Need Some Advice on Playing Golf With Higher Handicappers

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, gregsandiego said:

It's always weird when the OP leaves an initial post then never returns.

We call that a 'fly by'

[David in FL]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

We call that a 'fly by'

Or troll....

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

Or troll....

Trolls hang around more. 

[Dunit507]

I haven’t read all the replies but I don’t see anything wrong with a quick talk on the 1st like hey guys no disrespect but I’m playing serious. Prob be immersed in my game today. Won’t be too talkative. Don’t take offense.  It trying to be a dick it’s just how I play when I am competing. Maybe they feed off of it. 

[ChetlovesMer]

Hey brother.

I’m going to tell you what everyone else here either afraid or too polite to tell you.

You are WEAK!

And honestly, I mean that in the nicest way. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings and not trying to be mean. Your game may be strong, but your mind is weak. But, I will help you. … more on that later.

 

If somebody asking your score walking off the green throws you off your game, and you are too afraid of them to just say “Hey, I like to keep my own card.” Or just tell them your score and move on. That is a you problem. That means you are weak.

 

If somebody moving around whilst your putting bothers you. Again, that’s on you. You are weak. The ball isn’t moving. The hole isn’t moving. The green isn’t moving. Letting others line up their putts and prepare for their putt during yours is just a way to speed up play. What on Earth are you looking at anyway. You could have a brass band roll through the fairway and it wouldn’t affect my putt one iota. If they are not actually standing in your line. Then suck it up, buttercup. Strengthen your mental game, brother.

 

Lastly, the talking thing. Okay, here’s what I used to do. When somebody is talking to me and I want to go hit a shot, I would simply say. “Excuse me, I’m anxious to hear that story, but could you give me a minute to get my head around this shot?” Then do your pre-shot routine, hit your ball, come back and say “Now, what were you saying about your mother-in-law?”

That’s what I used to do. But now, I’ve found an even better solution. I TALK DURING MY OWN SHOT. If I’m playing with a chatting person. Or, sometimes just to practice the technique. I stand over the ball. I say “Alright, I’m going to start this 5-wood down the right side toward the greenside bunker. I’m going to hit it with about 6 yards of draw. It’s going to land at about 210 on the collar and roll up next to the pin.” Then WHILE I’M ACTUALLY SWINGING I say “I love my 5-wood. It’s the best club in my bag. I’ve hit this shot a thousand times.” …. Or words to that affect.

Nobody else will talk. And even if they do. Who cares? It really puts you in the moment. You can do it on full shots, chips, putts, whatever you want. Do it a couple of times and you may find you shoot the best scores of your life. You are outwardly expressing your commitment to the shot.

 

This takes a little bit of practice. But once you learn to talk during your own shot nothing and I mean nothing will ever distract you again. When I started doing this, I would bring my dog to the range or a friend or my wife or whomever and just have conversation and literally talk while I’m hitting shots. You will find that pretty soon talking or not talking will have no effect on your performance. When I first started doing this I would just talk about my day or the new brakes I needed for my car. It doesn’t matter.

 

Play 9 holes talking during every one of your own shots and you will find you shoot the same, if not better score than you did when you were all buckled down and serious. Do that a couple of times and nothing will ever distract you again…. You’re welcome.

 

…. Oh, and the high handicappers not respecting the game thing you said… yeah, that kind of made you sound like an a$$-hole. 

[p1n9183]

In my home course... i normally play with high handicappers, and they do everything you said and more.
After a lot of rounds you get used to it and train your focus to the limit.
When i compite with lower handicapper it feel weird! nobody bothers me JA! I´m the chaty one.
Playing with high handicappers it´s a good trainning.  
 

[billchao]

8 hours ago, Moxley said:

It is poor etiquette not to watch a fellow players ball when possible.

I'll take it one step further, it's plain rude. Sometimes I'm writing something in my scorecard or revisiting a practice swing feel after hitting a bad shot, but I'm never intentionally ignoring other players' shots.

I played with a guy like that recently. Had to shout to him numerous times to watch out because he was ahead of someone else in the group who was about to take a shot. A couple of times he would chip on and walk right up to putt while another player was going through their routine. I was tempted to ask if he preferred to go on ahead by himself. We had a foursome that finished in 3:35 so it wasn't a pace of play issue.

But he didn't talk through my shot, so he must have a profound respect for the game 😜

[Carl3]

On 8/23/2018 at 4:12 PM, Rayrobinson said:

Any thoughts

Ray, is that Nick Faldo checking out your alignment in your photo/avatar? Nice shorts😊

[gregsandiego]

On 8/28/2018 at 9:27 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

Hey brother.

 

I’m going to tell you what everyone else here either afraid or too polite to tell you.

 

You are WEAK!

 

And honestly, I mean that in the nicest way. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings and not trying to be mean. Your game may be strong, but your mind is weak. But, I will help you. … more on that later.

 

 

 

If somebody asking your score walking off the green throws you off your game, and you are too afraid of them to just say “Hey, I like to keep my own card.” Or just tell them your score and move on. That is a you problem. That means you are weak.

 

 

 

If somebody moving around whilst your putting bothers you. Again, that’s on you. You are weak. The ball isn’t moving. The hole isn’t moving. The green isn’t moving. Letting others line up their putts and prepare for their putt during yours is just a way to speed up play. What on Earth are you looking at anyway. You could have a brass band roll through the fairway and it wouldn’t affect my putt one iota. If they are not actually standing in your line. Then suck it up, buttercup. Strengthen your mental game, brother.

 

 

 

Lastly, the talking thing. Okay, here’s what I used to do. When somebody is talking to me and I want to go hit a shot, I would simply say. “Excuse me, I’m anxious to hear that story, but could you give me a minute to get my head around this shot?” Then do your pre-shot routine, hit your ball, come back and say “Now, what were you saying about your mother-in-law?”

 

That’s what I used to do. But now, I’ve found an even better solution. I TALK DURING MY OWN SHOT. If I’m playing with a chatting person. Or, sometimes just to practice the technique. I stand over the ball. I say “Alright, I’m going to start this 5-wood down the right side toward the greenside bunker. I’m going to hit it with about 6 yards of draw. It’s going to land at about 210 on the collar and roll up next to the pin.” Then WHILE I’M ACTUALLY SWINGING I say “I love my 5-wood. It’s the best club in my bag. I’ve hit this shot a thousand times.” …. Or words to that affect.

 

Nobody else will talk. And even if they do. Who cares? It really puts you in the moment. You can do it on full shots, chips, putts, whatever you want. Do it a couple of times and you may find you shoot the best scores of your life. You are outwardly expressing your commitment to the shot.

 

 

 

This takes a little bit of practice. But once you learn to talk during your own shot nothing and I mean nothing will ever distract you again. When I started doing this, I would bring my dog to the range or a friend or my wife or whomever and just have conversation and literally talk while I’m hitting shots. You will find that pretty soon talking or not talking will have no effect on your performance. When I first started doing this I would just talk about my day or the new brakes I needed for my car. It doesn’t matter.

 

 

 

Play 9 holes talking during every one of your own shots and you will find you shoot the same, if not better score than you did when you were all buckled down and serious. Do that a couple of times and nothing will ever distract you again…. You’re welcome.

 

 

 

…. Oh, and the high handicappers not respecting the game thing you said… yeah, that kind of made you sound like an a$$-hole. 

 

Good post and an interesting idea about talking through your own shot.

[ChetlovesMer]

Thanks, it really works. Once you can play while talking during your own shot nothing can distract you. 
I used this technique yesterday while being paired up with 3 well lubricated, chatty fellows. They liked to talk... no, they all loved to talk. So, I just talked through my own shot and they were amazed I was able to do that. The first time I did it was on a 75 yard pitch shot... which I'm ready to admit is not my best shot. But I talked to one of them right through hitting my 55 degree sand wedge at about 75% and stuck it to about 6 feet. The guy was amazed and impressed. 

I can't pretend I'm the greatest golfer in the world. But I can tell you I don't get distracted. 

Take care,

[gregsandiego]

7 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Thanks, it really works. Once you can play while talking during your own shot nothing can distract you. 
I used this technique yesterday while being paired up with 3 well lubricated, chatty fellows. They liked to talk... no, they all loved to talk. So, I just talked through my own shot and they were amazed I was able to do that. The first time I did it was on a 75 yard pitch shot... which I'm ready to admit is not my best shot. But I talked to one of them right through hitting my 55 degree sand wedge at about 75% and stuck it to about 6 feet. The guy was amazed and impressed. 

I can't pretend I'm the greatest golfer in the world. But I can tell you I don't get distracted. 

Take care,

I was at  best ball event last week and it was my turn to putt from about 12'. I talked jokingly through the putt , pretending to be a sports announcer. It was the only birdie I made that day. You may be on to something.