Define The Bad Golfer

[Patch]

I hear a lot about golfers who think they, or others "suck" at playing golf. So with that in mind define the word "suck" in one's golf game. 

Myself, I can suck with the best of them. Had a suck round today as a matter of fact. Just too many gawd awful shots to contend with. Way over my average score for no apparent reason(s).

Still had fun though. 

[JonMA1]

I've forgotten what the average index is for those who keep track, but in my world, there are a lot of golfers who don't keep track and have no real idea what level they play at. So I play with a lot poor golfers that are around my level with some even worse (I know... hard to believe).

Whenever I hear of someone who shoots in the low double digits describe themselves as you have @Patch, I just shake my head. Yeah, maybe when you play side-by-side with someone who can bomb it 300 yards and keep it in play, hit greens from 200 yards, chip well, putt well... sure, there might be a difference (though I've never seen you play).

As a 10, you probably don't play too many "gawd awful" rounds of golf. Based on my limited experience, you'll never convince me that you're any where near "bad".

[sirsteveo55]

To me the a bad golfer is someone who is extremely inconsistent in all aspects of their game and has a few snowmen (8) on their scorecard but also makes par on a few holes. To me a bad golfer shoots above 98 consistently. 

Another definition for a bad golfer is someone who does not meet the standards they have set. So if you set a standard of making par and you shoot 10 over then you feel like you played bad. But if someone sets a standard of shooting a 100 and they shoot a 95 then they are good. It changes day to day based on the person. 

[Denny Bang Bang]

A bad golfer is anyone I can't stand playing a round with haha

[No Mulligans]

I often see poor golfers that flip, sway on their backswing and don't get their weight forward and have armsy swings.  Most poor golfers have a lot of swing faults in common.

[bones75]

If you've been playing as long as this guy has been, and still have these kind of scorecards...

(at this tourney, max score was a double bogey fyi)

Edited September 13, 2017 by bones75

[amished]

There are golfers that shoot high scores (18+ handicap), but have fun with the activity/social aspect so they don't bother trying to improve or have the time to improve, these people are not bad golfers.

There are golfers who shoot high scores, but seem to hate themselves for it and don't try to improve.  These ARE bad golfers.

There are golfers who shoot low scores (18 or under handicap), and if they don't live up to their own standards they take it out on others/the course.  These ARE bad golfers.

There are golfers who shoot low scores, enjoy themselves because they're either performing well, enjoying the activity/social aspect of it, or are enjoying improving themselves.  These are not bad golfers.

[allenc]

Someone who plays slightly better than me or worse.

[David in FL]

Good golfers are better than me.  Bad golfers are worse than me.

 

[chilepepper]

Bad golfer.....

rageaholic....blames a crap shot on everyone/everything but themselves

club thrower

wont pick up after 8

does not fix ball marks, rake traps.

gets way too hammered on any substances 

i play with anyone regardless of skill level, just have a little class

[mcanadiens]

As someone who is a bad golfer, part of my definition is periodically not being able to finish 18 holes inside the rules of golf.

Even this past year, I had to pick up balls on a few rounds when I was going through the shanks.

[Patch]

Imo, which doesn't mean squat, the bad golfers I have seen, are those golfers who have a bad personality that they bring to a course. Their scores, like everyone elses,  is not a big deal to me. It's how they handle themselves on a golf course. Yes, along this line of thinking, a single digit golfer, I could think of them as a poor golfer, because of their bad attitude. 

Throwing, and breaking clubs. Cussing, and just just being in a foul mood makes me think of them as someone who should take up a new game, if they can't grow out of their current poor behavior. 

I consider myself a decent golfer. That said, I do have days when I should have left the sticks alone. Those poor round days,  I can say to myself "boy I sucked today", even though I didn't cuss, break, or throw a club. My golfing buds might tell me the same thing in jest. If someone saw my bad round, who didn't known me, they might think I was a bad golfer. That round did indeed suck, but as an avid golfer, I personally didn't. 

Edited September 14, 2017 by Patch

[ghalfaire]

I believe being a bad golfer has nothing to do with your score, it has to do with respect you show others and the course, or lack thereof.

[NM Golf]

A bad golfer is anyone who cannot consistently advance the ball around the course. I can play with anyone, but when it takes someone 3-4 shots just to get to my drive and then 3-4 more to get to the green, I get somewhat impatient. Also, its anyone with iron covers, I have never played with any good golfer with iron covers. 

[Fairway_CY]

I laugh when someone says they suck at golf.  To me, there's no such thing.  It's just that there's room for improvement.  

I've have my rounds when I suck compared to the level I had been playing at.  Yesterday, for example.  I went out alone in the morning because I hadn't touched my clubs in about 5 days and I needed to get some swings in.  My ball striking, while not great, wasn't horrible.  Around the greens, though... I sucked.  I missed 6 putts from 3 feet or less.  That sucked.  I had 6 holes where I needed multiple attempts to get on the green from inside 30 yards (some were greenside).  That sucked.  

Overall, though... I don't think anybody sucks at golf.  There are people who take the game more seriously than others and invest the time to improve to a level where they're happy.  There are people who play the game just for fun and never really get an opportunity to practice, so they're at a level where they CAN be at that point.  

Suck is a harsh word.  Also, @ghalfaire has it correct... if you're respectful to others and to the course (and it's components like carts, retaining walls, trees, ponds, etc)... you can play in my group any time.  I don't care if you typically shoot 72 or if you typically shoot 132.  

CY

[CarlSpackler]

[NM Golf]

1 hour ago, Fairway_CY said:

I laugh when someone says they suck at golf.  To me, there's no such thing.  It's just that there's room for improvement.  

I've have my rounds when I suck compared to the level I had been playing at.  Yesterday, for example.  I went out alone in the morning because I hadn't touched my clubs in about 5 days and I needed to get some swings in.  My ball striking, while not great, wasn't horrible.  Around the greens, though... I sucked.  I missed 6 putts from 3 feet or less.  That sucked.  I had 6 holes where I needed multiple attempts to get on the green from inside 30 yards (some were greenside).  That sucked.  

Overall, though... I don't think anybody sucks at golf.  There are people who take the game more seriously than others and invest the time to improve to a level where they're happy.  There are people who play the game just for fun and never really get an opportunity to practice, so they're at a level where they CAN be at that point.  

Suck is a harsh word.  Also, @ghalfaire has it correct... if you're respectful to others and to the course (and it's components like carts, retaining walls, trees, ponds, etc)... you can play in my group any time.  I don't care if you typically shoot 72 or if you typically shoot 132.  

CY

Are you, by any chance, running for public office? That's literally the most PC post I have ever seen on this site.

Unfortunately, its also a load of  lots of people suck at golf. I would say a majority of people suck at golf. As a starter at a municipal golf course I am an expert on people sucking at golf, I have seen hundreds of them. You can still suck at something and have a blast doing it. Golf courses NEED sucky players, if only single digit handicappers were allowed access to golf courses, there would be FAR FEWER golf courses.

Edited September 14, 2017 by NM Golf

[Fairway_CY]

8 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Are you, by any chance, running for public office? That's literally the most PC post I have ever seen on this site.

Unfortunately, its also a load of  lots of people suck at golf. I would say a majority of people suck at golf. As a starter at a municipal golf course I am an expert on people sucking at golf, I have seen hundreds of them.

Haha!  Nope... the most political I get is when I vote for Pro Bowl players.  



As a starter at a public course, I'm sure you've seen some things.  I used to REALLY suck at golf... now I only kinda suck at golf, so... I like to take the 'glass half full' approach with things golf related.  

CY