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The "friendly wager" dilemma....


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I never saw a bet I didn't like. That said, I would never ask a stranger to bet, but i'll gladly accept a bet from them. We play 5$/stroke on Friday afternoons. Most of our matches involve money. Never more than 100$ changes hands. I keep a betting roll in my bag when i'm on the course, just in case. 

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We have weekend 'Pro-ams' at my course, open to all the members and anybody else with a USGA handicap. we toss in ten bucks, draw teams and off we go. But I know all those guys, yes we had some sandbaggers and some that played fast and loose with the rules. They don't last.

The only time I hooked up with a stranger that offered a bet, I said we play by the rules and we play it down. That ended that. I should have bet, I had him by 8 shots after 9

 

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I say 'no'.  If they persist, I give them a dollar and tell them to stop asking (subtle, right?).  If they still persist, I'll go get another tee time as this person is clearly an ass (not due to the desire to bet, but clearly because they won't relent and respect my preferences) and I don't want to hear him whine for several holes about the situation - this happens a lot too.  I don't bet, it takes away from the fun - it's not my responsibility to have less fun just because it makes it more fun for someone else that's wired wrong - he can have a bet with himself if that's required.  And it brings out dicks a lot more than just a little bit.

You know what?  once they even ask, if they don't just take the decline cheerfully immediately, it's already taken something from my round, whether they insist or not.

Betting and golf are two completely different things.  Anyone that thinks the two belongs together is alien to me.  YMMV

Edited by rehmwa
  • Upvote 1

Bill - 

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Strangely, I love gambling...on everything except golf.  I've made bets on the course once or twice (and sometimes forgot to pay them - still owe you that beer, @jsgolfer!), but never with a stranger.

In all the times that I've been paired with strangers, I've only been asked about betting once...I politely declined, and they never brought it up again.

Weird side reason: I never have cash on me.  Unless for a specific reason, I never carry it.

 

- John

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55 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

I say 'no'.  If they persist, I give them a dollar and tell them to stop asking (subtle, right?).  If they still persist, I'll go get another tee time as this person is clearly an ass (not due to the desire to bet, but clearly because they won't relent and respect my preferences) and I don't want to hear him whine for several holes about the situation - this happens a lot too.  I don't bet, it takes away from the fun - it's not my responsibility to have less fun just because it makes it more fun for someone else that's wired wrong - he can have a bet with himself if that's required.  And it brings out dicks a lot more than just a little bit.

You know what?  once they even ask, if they don't just take the decline cheerfully immediately, it's already taken something from my round, whether they insist or not.

Betting and golf are two completely different things.  Anyone that thinks the two belongs together is alien to me.  YMMV

Yep, but they go together extremely well.

 I would never bring upa bet with a stranger, but it certainly makes the game a little more competitive. I like competition. Which is why we have a 4 man stroke play match every friday. Lowest score wins, the other three pay 5$ per stroke they are behind. We do give strokes for handicap, to make things even, but right now only one of usgets a stroke per side. 

 

But, i'd never try to press anyone in to betting.  

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Never been asked to bet by a stranger.  The times my friends have suggested a bet when we would play together, they would over indulge and forget to keep track of the scores.

4 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

The whole idea about getting angry over a bet is just bizarre.

I don't like gambling very much either. However, I've thought about challenging some of TST Michigan boys to come play my home course. Not sure what the wager could be...maybe pay for their round if they can shoot their average from the tips, or just buy a round of drinks afterwards regardless.

What is your home course?  I need to check it out before I agree to that bet.  Of course, if I lose I pay your round.

Another masochist ensnared by golf

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6 hours ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

The only time I hooked up with a stranger that offered a bet, I said we play by the rules and we play it down. That ended that.

Nice.  I wonder how many bets that phrase has ended on the golf course.

Then again, James Bond and Goldfinger agreed to play strict rules of golf and neither actually did.

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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6 hours ago, tlazzol said:

What is your home course?  I need to check it out before I agree to that bet. 

http://caberfaepeaks.com

6 hours ago, tlazzol said:

Of course, if I lose I pay your round.

That'll work. (I'm a member so I play for free). You can buy me a beer after the round.

Jon

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On 7/20/2017 at 8:42 AM, David in FL said:

Not even a small bet, just for fun?  I'll do a straight $2 Nassau with anyone.  Negotiate strokes on the first tee, then have fun.  

The amount of money has nothing to do with it.  It just adds some interest.  

Yes, that's it. I can't explain it, but even small wagers add some kind of competitive thing for me that makes the round more fun. On the flip side, playing for big money--where I can lose like $300--doesn't add anything more than playing for $30. 

But, as somebody pointed out, I don't like betting with strangers. I've done this twice as I can recall, and promptly took all the money. :-D

But I still don't like to do it.

On 7/20/2017 at 2:28 PM, iacas said:

The point remains… YOU might be fine for $6 or even $60, but other people even when playing for fifty cents turn into dicks, and sometimes it's best to avoid the risk.

This is true, too.

Edited by Aguirre

"Witty golf quote."

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The only times I have played strangers for money have been when I am a guest at a private club and have not met one or more of the golfers in our foursome.  I knew that I would be a playing a pricey Nassau with automatic presses (which I hate) and have both lost and won several hundred dollars in a match which I really do not need to do to enjoy the game.  I am not a good golfer and the worst situation is when a low handicapper is really off and has to hand me over a sizeable amount of money which typically results in some bitterness on that golfer's part.

I used to play a regular Sunday $1 skins game with the same group and that was fine but I rarely gamble on the course anymore.  I just enjoy the game and get my biggest satisfaction out of playing well (for me).  I have also never been asked by a stranger to play for a few bucks.  That being said, I still keep my handicap on GHIN in case some friends want to play for a few bucks or when I get my invitation to play Pine Valley which requires an official 22 HCP or better.

 

Edited by NJpatbee
correct spelling
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I have a Wolf game for breakfast most every Saturday, bottom two of the foursome buy breakfast.  I know the players.  That's my only betting.

One problem with betting is so many players don't follow all the rules.  That creates some awkward situations and I imagine especially with strangers.  Better not to have a bet so I don't worry about others following the rules.

Edited by No Mulligans
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I've never bet playing golf.  I just never had the desire.  If someone asked I'd just tell them no.  I'm not sure what I'd do if the person persisted.

I've done/do too many sports to have to put money on it to make it interesting.  I have to admit that I am overall less competitive than when I was younger.  And golf is just not the same as tennis or basketball where hustle can make up for a lot of things.  In those sports when I lost there was always some satisfaction in inflicting pain on an opponent.

John

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I stopped playing with presses with a certain player when a $1 per hole 9-hole skins game had so many carries and presses that the final hole was worth $28 a person (in a four person group)

$1 on the first hole, press, $3 for the second hole, $5 for the third hole, press, $8 for the fourth hole, $12 for the fifth hole, $15 for the sixth hole, press, $19 for the seventh hole, $23 for the eighth hole, press, $28 for the ninth hole.

I made a birdie on the ninth and took home a very nice chunk of change, but I won't ever play skins with presses with that player again. 

$1 skins or a $5-20 Nassau I'm fine with even if it's a total stranger. I don't mind gambling, I think it's good for your focus on the course, and so long as the damage will never be more than $20 I figure I come out ahead of the average golfer since I usually play for free. I figure I've probably made more than I've lost over the years, but not by a large margin.

Edited by Pretzel
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I don't really benon the course either, my regular group might do $.50 a hole with no carry overs but we play together all the time and it never gets chippy. In my last job everybody liked to bet but some of them, including my boss, could be real dicks if the started losing so those experiences kinda soured me on betting on the course.

my get up and go musta got up and went..
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Man, this reminds me of the 1 and only time I have every been "pressured" into a bet with a stranger. Resort course, single and they pair us up. Nice guy. As we wait on the tee to go off of 1, he casually mentions he "plays better with a little bit on the line". I told him I usually just play for fun, but I can tell he is a little put off. Finally, after I hit my tee shot down the middle, he asks if I would play for $5 a side and $10 to the overall low score if he gives me 2 strokes a side. Now I have just hit it down the middle, probably 250ish. 

I figure I can stand to lose $20 and if it makes for a more enjoyable round for my new golf partner, fine I am in. Well, after 2 holes I was up probably 6 stokes, with 2 pars to his 2 triples. After nine I think I was up about 10 strokes. As we pull up to 10 tee, he mentions he is down a bunch and I tell him, look we should just enjoy the back and don't worry about paying for the front. Nope, he says he wants to at least win back the 5 he lost on the front, so the back can we make it for $10 and then $10 for the overall. I say what the heck.

Finish 18, he may have won 2 holes all round, probably shot close to 100 because I promise I don't remember breaking 80. Tells me as we walk off 18 that his money is in his car and he will catch me in the grill. As I am putting my clubs in the car, I hear him start his car and drive off. Guess the amount didn't matter to him as he was not planning on paying up anyway. Good lesson for me, even if you win, and you don't know the person, you may not win anyway. So why bother playing for money with strangers?

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46 minutes ago, dzclarkcpa said:

Man, this reminds me of the 1 and only time I have every been "pressured" into a bet with a stranger. Resort course, single and they pair us up. Nice guy. As we wait on the tee to go off of 1, he casually mentions he "plays better with a little bit on the line". I told him I usually just play for fun, but I can tell he is a little put off. Finally, after I hit my tee shot down the middle, he asks if I would play for $5 a side and $10 to the overall low score if he gives me 2 strokes a side. Now I have just hit it down the middle, probably 250ish. 

I figure I can stand to lose $20 and if it makes for a more enjoyable round for my new golf partner, fine I am in. Well, after 2 holes I was up probably 6 stokes, with 2 pars to his 2 triples. After nine I think I was up about 10 strokes. As we pull up to 10 tee, he mentions he is down a bunch and I tell him, look we should just enjoy the back and don't worry about paying for the front. Nope, he says he wants to at least win back the 5 he lost on the front, so the back can we make it for $10 and then $10 for the overall. I say what the heck.

Finish 18, he may have won 2 holes all round, probably shot close to 100 because I promise I don't remember breaking 80. Tells me as we walk off 18 that his money is in his car and he will catch me in the grill. As I am putting my clubs in the car, I hear him start his car and drive off. Guess the amount didn't matter to him as he was not planning on paying up anyway. Good lesson for me, even if you win, and you don't know the person, you may not win anyway. So why bother playing for money with strangers?

Some people just don't seem to even entertain the possibility that one day someone might just beat them into one big bruise!

;-) 

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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