one of my good golf buddies who hits a nice shot... I'd probably call him a d$#k, since he probably just took a skin!

[MS256]

I seem to get it a lot from strangers as well.  I used to get pissed when Id hit a pull fade off the heel of my driver but it would end up in the middle of the fairway and someone would say it to me. I think I had a little bit of an Erik realization when I took my wife(girlfriend at the time) with me and she said it anytime I hit it in the air ha ha.  She had never seen someone golf and was just riding along.  After I gave her a little $hit for always saying something. I would hit the ball, walk back to the cart she started saying "Im not going to say anything with a smart ass grin" it was hilarious. Now I just say thanks but I hit it a little thin, or pulled it a bit, ect.... Unless it is a good shot then I say you dam right it was.

At least she was watching.

My wife doesn't even pay any attention to my shots and especially if another woman is with us. They are just gossiping away and if I hit the best shot in the world they never even know it.

I few weeks ago I made what was probably the hardest and improbable birdie I've ever made with a very long carry across a lake with a fairway wood to 2 feet. Neither my wife nor her playing partner saw the shot or even knew I made a birdie.

[Pretzel]

All it usually means is "I wish I could do that."  It just always comes at that moment when you are mad at yourself for a mishit by your own standards.

I always feel bad when I'm in the middle of mumbling to myself, "Hit it thin/fat/left/right..." when someone starts to say nice shot. It makes me feel like I'm diminishing their opinion of the shot even though they started after me.

[RFKFREAK]

I'm guilty of this. I personally feel a little self conscious when people compliment me on any aspect of my golf game because I'm not good so it's hard for me to take the compliment. I have a friend who is uber impressed by my driving the ball 250 yards and after he says, "awesome shot," or, "wow, look at it go," I don't know what to say but, "thanks."

[late347]

Yeah, there was this one guy in our fourball who commented on my particular thinned approach shot which did roll towards the flag. But nowhere near the pin for sure, not even on the green. And I didn't plan to thin the shot either, obviously.

-He said "nice shot dude"

-I was like, "Nah, the hit wasn't exactly clean, I could feel it was thin"

-He said something like, "Well the result was obviously good enough"

-I said jokingly at the realization, "Well I'm not gonna debate you about this, because I was the one who hit the shot and felt it the best"

[MS256]

Doesn't bother me if somebody says "Good shot" but the guy that constantly yells out something like "Made it!" or "In there!" before a putt gets to the hole drives me a little nuts.

(Especially when it doesn't go in the hole).

Can't they hold off for a second to see if it goes in?

Of course if I make it I barely even notice that they said anything.

[mcanadiens]

I guess its a matter of perspective.

Being both a hack and a lunatic, I hate when someone complements a shot that might be better than any of the last five I hit but still misses the green by 15 yards. It only serves to remind me how bad I did on the other strokes.

Of course, I know they always mean well and try to handle it with the little bit of grace I can muster.

[Fourputt]

it must really stink for all you guys to be playing with nice people

This^^

Why do people let themselves be bothered by this?  So you get a complement you don't feel you deserved - big deal.  They are simply trying to be friendly and pleasant companions - why wouldn't you do the same?  I've made the mistake of saying "Good Shot!" too early and then watched the ball have a late tail and slip into the rough.  I might then modify my comment with a "Too bad" or "Bad break", or if it's still a pretty good shot I'll let my comment stand.  If I'm the one being complimented, I'll just say something like "Thanks... I think it slipped into the rough, but I'll take it."

It's not that hard to answer one pleasant remark with like response, smile, and keep the round moving along on a happy note.

[mcanadiens]

That's because you are a well adjusted person Fourputt.

I realize that what you say is true. Usually I manage something close to that anyway, but what my brain is doing is entirely different.

[Fourputt]

I'm with the OP. Telling someone they've hit a good shot when they plainly haven't, is either ignorance or insincerity. Either way, it's not a compliment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

This (as a blanket statement) is completely incorrect.  It can be ignorance (of your abilities) but it's not insincere and it's definitely an attempt at a compliment (except in my last example, which is ribbing in good fun)  When I play with people I know then I try my best to judge the quality of their shots by their parameters when throwing out compliments.  If my dad puts the ball anywhere remotely near the green on an approach shot, he's probably getting a "nice shot" from me.  (If it ended up in a bunker or heavy rough, I might qualify it a little with a "nice contact" type of specific comment, but it's still good for his abilities and I'm acknowledging it.  If @iacas

puts a PW onto the left side of the green when the pin is right and he leaves himself with a 40' putt, he's getting no comment from me because I know that he's not happy with that shot.  If @mvmac

dumps one in the pond he'll probably get a sarcastic "nice shot" cuz he's fun to mess with.

OK, but you are talking about situations in which you know the golfers well, and know what constitutes a good shot for them.. In most circumstances, the "nice shot" brigade aren't doing that, they're in the same category as the "youdaman" brigade - just making meaningless supposedly encouraging noises that are entirely unrelated to what is going on.

As it happens, while acknowledging your good intentions I also disagree with your approach. As a very moderate golfer myself, the last thing I want is to be complimented on a shot which, while normal for me, I know to be mediocre. It's patronising.

Quote:

@billchao

is dead on here ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by billchao

It's just about being polite, and what's wrong with that? Somebody is being friendly and trying to acknowledge that they are paying some attention to what you're doing.

People have told me "nice shot" on a mishit that ended up decent. I smile and say thanks.

Sure, sometimes its aggravating when somebody compliments you while you are disgusted from screwing up, but say thanks, and move on.  They had nothing but good intentions.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I'm not suggesting one should be rude to people who are trying to be nice. My own response would be something along the lines of "thanks, but actually that was poor".

Boy, you must be a real joy to play golf with!

[rehmwa]

Bear with me - has anyone noticed how "Bump" road signs are always too close to the bump itself?  Instead of 'bump' they should say "thank you, you have just hit a bump" - it's really just filler material on the road.

For some, "nice shot" is just filler material to fill the time and to acknowledge you shot.  I think I might replace "nice one" with "you have just finished your swing" or "how about this weather"

[saevel25]

Bear with me - has anyone noticed how "Bump" road signs are always too close to the bump itself?  Instead of 'bump' they should say "thank you, you have just hit a bump" - it's really just filler material on the road.

For some, "nice shot" is just filler material to fill the time and to acknowledge you shot.  I think I might replace "nice one" with "you have just finished your swing" or "how about this weather"

Couldn't help myself. I a Civil Engineer with in the Traffic Engineering field SO!

Given that a Bump Sign which usually requires a slower speed anyways. We tend to put a 15 m.p.h placard underneath the bump sign to designate a recommended speed as to cross the bump. The letter height should accommodate the distance required to adjust your speed to the bump.

Speed Bump sign is an advance warning sign about a change in road conditions. Lets say your even on a 35 mph roadway, and you need to get to 15 mph. That is a 20 mph drop, so you are talking about "N/A" on the recommended distance. Meaning that there is no minimum distance away from the change in road conditions to where the signs need to be placed. In that case, would place it anywhere from right at the bump to up to 100 feet away, depending on visibility issues and other factors.

Now if we are talking speed "Humps" which are speed bumps but on steroids, we put a sign up 150 feet in advance. Believe me, you DO NOT want to go over those things at anything more than 15 mph, well unless you like trying to knock your bumper off your car.

In the end, it is the driver's responsibility to pay attention to any sort of regulatory or warning signs.

Back on topic,

Yea, I would prefer for players to wait till the ball comes to rest. I don't get mad at people who say "Nice Shot", when I might be disappointed to that. I just say, "Thank You", and move one. I know personally I could have made a better shot. I can't get mad at someone for being nice. I know they are not saying to to rub it in.

[rehmwa]

Couldn't help myself. I a Civil Engineer with in the Traffic Engineering field SO!

OK - the other one is this.  Why are the words on pavement printed backwards?  "Crossing Railroad", "ahead stop" etc.  Is the assumption that drivers really are so tunnel vision that they don't see the whole message but rather each word as it approaches in order?

and don't get me going on how radio people pronounce stuff......Thundastorm, Mondee, Tuesdee,.....etc etc

back on topic - "nice shot"

[saevel25]

OK - the other one is this.  Why are the words on pavement printed backwards?  "Crossing Railroad", "ahead stop" etc.  Is the assumption that drivers really are so tunnel vision that they don't see the whole message but rather each word as it approaches in order?

and don't get me going on how radio people pronounce stuff......Thundastorm, Mondee, Tuesdee,.....etc etc

back on topic - "nice shot"

I would need an image of that. Most pavement markings for railroad crossings are just a big X with two R's.