Not So Easy To Find The Right Golf Friends

[sophia K]

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, sophia K said:

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

A lot of folks join leagues for this reason. They find friends in the league and play outside the league with them.

[Patch]

I never really worried about who I golfed with. I tend to walk on alot of times, and get paired with total strangers. Some of those strangers have become friends. Others, not so much. 

Other times I am fortunate enough to have a group of life long friends who can still swing a club. Some of us have known each other since our child hood days. Those games are the best of the best for me. Gamesmanship is a fun priority. 

About the only thing I won"t do is to go out of my way to golf with people who come across as pompous, and/or arrogant. I will golf with such an individual, if paied up. I just won't plan a head on doing it. . 

Leagues are a good way to find folks worth spending time on the golf course more than once.

If I play at 10am, on a thursday, I usually run into the same people to golf with. Scheduling one's play is amother good way to meet new golfers.  

Golf is one of those games that does not allow one to hide their true personality

[Cantankerish]

6 hours ago, sophia K said:

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

This is an issue for me, actually.  I have the bug bad right now.  The guys who introduced me to the game are in it for recreation, and not likely to do anything silly like join an online forum to improve themselves.  So here I am.  The game can be played as Patch is willing to, sorta for the love of the game.  I have done that.

But I prefer the idea of losing yourself in the endless opportunities of a grand manicured green space for hours with some friends and laughs.

Do you have the opportunity to practice/play with good friends at all, or just not as often as you would like?

[billchao]

8 hours ago, sophia K said:

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

No, it's not. It's actually one of the reasons I started playing golf over other sports, because golf is something I can do on my own schedule. I get tired of playing with strangers all the time though.

[chspeed]

10 minutes ago, billchao said:

No, it's not. It's actually one of the reasons I started playing golf over other sports, because golf is something I can do on my own schedule. I get tired of playing with strangers all the time though.

I used to not mind playing with strangers. But over the years, I've come to greatly prefer playing with friends. I have a small group of about 6 golfers so that usually we can get at least 2, and often 4, together every weekend. As is typical of NYC, though, people move away, especially once they have kids, so we've had defections and new additions over the years.

 

[Nutsmacker]

8 hours ago, sophia K said:

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

No, it is not.  I did join a league a year ago for this very reason.  I am happy to say that I did make one golf friend from the league; which was the goal.  Not necessarily winning the league.  We have played a handful of times since we met and he is a nice friend to have.  However, it is hard to make golf buddies.  I play as a single a lot and play with strangers almost every time.  Some rounds with strangers have been a lot of fun and we have exchanged numbers to play again at a point in the future.  However, that has rarely panned out as a true golf friend for very long.  I do play with the same singles fairly often at my local muni and I would say we are quasi-golf friends in that when we are both there; we will agree to play with each other  but never call each other beforehand to arrange a game.  I am guessing that some people prefer it that way...

I joined some weekend hacker tours thinking I would meet some golf friends there...but that did not work out very well either.  Not saying that I won't say hello to the folks when I run into them at a course at a later date if we recognize each other...its just that when playing in the tournaments; no one seems to be in the mood to make friends.  Which is understandable.

I also joined this forum(as with many other reasons) with the hope of maybe getting to know some other avid golf fans in my area.  

[IowaGreg]

My father used to play with the local AMVETS group.  They would play Monday and Thursday mornings at a different course each time within  50 mile radius. Draw cards for a 2 man best ball format.  When I was only working part time, I would join up with them on Mondays.  Helped me a lot listening and watching those older gentleman who had been at it for 50 + years.

Working full time now and only get to join up with them 1-2 x a month.  Because of my weird hours at work and my weekends are pretty much dedicated to the wife who due to an EX - and physical disabilities, doesn't even like me to play, let alone join me even to drive the cart.  I play 90% my myself with just the voices in my head.  Occasionally some of the guys from work get together and go play 9 and a couple of the local courses.

 

 

[David in FL]

 The only time I play with strangers, is if I’m playing some kind of competitive event.  Other than that, I prefer to play with close friends and golf buddies.  I NEVER play alone.

[Nutsmacker]

7 minutes ago, David in FL said:

 The only time I play with strangers, is if I’m playing some kind of competitive event.  Other than that, I prefer to play with close friends and golf buddies.  I NEVER play alone.

There are many of us that are envious of your situation.  I have 4 local golf friends and its a challenge to get everyone together any more then a couple of times a month.  

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, Nutsmacker said:

There are many of us that are envious of your situation.  I have 4 local golf friends and its a challenge to get everyone together any more then a couple of times a month.  

I found mine by meeting and playing with various golf “groups” over the years.

After awhile, acquaintances become buddies.  If you’re new to an area though, the only way to develop golf buddies is to get out and play with people.  It won’t happen playing by yourself...

[jamo]

I like playing alone. It is what you make of it. 

[dennyjones]

I play with other retirees that I worked with.    I do play with two other groups, one being close older friends and another that I met after being paired as a single.    I have no reservation about playing alone and often do.

[3jacker]

21 hours ago, jamo said:

I like playing alone. It is what you make of it. 

Me too.  Doesn't bother me a bit.

Nor does playing with strangers, as long as they're not slow or weird.

Of course, playing with friends/family is ideal.

[chilepepper]

On 2/21/2019 at 12:13 PM, IowaGreg said:

 

  I play 90% my myself with just the voices in my head.  Occasionally some of the guys from work get together and go play 9 and a couple of the local courses.

 

 

   Excellent ! Now I have a name for my early morning group. Sometimes it’s a twosome sometimes there’s eight

[colin007]

23 hours ago, jamo said:

I like playing alone. It is what you make of it. 

I would love to play alone but I'm going blind and I need all the help I can get tracking my ball in the air...

[gjunkie57]

On 2/21/2019 at 6:05 AM, sophia K said:

Like any other sports, it's not so easy to find the right golf friends with similar skills, similar schedules, similar goal, right chemistry.... and of course in the same area. 

I have different groups I golf with.

I play with scratch golfers (humbling), old geezers (great stories), strangers (new perspectives), my league (trash talk), my wife (fun), and alone (practice).

I have gained alot of friendships on the course. 

[SloopDanB]

I used to not mind playing with strangers back in the day. These days, it sucks. I actually quit my Men's Club (I was new) and every 3 some I got paired up with started in with Politics. These duechebags don't even know me and start talkin' smack about my people! ha ha. Happened 3 months in a row. Bye!