Who Do You Play With

I play golf with a bunch of different people, who's handicaps vary from 2 to 36, and I always enjoy it, whatever the standard of my partners. I just enjoy playing the game, and just concentrate on my own game, and enjoy the banter from the company. So I play with mates who are at my level, the wife on 29, in-laws who are Cat1 and 2 and club members who just happen to be rolling up at the same time as me.

I've only ever been frustrated once, and that was playing Victoria (Algarve) with the wife and another couple. The other lady shouldn't have attempted this course as she was really struggling on a really tough track. She wouldn't even pick up after 8-strokes with still a couple of hundred yards to go. Yes that was the worst time, because we were being hunted down by a lot of decent players.

I do however know plenty of people who will only play with their mates, same group or players at their level. I don't have a problem with that, but just wondered if a majority of people do this.

Pretty much anyone, would never turn down anyone for a game if they asked.

I tend to have golf mates seperate from my actual mates as the people I am really good friends with dont play golf. So I tend to have a few people at the club who I know only really through golf but dont tend to meet away from golf.

I also play with family members as a few are into the game as well.

I have also met up with a few people online but not through 606 or v2.

Play with my mates, Old man and aquaintances in gash games, and whoever I'm drawn with in medals.

super_realist wrote:Play with my mates, Old man and aquaintances in gash games, and whoever I'm drawn with in medals.

S-R thats a good point, as there are plenty of clubs who don't draw names out of the hat for comps. This seems to encourage cliques as the same groups of mates go out together, instead of meeting new members or getting to know members etc. hey I enjoy playing with my mates, but have never turned down a knock with a stranger etc.

I am lucky enough to run a great golf society so every week (around the Emirates Par 3 course) i play with a variety of different characters of differing golfing abilities. I love being out tere wit them, they're all great people.

On weekend, i tend to play with 3 other mates, all of whom play a similar standard to me. We generally play some form of better ball match play to keep things interesting, and the great thing is that we're all out there to enjoy ourselves and we have some great banter. None of us gets too upset with a bad shot, and we accept that at times you're going to get a bit of a giggle and funny comment. All part of the game. I'd rather hit a rubbish score and have some banter than shoot 72 in silence*.

* Probably

I think that I was behind you on the Victoria that day Doc...bloody nightmare you were!

To answer the question I am of the same opinion as you...I will play with golfers of any standard, just happy to be out on the course and not in the office! Even beginners if the course is quiet...

I too am not picky about who I play with.

I tend to have regular social games with 2 or 3 friend all of similar abilities - sometimes if 1 or more are unavailable the club will ask if we mind someone else joining up with us to make up a 4-ball - never had a problem with this and made some good friends this way. The pro shop will generally put pretty much any standard with us if a singleton turns up looking for a game so we've had people join us with similar handicaps or much better handicaps.

Then there are comps. Weekend medals at my place are in categories to tend to be under 18 h/c one week and 18+ the next. Midweek medals are open category as are Stableford and of course the more "fun" comps (scrambles, 4BBB, alliances etc). The "fun" comps also tend to be mixed so plenty of chance to be paired up with the ladies

Overall it seems I'll play with anyone!

We have a regular group of guys who play a swindle were upto 17 guys at the moment. Our handicaps range from +1 upto 23. We play stableford for a fiver and pay out top 2 places and then have our side bets on the games.

Play regularly with my old man my brother, and of course Mavette. In all honesty I'll play golf with anyone happily. I really enjoy comps as they are all drawn so I get to play with new guys all the time

We're on thin ground here Doc, I remember the last time the non-drawn competition scenario came up and i suggested that I really didn't like it because it provided an environment where those so minded had a better chance of getting away with cheating, before I knew people were saying I was accusing them of dishonesty.

Some comps at my club are drawn in handicap order, others there's a low, mid and high handicapper in each slot. Some minor competitions such as stablefords etc are play with anyone you like. It all mixes it up a bit and ensures you get to play with people you might not otherwise meet and play with in a competitive environment.

Am happy to play golf with anyone, I like playing with different people but end up playing most of my golf with blokes in the 5 - 15 handicap range. An 8 year old boy joined us the other day which was good fun (actually his dad was more annoying). Now that I'm at a private club, I rarely see players with handicaps over 20.

I have to admit that I'm not a fan of playing golf with beginners. I'm happy to play with mates who are ocasional golfers as long as they are capable of scoring double bogey on each hole, it doesn't matter if they rack up the odd large score. It's when you get out on the course with someone who is going to score 8 at best that I draw the line. A full size 18 hole golf course is just too hard for beginners, I think beginners are best off with pitch and putt and the range before graduating to a full size course.

I once played at the Celtic Manor with a mate who had boasted about his golfing prowess. It was just painful watching him hack around, but because he had talked about his golf for over 5 years we played strokeplay and made him count every shot, I think in the end he shot over 150 round the Roman Road course. For some reason I've never heard him mention golf since then.

I play with a fairly regular group of mainly Cat 1's. Unfortunately, we have tried to expand the group but a lot of people seem to feel intimidated playing with a group of club champions, scratch K/O winners and first team players. Whenever I get a midweek day off, I play in the seniors rollup which has a wide range of abilities but it's always really good fun.

super_realist wrote:We're on thin ground here Doc, I remember the last time the non-drawn competition scenario came up and i suggested that I really didn't like it because it provided an environment where those so minded had a better chance of getting away with cheating, before I knew people were saying I was accusing them of dishonesty.

super - i remember this very well so don't say too much in case olpparwin is listening in!

no draw for competitions at my home club (I'm in Ireland by the way, 30 miles south of Dublin), except for 2 competitions a year, captain's and president's prizes. Every Sunday there are about 30 groups which read exactly the same names as every other week. Apart from offering an opportunity to those that would be so inclined to bend/break/take a more casual approach to the rules I think this is quite anti-social and in some ways not great for people's games. I prefer playing with different people all the time (and then every couple of weeks playing with my 2/3 regular mates) as it's better from a social point of view and in my opinion better for my game as it helps keep you sharp and not get caught up in an environment which is too casual.

drive4show wrote:I play with a fairly regular group of mainly Cat 1's. Unfortunately, we have tried to expand the group but a lot of people seem to feel intimidated playing with a group of club champions, scratch K/O winners and first team players. Whenever I get a midweek day off, I play in the seniors rollup which has a wide range of abilities but it's always really good fun.

Great point that because it does happen a lot. I either play out of my skin because of not wanting to hold the Cat1's up, or play cack. usually play better though and it's great to play with good players and see the course through their eyes, you can learn a lot. I suppose its like some people hate teeing off on the 1st if theres a big gallery, these same people would feel intimadated playing with top players.

I have a regular playing partner and we play about 40 games a year.
Plus few games with friends and family.

I have always enjoyed golfing by myself [as opposed to playing with myself].
You can try different shots, drop another ball etc

I'm glad you made that distinction Doon

I only play with a few people, but mainly one friend who is the same level.

Would love to play with better players to see them play occasionally, but i think that the worrying and rushing of each shot so i don't ruin anyones game by holding them would be horrible for all concerned.

I am hoping to maybe get a round set up with some of the Scots on here, Ban Bam, Mac and S_R and anyone else, but need to drop 20 shots regularly and lose a stone. I am only 14 stone but not sure if this is acceptable for S_R

There seems to be this common misconception that low handicap players have low tolerance levels and can't be bothered with 'hackers'.

This couldn't be further from the truth. We want to go out and enjoy ourselves just the same as any other player does. OK, we expect to shoot low scores but the bottom line is we want to spend 4 hours with people whose company we enjoy, irrespective of golfing ability.

There are a few very low handicappers at my club that I certainly don't want to spend 4 hours with on the golf course.

I don't mean that you or higher handicappers cant be bothered with hackers,

But that i would be so concentrated on not ruining others rhythm, i would effectively neglect my own game, would not enjoy the experience and not be a good playing partner as a result

So its more all on my attitude and self consciousness, than on the lower handicappers

And i prefer the term Developing Golfer

I'm with D4S on this, I like to play with golfers of all abilities when in bounce games, far too many low guys take even a friendly knock far to seriously, there's plenty of cat 2 and cat 1 guys at my place I'll steer clear of for a game unless were drawn together in comps.

I admit I prefer scratch comps but that's only because I like the competitiveness of them, but like I say I'd rather play a bounce game with a 28handicapper that is good company than 3handicapper that takes himself too seriously and acts like a complete tool

We have a group of about 20 of us, who,s handicaps range from 2 to 23 we all put a ball in the cap, and the groups are drawn out, we do this for bounce games and comps, must add we are just golf mates, as none of us meet up at any other time.

Like OPW the group of guys that I play with are merely golf buddies, the only ones I see off Course are my Brother and Old man.

Doon makes the point of playing golf solo, this is something I must say I love to do in the summer, rock up to the course take the pencil bag out with no more than half a dozen clubs and go work on the game on the course. Using half the amount of clubs makes you work the ball according you what you"ve got in the bag which one day could be driver anf even Numbered irons or 3wood and the odd numbers.

I also like summer evening bounce games where I can turn up walk onto first tee and just get a game with whoever else is about

I suppose my fear of playing with players i don't know is that i was actually pointed and laughed at after fatting an iron 10 yards down the fairway by a player in the group who where letting us play through a few months back.

Now i cant say what handicap he was but i just assume that if i am bad enough for some one to point and laugh at a bad shot i hit, imagine what the lower handicap players are thinking if in my group.

It is also one of the reasons i have not signed up for a medal to gain a proper handicap.

I "generally" play with a group of about 10, but no set foursome.

Every month or so in season, there's a shotgun tournament where A/B/C/D players are mixed in. Great way to meet new people.

2 Day member/guests and member/member also a blast.

Winter golf in Arizona or Florida every year with some lifelong friends.

NB - that's golf unfortunately. Everytime you get called through someone ends up man sausaging it up. Last week, my buddy shanked one and I left a bunker shot in the bunker when we played through another group. I was thinking par at the worst and ended up with double.

Nay Bother wrote:I suppose my fear of playing with players i don't know is that i was actually pointed and laughed at after fatting an iron 10 yards down the fairway by a player in the group who where letting us play through a few months back.

Now i cant say what handicap he was but i just assume that if i am bad enough for some one to point and laugh at a bad shot i hit, imagine what the lower handicap players are thinking if in my group.

It is also one of the reasons i have not signed up for a medal to gain a proper handicap.

Don't worry about it, just remember that every scratch golfer was a beginner when they started. And if that is their reaction then to be honest, they are the one with a problem not you

Mav
I played 9 holes on my village course today with a wee half set.
I always take irons 3579w as opposed to the normal half set set. Makes me play different shots.
Today I was fairly useless apart from a scorchio 3 iron.

I had one uphill shot of about 140 yards which was 30 yards short of overhanging branches with a bank about 30 yards short of the green.
I saw the shot immediately, shut face 5 iron under the tree and should just about carry the bank, but said to myself 'nae chance'
I played a peach of a shot that looked like it finished on the green. I dropped another ball and said to myself bet you can't play that again and guess what I did. Both balls just over the green.

The joys of playing by yourself!

Shotrock wrote:I "generally" play with a group of about 10, but no set foursome.

Every month or so in season, there's a shotgun tournament where A/B/C/D players are mixed in. Great way to meet new people.

2 Day member/guests and member/member also a blast.

Winter golf in Arizona or Florida every year with some lifelong friends.

Winter golf in Arizona or Florida?...that sounds dreadful Shotrock, give me slopping around in good old Essex clay anytime!

Have two regular playing partners for Saturdays - 20 and 28 handicaps (but both will improve next year, hope I can keep up).

If I make it along to the Ladies morning, I like to play with different people - don't mind what handicap, but I know that some of the lower handicappers like to play together, so don't put my name down in their groups.

Sometimes manage to get 9 holes with my son, when I'm in desperate need of some help with my game!

Blue - Just booked Arizona this week! I have a brother in Boca Raton, so maybe I do both this year!

Although courses are open all year in suburban Philly, all bets are off in most of December, January and February.

Add a month either side of that for Kwini-land!

I'm just a tart, will play with anyone who can tolerate me. The group I played with at my original club split half and half 3 years ago with some going to my 2nd club. I ended up keeping a foot in both camps. Both groups have expanded somewhat in the past 3 years. Infact we had a Ryder Cup style day between the 2 groups about a month ago.

Drawn events at one club are completely random whilst at the other you get drawn with other players within a handicap range of 2-3 shots. I play opens as well where I suppose you also get paired with players of similar ability.

For bounce rounds I tend toward my 2nd course these days as my playing group there are more of a similar standard to myself. Then there are the bounce rounds with some of the characters that frequent these boards.

Finally there's holiday golf where you just have to take what you're given, for the most part that's usually fine and enjoyable too.

ill play golf with anyone.

i cant remember the last time i played a round of golf on my own ????

Was reading an interesting article today. It was all about the RFU and how they need to rebuild an entire culture around the England team and it looked at the hockey association as a model of how they resurrected the national team after it went into decline after the Seoul win through complacency.
Anyway they basically banned pretty much anything that was devisive. So for example no drinking as that formed cliques of good drinkers, light drinkers and those who didnt think people should drink at all.
And they also banned golf as well. Basically they observed that all the good players always played together and all the bad players tended to do the same. The effect it had was to create cliques withing the group which was seen as a big negative.
Maybe a load of psycho babble but I thought it was pertinent to the thread.
I dont really mind who I play with, dont play often enough to be overly fussy. That said Ive played with a few people Id certainly never play with again.

I have a couple of mates i tend to play most of the time with, and then 4 or 5 others who i'll meet up with and play the odd roll up with. Can't say i've ever played with anyone i wouldn't want to play with again to be honest.

NB - that's awful. When i've been waved through the tendancy is to rush - and therefore play a bad shot - but i always tell myself they're not gonig to unwave you through so take my normal amount of time

Nay Bother wrote:I am hoping to maybe get a round set up with some of the Scots on here, Ban Bam, Mac and S_R and anyone else, but need to drop 20 shots regularly and lose a stone. I am only 14 stone but not sure if this is acceptable for S_R

sounds good nb, we should sort out some sort of edinburgh invitational for next season

i wouldn't worry about s_r either - he'll be too taken up slagging my 18st frame to bother a wee waif like yourself

It would be a pleasure to meet up with you boys. Not sure if we can tempt Mac though. Seems like a recluse to me. Either chasing wizardesses or surgically connected to his playstation.

we've a group of about 25 guys on an email contact list. i'll tend to play the odd weekday game with the same 1 or 2 guys who are self employed, but at weekends its basically whoever is free. we rarely roll up on mass, usually will have 3 or 4 times spread thoughout the morning for comps etc. last winter we had a 4bbb league between ourselves with 7 teams. this has grown to 9 teams this year, so over the course of the winter its a good chance to play with 8 other pairs and get a bit of variety of banter from week to week.

good stuff s_r - i'm happy to host something at duddingston next season. the course isn't in too bad nick at the moment but will probably go downhill over the winter.

where are you playing most of your golf at the moment nb?

Mixing it up between silverknowes, craigentinny and carrick knowe at present

Are any of you Scottish lads interested in the meet up at the end of March? Was hoping that a few of you would be coming down

I would love to but 2 months after had a baby, so cant justify expense i'm afraid

Nay Bother wrote:I would love to but 2 months after had a baby, so cant justify expense i'm afraid

Bring it with you.

i'm in the same boat as nb, our baby is due at end of feb. couple that with my current unemployment so not much in the way of spare cash i'm afraid. hence my sneaky offer to host a meet in edinburgh!

ban_bam wrote:good stuff s_r - i'm happy to host something at duddingston next season. the course isn't in too bad nick at the moment but will probably go downhill over the winter.

where are you playing most of your golf at the moment nb?

ban_bam - I may take you up on your offer, if that's what it was. Next year I and 2 buddies have availed ourselves of the Bunkered offer of a free round, 1 at Turnberry Kintyre and the other at Dukes St Andrews.

We would like to play another 2 courses, the west coast may be with Doon and I would like to play Duddingston again, its 30 years since I played it last. We could probably slip into Edinburgh on the way back 'dahn Sarf'!

Is that something you would be interested in?