I shouldnt be playing golf...apparently!!

[RussUK]

Sorry guys, bit of a rant that i have to get off my chest otherwise it will fester.

Had discussion the other weekend at a kids party my son was at with a bloke who turned out to be a fellow golfer. It started off nice talking about where we play, how long we had played for and our last rounds and practice sessions, just the usual.

Then came THE question....."whats your handicap?". At first glance its a fairly innocent question, he said he played of 12 and i replied that i used to play to 21 a few years ago but due to family time taking over from golf time i currently dont have an active or official handicap and just play for fun.

This is the point the converstation turned sour. He told me it was his belief that ALL golfers should maintain a handicap and those that didnt couldnt call themselves golfers going as far as saying that they shouldnt be on the course.

He said as far as he was concerned the handicap system was like "a drivers licence for the golf course" and proof that you were competent enough to be on a course with other golfers but he said i was more than welcome to go to a driving range. "Oh thank you kind sir, im am forever grateful you see fit to allow me to go to the range", i didnt actually say that just simply that he was a dick and went to talk to someone with a much higher IQ......my 4 year old son.

Its rare that i come accross moron's like this but it does happen. Do his beleifs have any validity in your opinions?

[Marty2019]

43 minutes ago, RussUK said:

Sorry guys, bit of a rant that i have to get off my chest otherwise it will fester.

Had discussion the other weekend at a kids party my son was at with a bloke who turned out to be a fellow golfer. It started off nice talking about where we play, how long we had played for and our last rounds and practice sessions, just the usual.

Then came THE question....."whats your handicap?". At first glance its a fairly innocent question, he said he played of 12 and i replied that i used to play to 21 a few years ago but due to family time taking over from golf time i currently dont have an active or official handicap and just play for fun.

This is the point the converstation turned sour. He told me it was his belief that ALL golfers should maintain a handicap and those that didnt couldnt call themselves golfers going as far as saying that they shouldnt be on the course.

He said as far as he was concerned the handicap system was like "a drivers licence for the golf course" and proof that you were competent enough to be on a course with other golfers but he said i was more than welcome to go to a driving range. "Oh thank you kind sir, im am forever grateful you see fit to allow me to go to the range", i didnt actually say that just simply that he was a dick and went to talk to someone with a much higher IQ......my 4 year old son.

Its rare that i come accross moron's like this but it does happen. Do his beleifs have any validity in your opinions?

 

I don't have any kind of official handicap.  Sometimes I don't even keep score. 

Obviously, his attitude would bankrupt every golf course in the world if it was enforced. 

My advice to you is, rather than being mad at the guy, feel sorry for him, because obviously he has such a lack of social skills that he may not have any friends. 

  

 

[Patch]

No, his opinion has no validity in this instance. That said everyone has opinions, and they are entitled to their own opinions. I myself have opinions on golf that others find distasteful. Not my problem. 

Me personally, I don't care what others do with their golf scores. Not having a handicap is not a big deal. Everyone plays this game for different reasons. I played 18 holes the other day. I have no idea what my score was. Next week I will playing some pretty nice courses, and my scores will be important to me. 

[RussUK]

I have no problem with people having opinons and i am happy for them to voice them as long as they dont try to force them on me or get aggresive. i agree with @Marty2019about his attitude, some people still cling to the old elitest view of golf and that working class folks like myself have no business on a golf course.

Dont get me wrong, for many, having a handicap ang getting it low is something to be rightly proud of. Just dont use it to lord it over ther rest of us (not that anyone here would do it, we're all good boys and girls here).

And you are right Marty, not getting mad is the best way (i was more annoyed then mad) but to be fair he was a dick

[Moxley]

Seeking relative advantage to our peers is a very human trait (albeit not a good one imo), that will manifest itself wherever possible. Many studies show that people are happier with relative wealth than with absolute wealth , for example. I would guess that your acquaintance here would prefer his course stayed exclusive even if that meant less investment, lower quality facilities, higher prices and so on, because it allows him to feel superior. 

As above, It is more appropriate to feel sorry for the guy. 

 

[Foot Wedge]

I actually agree with this guy....there should be a certain "license" to be on the course as opposed to the range. And that is COURTESY.  As long as you've got the basics of etiquette down, are respectful, and do your best not to hold up the pace of play, you have every right to enjoy whatever course you shell out your hard earned money to play.

Sounds like he runs with a crowd that does nothing but dick measure rather than actually enjoy the game and each other during a round, which is quite sad as others have abundantly pointed out.  Some people need every reason to feel better than others, some are just good-hearted folks.  The latter he is not.

[saevel25]

3 hours ago, RussUK said:

He told me it was his belief that ALL golfers should maintain a handicap and those that didnt couldnt call themselves golfers going as far as saying that they shouldnt be on the course.

He's an asshat.

3 hours ago, RussUK said:

He said as far as he was concerned the handicap system was like "a drivers licence for the golf course" and proof that you were competent enough to be on a course with other golfers but he said i was more than welcome to go to a driving range. "Oh thank you kind sir, im am forever grateful you see fit to allow me to go to the range",

I know people who do not have an official handicap who could trounce golfers with a handicap. Handicap does not equate ability.

8 minutes ago, Foot Wedge said:

I actually agree with this guy....there should be a certain "license" to be on the course as opposed to the range. And that is COURTESY.  As long as you've got the basics of etiquette down, are respectful, and do your best not to hold up the pace of play, you have every right to enjoy whatever course you shell out your hard earned money to play.

I disagree about the license. Licenses have routinely been used as a method to subjugate people, and quickly turn political. This has happened in the US with professional licensing boards.

Here is the thing, all the things you listed are subjective. I get upset with things golfers do that some people just do not care. I see people get upset at something I don't care about. Pace of play is subjective. Basically people do not want to have to wait long for any shot. That is all dependent on their groups playing ability. If they are having a bad day, they will feel like they are not being held up. If they are having a good golfing day, they might feel different.

Yea, not a good idea in my opinion.

[colin007]

I'm a 12ish also so I can accurately verify that he sucks just like I do.

[Foot Wedge]

4 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I disagree about the license. Licenses have routinely been used as a method to subjugate people, and quickly turn political. This has happened in the US with professional licensing boards.

I guess my sarcasm didn't come through in my post, sorry all.  Believe me, your statement that I'm quoting regarding this particular issue is right in line with my beliefs, which is all I'll state before going off topic.  My point was that a license to play golf is a terribly misguided idea that would produce no discernible benefits and anyone that is respectful of the game and others has every right to be on the course.

[saevel25]

4 minutes ago, Foot Wedge said:

I guess my sarcasm didn't come through in my post, sorry all.

Nah, my bad. Mea Culpa on my part. I totally misread that

[RussUK]

I'm still getting over @saevel25and the "asshat" comment .

Needless to say, he wouldnt be getting an invite to the next dad;s golf outing.

[chilepepper]

Sounds like this fellow suffers from a rectal cranial inversion. Pay no attention to the fool

[RussUK]

2 minutes ago, chilepepper said:

Sounds like this fellow suffers from a rectal cranial inversion. Pay no attention to the fool

Haha, i had to google that. Thats up there with asshat!

[krupa]

4 hours ago, RussUK said:

He told me it was his belief that ALL golfers should maintain a handicap and those that didnt couldnt call themselves golfers

This a perfect example of "gate keeping".

I kind of understand where he's coming from, though.  I don't carry a handicap, I don't keep score and I don't worry about following the rule book to the letter.  In other words, I don't really play the game of golf. Therefore, I'm not a "golfer."  I can live with that.

Quote

going as far as saying that they shouldnt be on the course

This part is just elitist bullshit, in my opinion, but it doesn't matter; my course is happy to let anyone play who wants to.

[Foot Wedge]

13 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Nah, my bad. Mea Culpa on my part. I totally misread that

Well plain text makes it easy for things to get lost in translation.  Hopefully you don't have any bad experiences with getting your PE.  I'm working on the experience requirements currently.  Ok, back to topic. 

He shouldn't get an invite!  Who would want to play with someone like that?  All he'd do is complain about not playing 'real golf' because he's out with a group of heathens that aren't card carrying handicap players.  Full disclosure, I'm not good, as you can tell by my lack of score achievements. But golf should be fun whether you're keeping a legit score or using a few "breakfast balls".  No point in having this bummer tagging along.

[Groucho Valentine]

Is it true in the UK one has to have a verifiable handicap to play at certain courses? 

[Moxley]

Yes, and some specify a certain handicap, but none that I play at. I also don't think that is a problem if a club wants to be for better golfers, it just wouldn't be my type of club. 

[saevel25]

17 minutes ago, Foot Wedge said:

Hopefully you don't have any bad experiences with getting your PE.  I'm working on the experience requirements currently.  Ok, back to topic. 

In Ohio, it was pretty simple. By simple if you mean taking an 8 hour test, then yea.  Good luck!