CoffeeBean

Precisely what I was thinking as my cart-jacker drove away, and reading about these crazy events!

I was thinking tackle... as in "sacking the quarterback".

Failed to follow up yesterday. Would you believe 111? Just. Damn.

That's nuttier than the cart-jack. Nuttier than squirrel-$hit, actually!

How are we measuring? From ground to tip of grip, my putter is 35", but if we're measuring the tip of the grip to the insertion point of the shaft, it's 31.5". I'm 5'4".

Wow! I don't know... I've known some loud Marines (the ones I'm related to), but that's over the top. Whatever happened to "Sure guys, play through" ? I'm in Florida, and probably play six courses (all very close to me) on a regular basis. On this particular course, there are no keys to the carts. Not sure how they do that... took me by surprise the first time, but haven't really thought much about it since.

I know I'm new, and I don't want to be perceived as a chronic complainer, because I'm really not. (One day I want to be able to help someone with their game!) I want to share this bizarre experience. I checked with the staff after the incident, and they assured me that I'd done nothing wrong, and were shaking their heads along with me. It's roughly 45 minutes before my tee time. I was given a cart early because the driving range is a bit of a hike. I finish up at the range, and duck into the restaurant for a bite. It's right next to the Pro Shop, and it's got a small parking area right off the cart path. Long story short: I parked my cart at an angle in front of the restaurant (the way I and everyone always have), and two other carts pulled in next to me, using the same angle. The guys in the other carts enter the restaurant while I'm still removing my glove and shoes. I start walking away from my car, and notice this guy walking toward my cart (no idea where he was coming from). I immediately spun around when I saw him jump in my cart, back it up, and move it into the middle of the cart path! He was angry that I parked "in the middle of traffic". For a split second, I thought I was being "Punk'd". Until he and his partner started hurling insults. That's the crux of it. I'm really interested in others' accounts of completely bizarre behavior encountered out there.

I drink beer on the course (I'm usually a wine drinker) for the lower alcohol content and, well, it's more refreshing. I'm not a lightweight, but anything stronger than beer would eventually lead to a buzz, which I don't think I could deal with out there. To address the original question, I think it depends on the individual. I've played without drinking, and my game didn't change.

Last weekend, I played the worst game ever since I first swung a club (see http://thesandtrap.com/t/71854/stranger-yips#post_936741 if you want the gory details.) Tomorrow, I'm heading out with my old friend and hope to shoot no more than 110.

ALL of your replies have been helpful! I'm very sorry to reply so late, but it's been an unusual week. We could go on an on about this -- but it all boils down to simple psychology, albeit on many levels. I intend to try again at the same course, and take with me everything suggested here. Tomorrow, however, I'm going to reclaim my game. More on that in the "What will you shoot tomorrow" thread. Thanks again, everyone!

Thanks, Youngblood. It sounds like you and your dad made the other guy feel at ease. I don't want to make excuses, or cast aspersions on anyone, but our partners didn't seem to welcome our conversation, or offer any of their own, so it wasn't exactly a venue for picking up helpful tips. Keep doing what you're doing!

Do you have a smartphone? I love SwingBySwing. It's a full-game app, you use it to keep score, find yardage, etc., and it keeps track of your handicap after three rounds (I think). You can upgrade to a "Pro" subscription that has extra features as well.

I apologize in advance, but if there's a thread on this, I can't find it. I'm new here. I've been playing golf consistently for about two years, and have whittled my handicap to 20 from whatever it was when I was shooting in the 130s. My usual score is in the high 90s-low 100s for the last year. Until yesterday. 126. Ouch! My partner and I (he's a male colleague) were paired with another couple (husband/wife team) since the course we booked was insanely busy. Suddenly, I forgot how to swing. The Yips started at the tee box and followed me all the way to the green. At one point, I wasn't even on the green after 10 (counting two water landings), so I just picked the ball up and carried on. I'm pretty sure I lost it when I saw the male stranger (probably in his late 60s/early 70s) tee off from the Golds (Senior's tee) with a 4-iron better than I could ever hope to with a driver. Note that I'm pretty sure he was playing from the Golds because that's where my partner tees off. I have two questions: #1: Since there is no apparent matching of skill level when pairing occurs, how do you adjust for the discrepancy when you know you're up against semi-pros at the first tee? #2: How do you get over the Full-Course-Yips (if such a thing exists!)?

I goofed. That was supposed to be 5' from the cup - INCHES, not feet! A "gimme" on a five foot putt? Who does that!?

Annoying drizzle all day today. Ended up with a 99, 0 GIR.