fburns

I really don't think so. They were not dicks by any means. I certainly don't "hate" any of them. They were just golfers who were trying to gain an advantage over me. That is the point of match play. And as I said, for me it takes the fun out of it. I think match play with my friends might be ok, but match play in tournaments with people I don't know if just not for me.

I have to admit that I really struggle with Match Play. I think I have a romanticized idea that we are all friends pulling together to play a challenging opponent- the golf course or the course architect. I want everyone to play well and enjoy themselves. I want us to bond socially and make meaningful friendships. If someone gets a great bounce or plays really well then they win, but at least in my mind they were never my opponent so I can easily celebrate with them. Last weekend I played in a match play tournament for the first time since I was a child about 40 years ago. I played the course, played well and went deep into the finals. But I wanted to quit after 20 minutes of each match. I hated the idea of playing against someone. I hated the idea of contrived gamesmanship. I couldn't stand the way my opponents feigned false bravado. There was almost no social interaction and that that occurred was fake in some form of "read a book on match play" mind game manipulation. It was the worst 3 days of my golfing experience that I can remember. If golf was like that all the time, I would go do something else. I don't think I will ever play in a match play tournament again. Just curious if I am the only one out there.

Thanks everyone!

I don't have the best long distance eye sight. I have a rangefinder with 6x magnification. However, the screen is small and crowded with numbers. Many times on the tee or hitting into the green I would like to get a better visual image of what I am aiming at. My understanding is that unless there is a local rule forbidding binoculars, they are legal in tournament play. I know Ricky Fowler on the Tour used binoculars to try to identify a ball in a tree. If they are indeed legal, can someone point me to a rule or decision where this has been established or where it is forbidden. I may need it the next time I pull out a huge pair of binoculars on the tee box!

I certainly didn't want to cause people to get upset with each other. My post was not to suggest anyone's behavior is inappropriate. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who set up these tournaments and deal with the rest of us. In fact, it is their efforts that make the tour so enjoyable. I am going to miss that for only one reason, the tour is now too expensive for me to play on a regular basis. For those who can afford it, I wish them well. I am a physician with some means and I began wondering if I am making this decision, what are others doing? The advertising for the GCAT suggests that it is a tour for all amateurs. In my opinion, it is becoming a tour for those with money....a common problem in golf today.

I have played the GCAT for a while now and I have enjoyed it, but it seems that the annual fees (almost $200) and tournament entry fees are climbing.i love competing, playing by the rules and checking out new courses but there is a financial limit at some point. In our area in Florida one day events on the GCAT cost $120-165 and two day weekend events are $495. Some of the courses are special but certainly not all of them. By comparison, the Golfweek Am Tour, that I also play on, has one day events at about $80-90 and two day events under $200. The Florida State Golf Association has one day events for $60. What do you think is a reasonable price for playing in these amateur tours? Do you think the GCAT is worth the extra expense? If so, why?

I am trying to understand why I have absolutely no interest in this match. I am a golf addict, stay glued to The Golf Channel, watch all the tours but from the moment I heard about this I have had no interest. I like both Tiger and Phil. I thought as we got closer I would become more interested. I used to watch the Shell Wonderful World of Golf as a child and enjoyed it. I guess it seems to me we have seen this match-up 4 times a year for years in the major championships. I would like to get excited about it. Is there something I am missing?

I play at different courses and it seems like they all have different expectations regarding rakes and their place in or near bunkers. I think half in and half out may be the answer, but I am wondering what the issues are that support either option. Is it much ado about nothing? What do the various professional tours do?

I understand that I would have an advantage in rounds where we are riding. But my question is more generic. I guess what I was wondering is if two golfers both have the same handicap and one rides all the time and the other walk all the time do you think they are equally matched? If it doesn't matter or if walking produces lower scores, then why doesn't the USGA allow carts in tournaments? They obviously see riding in carts as an advantage . The broader question... Is walking a key component of the difficulty of the game or not?

I frequently play in Golf Tournaments where riding in a cart is mandatory. Almost every other round I play, I carry my bag and walk. I am 57 years old, in good cardiovascular condition, and have a 4 Handicap. However, I believe that I am playing two different games. In my humble opinion, It is much harder to play the last three or four holes maintaining your focus, swing tempo and rhythm after walking 5+ miles. I believe that walking, if one is physically able, is part of the game. The fact that the tour pros shoot the scores that they do while walking makes their achievements even more incredible to me. Since it seems to me that these are two different games, do you think handicaps should reflect whether the round was shot riding vs. walking?

I am a fellow short game struggler. I have found some limited success however and am optimistic that I am on the right track. I went back to Siegleman's book and realized that I was not cupping my wrist and was way inside of the plane and at times I swayed off of the ball. I was working on those things when I came across a great online video class at Be Better Golf with a short game video course by Tim Yelverton that is outstanding (https://www.bebettergolf.net/) I can't recommend it more highly. Hope this helps you. It has helped me.

About twenty years ago, I moved to Florida from Arizona. I have still never really adjusted to the humidity. I have however adapted a bit. I use a rain glove and change that glove after nine holes. Also at the turn, I change to a new shirt and hat, since the originals are dripping wet. I sometimes wear a sweatband to keep sweat off of my glasses. I drink tons of water and reapply sunscreen often. With those adjustments golf is actually very tolerable. Now, about playing in all those clothes and cold weather......

I have a new Garmin Z80 and it is incredible....when the battery works. I have not been able to get through a round without it going dead. No warning. Fully charged at 100% to start. Somewhere around #14 you try to use it and nothing happens. We play less than 4 hour rounds. Supposedly the battery life is two or more rounds. I do not see display settings or any indication of a battery hog. I am wondering if, since the cover is so tight and the buttons are so sensitive, maybe it is turning itself on when I think it is in standby. But today I left it out of the cover and it did the same thing. Just wondered if anyone else is having similar issues.

Good point minus the sarcasm.

I agree with you about rounds being shorter "back in the day". The overall length was shorter, most people walked directly to their ball, greens were not nearly as fast or undulated, sand traps were at least half as many and half as deep, and it seemed that the course was more reward than risk. I see both sides of this issue. I understand that there are more important things to do in life than play golf. I am just concerned that in our effort to speed up the game we may be taking something wonderful out of it. To me the issue of slow play can be found partially in course design (all the things mentioned), people playing the wrong tees, the speed of the greens. modeling the slow play of professionals, and beginners playing stroke play to get a final score. I wonder if paying by the hour, like some people do for a bowling lane for instance, would make a difference? Probably would just cause more tension out on the course. Thanks for responding. I don't want to beat this issue to death. I am sure it has been talked about many times. I just hope we can balance speed of play and still keep the "wonder" in this wonderful game.

Thanks for all of your responses. I agree that this is a difficult problem. It is clear that some believe that beginners should not be on a golf course but should be at driving ranges or par 3 courses. I can see how that would help slow play perhaps. But I don't think I would have fallen in love with this game if my introduction to it was just hitting balls at a range. It was the challenge of finally hitting it over the water or getting it out of a bunker. We all know that it only takes one moment where we hit "that shot" to bring us back. We have a par 3 course here in Sarasota and that may have been a better choice for beginners. I personally believe that we have brought our fast paced world into a game that was originally an escape into nature and an opportunity to get some exercise, hang with friends and get some time to relax. But it seems that along the way, we have focused on speed rather than the experience. I know why golf courses want us to play faster ($ for them) but I don't understand why we are in such a hurry to get off the golf course. We don't pay by the hour. We don't measure our performance by our time. Honestly, I don't see a lot of people who are experiencing nature, exercise or relaxation. It seems golf for many is not an escape from a fast paced world but rather it is becoming much like rush hour traffic with everyone in golf carts rather than cars. It doesn't look to me like people come off of the course having enjoyed the experience. They look miserable. Are we missing something about this incredible game? Is fast play really the goal or is it our impatience that we are wrestling with? I think more time appreciating the squirrels, trees and beauty would do a lot of people a lot of good yet we blow by it all in our carts while focusing on our GPS or smart phone and timing our round. Is that really what we want to show beginners? Is that really the game we want to play? I long to return to the game I knew as a child. But I am not sure it really exists anymore, except in my mind.

Please hear me out. I have been playing golf for over 50 years. I tend to play golf relatively fast. In fact, I often have to force myself to slow down at times. I play to about a 5 handicap. However, I have several friends who have had an interest in learning to play golf. They had been to the range, taken some basic lessons and had general skills to grip the club, swing, etc. We started them teeing off from the 100 yard marker until they were relatively proficient, then moved back to 150 and in a little while the 200 yard marker. Their max score was randomly set at 7 (No one likes a snowman) Even with those adaptations, the pressure that these new golfers felt from those around them to play quickly was intense. Those around us had zero tolerance for new people who are learning how to play golf on a golf course. We all know that this is a hard game and we have all been there. These men were trained to let others play through, so they really were not holding up anyone. But the comments made to them by those with more skill, or at least speed, were demoralizing. Even the starter suggested that they spend their time on the driving range and avoid the course. We played 18 holes in 4 hours and 14 minutes not exactly a snails pace. So here is my question... When did we decide that golf was a race? Was it when we stopped walking and started riding? Maybe I am a purist, but isn't part of golf getting away from the rat race? People often say that new people don't persist playing golf because of three things: It is too hard, it is too expensive and and it is too time consuming. I would add, the game is no longer welcoming to beginners. All of my friends left the golf course after about 4 rounds. They will not come back. Sad because their swings are getting pretty good. I know because they invite me to their regular game where they are welcomed with open arms- Top Golf.

I have found the approach option of the Golflogix app helpful. I play a lot of courses that are new to me. In Florida, as in many places, many courses have undulating hard and very fast greens. I haven't decided if the putt break option helps or not, but the approach option is very helpful. Most courses do not tell you enough about each green in their yardage books. The approach option in Golflogix is the only thing I have seen that helps. You see sharp drops offs and the general slope of these undulating greens. You get a much better idea of where a good miss might be. There is a lot that you cannot see from 150 yards out.