Your most unpopular Golf opinions?

[Archimedes65]

45 minutes ago, jda said:

 Twosome cannot play competitive rounds in four hours so don't know how anybody who plays the same way is expected to in a foursome.  I guess if you are playing your home course and don't need to study greens and yardages then you can play faster.  I wish that people would separate their times on home courses and away since I don't believe anybody when they say that they are the same and their score does not suffer.

 

That’s hilarious.  You don’t think a twosome can play a friendly competitive round against each other in under four hours?!  I’m a 4 index and I’ve played competitive rounds in foursomes with other 0-5 index players in three hours.  Easily.  Yes, at my course, but I could do it at any one of the local public courses like Spyglass or Poppy Hills.  And I get my yardages and read every green.  We just don’t wait and do it in sequence.  We get our yardages and select our clubs and shots while the other players are doing the same.  Same on the greens.  I could easily play a match in 2.5 hours if it was just a twosome.

 

Or are you talking about a USGA match play event you played at Winged Foot when it was your first time seeing the course?

 

The reason match play is so slow at most courses is because people play slow, not because the game requires it.

 

Edited October 14, 2024 by Archimedes65

[JimmyC59]

11 hours ago, jda said:

Never met a foursome in their 60s who play in less than 5 hours in a men's club event even bragging about their normal round times.

 

The difference here is probably golf vs something else where everybody's definition of golf is different.  Twosome

cannot play competitive rounds in four hours so don't know how anybody who plays the same way is expected to in a foursome.  I guess if you are playing your home course and don't need to study greens and yardages then you can play faster.  I wish that people would separate their times on home courses and away since I don't believe anybody when they say that they are the same and their score does not suffer.

You must be incredibly slow.

[Archimedes65]

It’s comical when people think that slow play = better play, and that playing a round in three hours will somehow lead to higher scores.  The fastest golfers in my club are typically the low handicaps.  Of course, there is the occasional JB Holmes wannabe thrown in there who reads every green for 10 minutes, but they’re the exception not the rule.

[jda]

I think that the USGA, NCAA and every other golf org/course in the world would love to hear from you if figured out how to play real competitive rounds in 3 hours with foursomes.  The only guys that I have played with that can get close to this are the early-off on the last day wanting to just finish to catch a plane or their team wanted to get on the road sooner since they are out of it - they were not playing golf, though.  BTW - nobody makes you catch up and stay behind the group in front of you if they decide to play a 3:15 round with the van warmed up waiting on them... you are OK at your normal pace.  I have seen some of them run before if they have to go back and hit again.

[Archimedes65]

8 hours ago, jda said:

I think that the USGA, NCAA and every other golf org/course in the world would love to hear from you if figured out how to play real competitive rounds in 3 hours with foursomes.  The only guys that I have played with that can get close to this are the early-off on the last day wanting to just finish to catch a plane or their team wanted to get on the road sooner since they are out of it - they were not playing golf, though.  BTW - nobody makes you catch up and stay behind the group in front of you if they decide to play a 3:15 round with the van warmed up waiting on them... you are OK at your normal pace.  I have seen some of them run before if they have to go back and hit again.

 

You’re talking about organized competition, not golf at the local public course or private country club.  Entirely different thing.  College rounds and USGA events are glacial.  By all means, if one day I accidentally wander into the middle of an NCAA tournament on a public course somewhere, I’ll chill out and just accept that it’s gonna be a 5-1/2 hour round.

 

But a friendly competitive match between a group of amateurs, even among guys who take their golf seriously, doesn’t need to be a four hour affair.  I play at times with three ex-college golfers, one who played at Stanford, all 0-2 indexes who know how to play the game, and any of us can knock out 18 in 3 hours easy.  I can play to my index at my course, alone, in under two hours.

 

Edited October 14, 2024 by Archimedes65

[Double Mocha Man]

2 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

It’s comical when people think that slow play = better play, and that playing a round in three hours will somehow lead to higher scores.  The fastest golfers in my club are typically the low handicaps.  Of course, there is the occasional JB Holmes wannabe thrown in there who reads every green for 10 minutes, but they’re the exception not the rule.

 

There should be a law, maybe even a US Constitutional Amendment, prohibiting more than one practice swing per shot. 

[Archimedes65]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

There should be a law, maybe even a US Constitutional Amendment, prohibiting more than one practice swing per shot. 

 

I’m not advocating death, but maybe just some thumb screws or maybe some bamboo shoots under the fingernails.  Something that’ll make an impression.

 

That said, whenever I’m behind a true snail on the golf course, that prison cell from Papillon does sometimes cross my mind.

[Argonne69]

4 hours ago, jda said:

I think that the USGA, NCAA and every other golf org/course in the world would love to hear from you if figured out how to play real competitive rounds in 3 hours with foursomes.  

 

I don't know know about 3 hour rounds, but if the professional tours and NCAA simply enforced the 30/40 second rule the rounds wouldn't take forever. 

 

Watched the LPGA this past weekend. The final two rounds took over 5 hours playing as threesomes. Saw countless players take a minute and a half to over two minutes to execute a shot? What ever happened to 40 seconds for the first player, and 30 seconds for the other players? Just because a player has a tough shot out of a fairway bunker doesn't mean they get to recite the Gettysburg Address with their caddie before selecting a club and pulling the trigger. 

 

[deadsolid...shank]

The thing is (leaving out the obvious course differences that influence pace), it’s not difficult to play sub four hour rounds. While still socializing, grinding for a score, and peeing on a tree or three. It’s simply about being efficent. Be ready to hit when it’s your turn, if it’s clear on your side of the fairway, be moving. Don’t wait to get your yardage or read your putt until it’s your turn. Have those things already done when it’s your turn (obviously there are circumstances where you can’t do this, but most times you can). 

99% of the time, pace, fast or slow is about the players. Sure, there are extenuating circumstances on occasion. But not most of the time. 
 

The thing is, most quick players aren’t purposely trying to play fast (contrary to that tired old statement that gets posted here all the time, “why do you want to get done so fast”). Faster rounds are just a result of efficent players who don’t waste time and are ready. All while playing “real golf” (another of the worn out ideas here, that you can’t play fast and well at the same time).  Just by reading the last couple of pages, I think you easily put together a foursome of posters in this thread who could go around comfortably in 3:30.  And post solid scores. 

Edited October 14, 2024 by deadsolid...shank

[mshills]

Yo….let’s change the subject here. The whole whine about PoP on both sides, there’s no life left in that horse. 
 

Unpopular opinions:

 

If it’s not your ball, don’t touch it and do NOT pick it up. Yes, hooked that drive so far left it is left of the wrong fairway, but no you do not get a new Pro V1X on account of my pull hook. 
 

Even if the ball is obviously lost I’ve stopped picking those up too. I don’t need any more used balls. 
 

Don’t give me a gimmie. I like the sound of the ball hitting the bottom of the cup. 
 

I’d love if all bunkers were done away with and became part of the general area. No rakes, but you get relief when embedded. 
 

Gas carts are the worst. So are plastic tees. 

[Greenie]

3 hours ago, deadsolid...shank said:

The thing is (leaving out the obvious course differences that influence pace), it’s not difficult to play sub four hour rounds. While still socializing, grinding for a score, and peeing on a tree or three. It’s simply about being efficent. Be ready to hit when it’s your turn, if it’s clear on your side of the fairway, be moving. Don’t wait to get your yardage or read your putt until it’s your turn. Have those things already done when it’s your turn (obviously there are circumstances where you can’t do this, but most times you can). 

99% of the time, pace, fast or slow is about the players. Sure, there are extenuating circumstances on occasion. But not most of the time. 
 

The thing is, most quick players aren’t purposely trying to play fast (contrary to that tired old statement that gets posted here all the time, “why do you want to get done so fast”). Faster rounds are just a result of efficent players who don’t waste time and are ready. All while playing “real golf” (another of the worn out ideas here, that you can’t play fast and well at the same time).  Just by reading the last couple of pages, I think you easily put together a foursome of posters in this thread who could go around comfortably in 3:30.  And post solid scores. 

 

Well said. You get it as do some other people in this thread. 

 

I play in a group of 12 guys. I like to say we play like a well oiled machine. Everyone plays ready golf and plays efficient. We all have some kind of gps or range finder. It's check your yardage, grab your club and the other guy in the cart is off to their ball while you take your shot. Of course we have that one guy. He refuses to buy any type of yardage finder. The three of us are playing our shots. He is waiting at his ball. I need a yardage from someone. Just that little bit from him breaks the flow and rhythm. It's been mentioned by other members of the group including me that things don't go as smooth when he is in your group for the day. We always put him in the last group to tee off so the other groups can roll. He refuses to buy any type of range finder because he says he knows where he is on the course but he always waits and says I need a yardage. Small things add time to your rounds. 

[Double Mocha Man]

4 minutes ago, Greenie said:

The three of us are playing our shots. He is waiting at his ball. I need a yardage from someone.

 

Christmas is coming up soon... 

[Archimedes65]

17 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

Well said. You get it as do some other people in this thread. 

 

I play in a group of 12 guys. I like to say we play like a well oiled machine. Everyone plays ready golf and plays efficient. We all have some kind of gps or range finder. It's check your yardage, grab your club and the other guy in the cart is off to their ball while you take your shot. Of course we have that one guy. He refuses to buy any type of yardage finder. The three of us are playing our shots. He is waiting at his ball. I need a yardage from someone. Just that little bit from him breaks the flow and rhythm. It's been mentioned by other members of the group including me that things don't go as smooth when he is in your group for the day. We always put him in the last group to tee off so the other groups can roll. He refuses to buy any type of range finder because he says he knows where he is on the course but he always waits and says I need a yardage. Small things add time to your rounds. 

 

Give him the wrong yardages for a while to teach him a lesson.  I’d tell everyone to add 15 yards to every yardage they give him and then share a laugh when he spends the afternoon crowing about how’s he crushing his irons today.

 

Or just all chip in and buy him the cheapest rangefinder you can find on Amazon and toss it in his bag.

 

Edited October 15, 2024 by Archimedes65

[Greenie]

1 minute ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Christmas is coming up soon... 

 

Haha..Since you went there. 

 

His brother bought him the cheapest priced range finder he could find on Amazon last year for Christmas. He is 67 and claims he has perfect eyesight but he can't see very well. We say he is too cheap to buy glasses. When he told me he got a range finder for Christmas I laughed and said you don't give a blind man a range finder. He has tried to use it but he can't see through it. After giving him a few attempts to use it and it taking him way to long looking in it with no results we told him that's not gonna work in our group.

[Double Mocha Man]

46 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

Haha..Since you went there. 

 

His brother bought him the cheapest priced range finder he could find on Amazon last year for Christmas. He is 67 and claims he has perfect eyesight but he can't see very well. We say he is too cheap to buy glasses. When he told me he got a range finder for Christmas I laughed and said you don't give a blind man a range finder. He has tried to use it but he can't see through it. After giving him a few attempts to use it and it taking him way to long looking in it with no results we told him that's not gonna work in our group.

 

I'm guessing he's reluctant to use a GPS app on his phone. Does he carry a landline with him?

[Greenie]

19 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

I'm guessing he's reluctant to use a GPS app on his phone. Does he carry a landline with him?

 

Boy I could tell you stories about this guy all day long. An app on his phone would require him to have a smart phone. He is one step up from a land line. He has an old flip phone. He complains the guy running our group sends out texts to let us know the tee times and where. He says he has to push the numbers on his phone to spell out words to text back. He says why can't he just call everyone instead of doing this text stuff. I said he sends out a mass text that everyone gets and you respond back in the same text. He says that's kind of stupid.

[Double Mocha Man]

33 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

Boy I could tell you stories about this guy all day long. An app on his phone would require him to have a smart phone. He is one step up from a land line. He has an old flip phone. He complains the guy running our group sends out texts to let us know the tee times and where. He says he has to push the numbers on his phone to spell out words to text back. He says why can't he just call everyone instead of doing this text stuff. I said he sends out a mass text that everyone gets and you respond back in the same text. He says that's kind of stupid.

 

... and he's only 67!  He couldn't be with any of my groups either, same thing, we text out tee times.  But I do know a golf guy kind of like that, and he's an attorney. He's just more adept at speaking on a phone rather than texting or emailing.  

[Double Mocha Man]

38 minutes ago, Greenie said:

He says he has to push the numbers on his phone to spell out words to text back.

 

Seems like he should only have to spell out "OK".  😁

[Double Mocha Man]

@Archimedes65... There's a delay on your posts. Did you get caught by the hall monitor?

[deadsolid...shank]

7 hours ago, Greenie said:

 

Well said. You get it as do some other people in this thread. 

 

I play in a group of 12 guys. I like to say we play like a well oiled machine. Everyone plays ready golf and plays efficient. We all have some kind of gps or range finder. It's check your yardage, grab your club and the other guy in the cart is off to their ball while you take your shot. Of course we have that one guy. He refuses to buy any type of yardage finder. The three of us are playing our shots. He is waiting at his ball. I need a yardage from someone. Just that little bit from him breaks the flow and rhythm. It's been mentioned by other members of the group including me that things don't go as smooth when he is in your group for the day. We always put him in the last group to tee off so the other groups can roll. He refuses to buy any type of range finder because he says he knows where he is on the course but he always waits and says I need a yardage. Small things add time to your rounds. 

We have that guy too in a sense.  Although not nearly as bad. 
 

His quirk is a green reading book. On a course he probaly plays 100+ rounds a year on!  For a lot of years.  Someone said this summer, “it breaks right, just like it has for the last 40 years”.  Doesn’t bother him to catch flak, he moves at his pace. But we’ve all kind of come to terms with it. When you expect it, it is  easier to deal with.  He’s my partner in several tournaments and despite being slower, a really good guy who I enjoy playing with, so I just kind of try to be off in my own world and not pay  attention to it. Spend a little more time checking the phone during those rounds to pass the time. 
 

We draw  playing cards for our groups, so along with deciding groups, order of the groups is also determined. So we can’t send him out in the last group. As long as he the only slow one (we have three or four others who are “deliberate”, but not quite as bad) it’s usually ok. But last week he was paired with another slow one, they were the first group and took five hours, with no one in front of them. They did catch a lot of flak for that one. 
 

 

[Greenie]

11 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

 

Give him the wrong yardages for a while to teach him a lesson.  I’d tell everyone to add 15 yards to every yardage they give him and then share a laugh when he spends the afternoon crowing about how’s he crushing his irons today.

 

Or just all chip in and buy him the cheapest rangefinder you can find on Amazon and toss it in his bag.

 

 

Everyone..you have to imagine the cheapest person you ever met and also a person that has a great deal more money than anyone in our group. Myself and another guy has known him for a long time so we know how he is. I was hoping when this group formed a few years ago that I could get rid of this guy but he somehow worked his way into the group.

 

I let him use a extra voice buddy gps for 6 months. I decided I no longer needed it and offered to sell it to him. He replies I don't need anything like that I know where I am on the course so I took it back. The result of that was him asking me every time "I need a yardage" so I refused to ride in the cart with the guy. He buddied up with another guy in the group because that person didn't mind giving him yardages when riding with him. Now that guy has had enough of him. He doesn't ask for a yardage he barks out I need a yardage. This guy asked him why don't you buy a yardage device of your own? He says because I don't need one.

 

I few of us carry a ball retriever. I carry one. I may lose one ball a round. At the most two and I usually don't lose any. This guy uses my ball retriever all the time. He used it so much he actually broke it. Did he replace it? No!. So when I went to buy a new one I called him on the phone and asked him if he wanted me to get him one since they were on sale. He replies no I don't need one. 

 

Now the rest of the guys know the story about the ball retriever and they have a better idea how he is. After buying a new ball retriever the first time he is at the ponds edge standing there with this look on his face. He looks at me and saying aren't you going to fish my ball out for me? I said no you told me you didn't need a ball retriever. So he barks out I need someones ball retriever here. No one offered to help. The other guy that knows him well says you need to start buying your own stuff. Get your own gps and get your own ball retriever.

 

I know I am being petty but I have had enough. Everyone else in the group is sharing their cigars, and buying each other beers after our rounds at the 19th hole. I've never seen this guy buy or give anyone anything. He sure does like to use everyone's stuff and likes anything that is free.

 

9 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Seems like he should only have to spell out "OK".  😁

 

Since we play all over he has to see if he can get a ride with someone to the course. No one seems to respond to giving him a ride anymore so I think he figured out "OK" is all he needs to text anymore.

Edited October 15, 2024 by Greenie

[Double Mocha Man]

8 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

Everyone..you have to imagine the cheapest person you ever met and also a person that has a great deal more money than anyone in our group. Myself and another guy has known him for a long time so we know how he is. I was hoping when this group formed a few years ago that I could get rid of this guy but he somehow worked his way into the group.

 

I let him use a extra voice buddy gps for 6 months. I decided I no longer needed it and offered to sell it to him. He replies I don't need anything like that I know where I am on the course so I took it back. The result of that was him asking me every time "I need a yardage" so I refused to ride in the cart with the guy. He buddied up with another guy in the group because that person didn't mind giving him yardages when riding with him. Now that guy has had enough of him. He doesn't ask for a yardage he barks out I need a yardage. This guy asked him why don't you buy a yardage device of your own? He says because I don't need one.

 

I few of us carry a ball retriever. I carry one. I may lose one ball a round. At the most two and I usually don't lose any. This guy uses my ball retriever all the time. He used it so much he actually broke it. Did he replace it? No!. So when I went to buy a new one I called him on the phone and asked him if he wanted me to get him one since they were on sale. He replies no I don't need one. 

 

Now the rest of the guys know the story about the ball retriever and they have a better idea how he is. After buying a new ball retriever the first time he is at the ponds edge standing there with this look on his face. He looks at me and saying aren't you going to fish my ball out for me? I said no you told me you didn't need a ball retriever. So he barks out I need someones ball retriever here. No one offered to help. The other guy that knows him well says you need to start buying your own stuff. Get your own gps and get your own ball retriever.

 

I know I am being petty but I have had enough. Everyone else in the group is sharing their cigars, and buying each other beers after our rounds at the 19th hole. I've never seen this guy buy or give anyone anything. He sure does like to use everyone's stuff and likes anything that is free.

 

 

Since we play all over he has to see if he can get a ride with someone to the course. No one seems to respond to giving him a ride anymore so I think he figured out "OK" is all he needs to text anymore.

 

Oh no! Don't tell me this guy doesn't have wheels. This is getting better and better each time you write about him. I'm trusting he's got money like the rest of you but he just won't spend it. And at age 67 he did not go through the Great Depression. 

[Greenie]

1 minute ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Oh no! Don't tell me this guy doesn't have wheels. This is getting better and better each time you write about him. I'm trusting he's got money like the rest of you but he just won't spend it. And at age 67 he did not go through the Great Depression. 

 

I told you I could tell you stories all day long. I could write a best selling book with all of my stories about him.

 

Yes he has wheels. He bought a new vehicle last year and paid cash for it. Shortly after his purchase we were finishing dinner after our round and he left a tip of $1 for a $30 meal. One off the guys says that isn't right and you just bought a new vehicle and paid cash for it. He replies what's not right? You are correct I paid cash for it and that's the reason I am leaving a $1 tip. I said if you can't leave a decent tip maybe you shouldn't be eating out.

 

On our longer golf trips we usually meet and ride together to the course. All of us drive something that can seat four people and carry everyone's bags. We take turns driving. He had something that could accommodate four people and bags too. He told me when he was looking at new vehicles he wanted to get something smaller that couldn't handle four people and golf bags because when you have something bigger everyone expects you to drive too. So he bought something smaller. Which is why no ones likes to give him a ride to the course.

 

Are you amused enough?

[Warrior42111]

38 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

Everyone..you have to imagine the cheapest person you ever met and also a person that has a great deal more money than anyone in our group.

That checks out with the biggest cheapskates I know.

[Nard_S]

PoP is a hazard of course like wind or moisture. You deal with it, wanna blame it for your score , fine but it never bothers me anymore because I came to look at it that way. I like good flow as much as anybody but I also like dry & balmy and don't always play in that.

[Double Mocha Man]

42 minutes ago, Greenie said:

 

I told you I could tell you stories all day long. I could write a best selling book with all of my stories about him.

 

Yes he has wheels. He bought a new vehicle last year and paid cash for it. Shortly after his purchase we were finishing dinner after our round and he left a tip of $1 for a $30 meal. One off the guys says that isn't right and you just bought a new vehicle and paid cash for it. He replies what's not right? You are correct I paid cash for it and that's the reason I am leaving a $1 tip. I said if you can't leave a decent tip maybe you shouldn't be eating out.

 

On our longer golf trips we usually meet and ride together to the course. All of us drive something that can seat four people and carry everyone's bags. We take turns driving. He had something that could accommodate four people and bags too. He told me when he was looking at new vehicles he wanted to get something smaller that couldn't handle four people and golf bags because when you have something bigger everyone expects you to drive too. So he bought something smaller. Which is why no ones likes to give him a ride to the course.

 

Are you amused enough?

 

Does he read this forum?  On his flip phone?  Doubt he has a laptop.

[PNWGuy]

In my experience, guys like this don't see the importance of personal hygiene.  They shower once a month and wash their clothes every 3 months.  I hope that's not the case with him, but stay upwind whenever possible.

[JimmyC59]

1 hour ago, Greenie said:

 

I told you I could tell you stories all day long. I could write a best selling book with all of my stories about him.

 

Yes he has wheels. He bought a new vehicle last year and paid cash for it. Shortly after his purchase we were finishing dinner after our round and he left a tip of $1 for a $30 meal. One off the guys says that isn't right and you just bought a new vehicle and paid cash for it. He replies what's not right? You are correct I paid cash for it and that's the reason I am leaving a $1 tip. I said if you can't leave a decent tip maybe you shouldn't be eating out.

 

On our longer golf trips we usually meet and ride together to the course. All of us drive something that can seat four people and carry everyone's bags. We take turns driving. He had something that could accommodate four people and bags too. He told me when he was looking at new vehicles he wanted to get something smaller that couldn't handle four people and golf bags because when you have something bigger everyone expects you to drive too. So he bought something smaller. Which is why no ones likes to give him a ride to the course.

 

Are you amused enough?

I hate this guy already.

[Greenie]

15 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Does he read this forum?  On his flip phone?  Doubt he has a laptop.

 

He does not have internet but he does have cable TV. He complains all the time everyone wants you to use the internet now days. I offered him one of my old smart phones (for free) but he replied he doesn't want to pay for data. That's the internet right? lol

[Greenie]

8 minutes ago, JimmyC59 said:

I hate this guy already.

 

He was in my old group I played in. I was so happy when I joined this new group and I thought I was rid of him. One of the other guys asked him in the new group. I wasn't happy about it and I said you don't want this guy in your group. Along with being cheap he is the poor etiquette guy. He is still in the group but every week it is who gets stuck playing with this guy.  He ends up in my foursome sometimes but I refuse to ride with him.