Your most unpopular Golf opinions?

[shankasaurus rex]

19 hours ago, MountainKing said:

 

Where did I say anything about limiting golf to single digit handicappers?  It's like the pace of play argument, the minute somebody says we need to do better with pace they get jumped on for wanting to play speed golf, when really they just want a 4 hour round.  Why is there always some guy who has to take a comment and go to an extreme with it?   With #1 - just prove that you're a 30 handicap or better., If a handicap is required, then there has to be a way to obtain a handicap which leads to my next point of having ways to obtain that handicap.   This would do a lot to hopefully help people learn etiquette and get rid of the guys who want to come drink and slow the course up with a 5 hour round. 

Who's taking it to extremes???? 😅

 

That wouldn't fix your "problem" either, my guy, but go off...

[shankasaurus rex]

17 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

I don't fit that description but there have been instances when I can reach a par 5 in 2 shots (roughly 50-50 odds).  I'll be in the fairway and if the green doesn't clear quickly or there is a group behind us waiting to tee off I'll just suck it up and lay up with a 5 iron or to an appropriate wedge position.

See, this is where Fast Golf just dives headfirst into silliness. You're standing there with really good odds of hitting the green (or getting close enough for a short chip and a putt), but instead you lay up, likely costing yourself a stroke, and to what end??? So the guys behind you can hit a single shot and then, you guessed it, wait in the fairway instead of at the tee box. You're sacrificing your game for their PERCEPTION of how fast the course is moving. That's ridiculous. Nobody is actually moving any faster, and the group behind you will likely move slower, as you're now taking two shots that could have been one.

[david.c.w]

On 6/1/2024 at 6:58 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Just driving a golf cart.  Instant fail.

 

Semi kidding; some folks can't physically play without them... I understand.  But the rest of us, what's wrong with the pleasure of a good walk?

 

 

 

There is nothing wrong with the pleasure of a good walk.  But why do you get to tell me how I should enjoy my round?

[mshills]

Dang y’all. This thread is for unpopular or unusual golf opinions. Not to argue with someone who posts an unpopular opinion! 
 

Here is one: I am going to play the shot that is called for. Every time. I hit my 5w 210 yards. If I’m 215 out from a good lie and there’s not much trouble around the green, I’m hitting 5w, and I’m waiting for the green to clear on the chance I flush it and fly into em or roll up on em. Don’t like it, you can come talk to me if you want. If you get exasperated because you saw me hit a bad one that didn’t get home after waiting for the green to clear, guess what — golf is hard, simmer down back there, or play at daybreak. 
 

If that makes someone behind me get all in his feelings, that is his problem, not mine. In fact, we keep pace with the group in front, so I’m not even looking back at you to see your hands on your hips and the heaving sighs of disgust. 

[Argonne69]

13 minutes ago, shankasaurus rex said:

See, this is where Fast Golf just dives headfirst into silliness. You're standing there with really good odds of hitting the green (or getting close enough for a short chip and a putt), but instead you lay up, likely costing yourself a stroke, and to what end??? So the guys behind you can hit a single shot and then, you guessed it, wait in the fairway instead of at the tee box. You're sacrificing your game for their PERCEPTION of how fast the course is moving. That's ridiculous. Nobody is actually moving any faster, and the group behind you will likely move slower, as you're now taking two shots that could have been one.

 

I don't completely disagree, but what are the odds of actually pulling off the shot? If it's an easy peasy 2nd, then for sure I'm waiting and going for it. However, if there's more than enough trouble to punish a less than perfect 2nd, I'll grab the 8 iron and lay up. 

 

I've joked for years that the hardest shot in golf is the tee shot on a short par 3 when you're playing as a single, and the group ahead let's you play through. Guaranteed chunk in the pond, or a skull over the green into the junk. The 2nd hardest shot is the 2nd to a reachable par 5 when you've been waiting for the green to clear, and the group behind you is standing on the tee wagering on whether you'll top the ball 20 yds. 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

40 minutes ago, david.c.w said:

 

There is nothing wrong with the pleasure of a good walk.  But why do you get to tell me how I should enjoy my round?

 

Not telling you.  Just asking.

[MountainKing]

1 hour ago, shankasaurus rex said:

See, this is where Fast Golf just dives headfirst into silliness. You're standing there with really good odds of hitting the green (or getting close enough for a short chip and a putt), but instead you lay up, likely costing yourself a stroke, and to what end??? So the guys behind you can hit a single shot and then, you guessed it, wait in the fairway instead of at the tee box. You're sacrificing your game for their PERCEPTION of how fast the course is moving. That's ridiculous. Nobody is actually moving any faster, and the group behind you will likely move slower, as you're now taking two shots that could have been one.

 

Most guys going for a green in two fit into the lower handicap realm - so we have @Archimedes65calling low handicap golfers slow, and you calling them silly with their willingness to take one for the sake of pace.   This thread is wild. 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, shankasaurus rex said:

See, this is where Fast Golf just dives headfirst into silliness. You're standing there with really good odds of hitting the green (or getting close enough for a short chip and a putt), but instead you lay up, likely costing yourself a stroke, and to what end??? So the guys behind you can hit a single shot and then, you guessed it, wait in the fairway instead of at the tee box. You're sacrificing your game for their PERCEPTION of how fast the course is moving. That's ridiculous. Nobody is actually moving any faster, and the group behind you will likely move slower, as you're now taking two shots that could have been one.

 

I think I do such a thing because I'm considered a fast player and I'm considerate.  I try to "read the crowd" back on the tee.  I do miss not knowing if I would have hit the green and have an eagle putt.

[Archimedes65]

1 hour ago, shankasaurus rex said:

See, this is where Fast Golf just dives headfirst into silliness. You're standing there with really good odds of hitting the green (or getting close enough for a short chip and a putt), but instead you lay up, likely costing yourself a stroke, and to what end??? So the guys behind you can hit a single shot and then, you guessed it, wait in the fairway instead of at the tee box. You're sacrificing your game for their PERCEPTION of how fast the course is moving. That's ridiculous. Nobody is actually moving any faster, and the group behind you will likely move slower, as you're now taking two shots that could have been one.

 

Well, you’re assuming that you’re going to catch back up, rather than create a gap in front of you that’s going to persist (and also that the average benefit of going for the green is a full stroke for the typical amateur, which it certainly isn’t.)

 

But that’s not even the reason for not waiting.  Slow play isn’t just about the total time it takes to play a round, it’s about how long you stand still prepared to take your next shot on the tee box of in the fairway.  When that gets extended or is inconsistent, you can’t get into a good rhythm.  Ready golf means hitting your shots, putting your putts, and getting out of the way so the people behind you can play a hole in rhythm.  It’s like people who dither around the green while you’re waiting to hit your approach and their response is ‘we’ll just have to wait on the next tee’.  Fine, that’s where you should be waiting!  Not on the green when the group behind you is standing still for 10 minutes waiting to hit.

[Archimedes65]

13 minutes ago, MountainKing said:

 

Most guys going for a green in two fit into the lower handicap realm 

 

If only.

[MountainKing]

2 minutes ago, Archimedes65 said:

 

If only.

 

Yeah, let me rephrase that one - most guys capable of hitting a green in two are lower handicaps.  You're right that I (and many others) get behind so many guys hitting it 180 off the back tees, then insist on waiting from 250 out as if they have a club in the bag that might get there. 

Edited June 5, 2024 by MountainKing

[Nard_S]

one of my best rounds was played at 5:15 pace on a 4:15 course. Lesson, losing it over pace is on me, not anyone else. So unpopular idea, i rarely paid it respect it's due.

[jda]

1 hour ago, david.c.w said:

 

But why do you get to tell me how I should enjoy my round?

 

Wait, what?  I thought that this is about 70% of this board and 95% of this thread is all about?  🙂  No music, have to shake hands, cannot be a bro or play with bros, have to wear your cap with the bill in front... and the list goes on.  I am kidding, of course.

 

As for waiting or hitting into greens, my experience has been regional.  I can hit a 3 iron about 240-255 and a 3 wood a bit further.  In the midwest, it was totally cool to roll a ball on/near a green while others were putting whereas people get really mad about this in Colorado.  I am not saying to fly a ball in there which is no good anywhere in the world.  The other day, 260 and 4 iron was nutted (usually about 230 or so and I was trying to just be in front) and rolled to the middle of the green and the group waited to tell me how much of a jerk that I was - it was a one in 100 shot and it was rolling like a putt when it hit the green.  I'll bet those same old farts complain about slow play too, which I told them as I was unapologetic which they also did not seem to like.

[david.c.w]

56 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Not telling you.  Just asking.

 

This sounds a little judgy: 

 

"Just driving a golf cart.  Instant fail."

                                                                  -DMM

 

[Double Mocha Man]

29 minutes ago, david.c.w said:

 

This sounds a little judgy: 

 

"Just driving a golf cart.  Instant fail."

                                                                  -DMM

 

 

I was playing on the wording of the prior post I was responding to.

[shankasaurus rex]

4 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

 

Well, you’re assuming that you’re going to catch back up, rather than create a gap in front of you that’s going to persist (and also that the average benefit of going for the green is a full stroke for the typical amateur, which it certainly isn’t.)

 

But that’s not even the reason for not waiting.  Slow play isn’t just about the total time it takes to play a round, it’s about how long you stand still prepared to take your next shot on the tee box of in the fairway.  When that gets extended or is inconsistent, you can’t get into a good rhythm.  Ready golf means hitting your shots, putting your putts, and getting out of the way so the people behind you can play a hole in rhythm.  It’s like people who dither around the green while you’re waiting to hit your approach and their response is ‘we’ll just have to wait on the next tee’.  Fine, that’s where you should be waiting!  Not on the green when the group behind you is standing still for 10 minutes waiting to hit.

So I should take a stroke on my card so that your weak mental game doesn't affect yours??? Ready golf absolutely doesn't mean that. If I'm keeping up with the people in front of me, I've achieved the goal, and I'm not going to change the way I play a hole so you can hit faster, preserving your fragile mental state. 

 

Yes, absolutely move off the green when the putting is through, and be ready to hit when the fairway, green, etc. is clear, but the very concept of taking a different shot so the guys behind you wait a minute less is absolutely asinine. 

 

Regardless, thanks for giving me another example in my campaign against Fast Golf! 🤣

 

 

[shankasaurus rex]

4 hours ago, MountainKing said:

 

Most guys going for a green in two fit into the lower handicap realm - so we have @Archimedes65calling low handicap golfers slow, and you calling them silly with their willingness to take one for the sake of pace.   This thread is wild. 

Yeah, you've got guys not realizing how the foursome in a money game grinding putts slows everything down, and another guy changing the shot he takes so the guy behind him doesn't have to wait another minute on the tee (he gets to wait on the fairway instead), and yet another guy who feels the previous action is valid in order to protect the fragile minds that may be behind us!!! Wild indeed. 

 

My guy, my sole purpose on the golf course is not to ensure you get to play the way you want to play. If I'm keeping up with the group ahead, my responsibility to you ends, full stop. Enjoy the wait, and plan your day better. 

[Archimedes65]

9 minutes ago, shankasaurus rex said:

So I should take a stroke on my card so that your weak mental game doesn't affect yours??? Ready golf absolutely doesn't mean that. If I'm keeping up with the people in front of me, I've achieved the goal, and I'm not going to change the way I play a hole so you can hit faster, preserving your fragile mental state. 

 

Yes, absolutely move off the green when the putting is through, and be ready to hit when the fairway, green, etc. is clear, but the very concept of taking a different shot so the guys behind you wait a minute less is absolutely asinine. 

 

Regardless, thanks for giving me another example in my campaign against Fast Golf! 🤣

 

 

 

You can do whatever you want.  I don’t care if people wait to go for the green in two. I don’t think that’s slow play and didn’t indicate that it was.  I, key word there is I, just don’t choose to do it if everyone’s waiting on me; a) because I could give a rat’s behind about one stroke during a round and would like to help out my fellow golfer, and b) I’m really good with my wedges, so giving up the attempt in two is likely to mean nothing to me in terms of score.

 

I do laugh though when 9 times out of 10, the guy in front of me who waited forever for the group to putt out in front of him, doesn’t come within 20 yards of hitting the green.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2024 by Archimedes65

[Archimedes65]

4 hours ago, MountainKing said:

 

Yeah, let me rephrase that one - most guys capable of hitting a green in two are lower handicaps.  You're right that I (and many others) get behind so many guys hitting it 180 off the back tees, then insist on waiting from 250 out as if they have a club in the bag that might get there. 

 

All the time, both par 4s and 5s.  Guys hit the driver 180 off the tee, but they think they can hit the green from 220 off the deck with their five wood.  We have old guys at our club that refuse to hit their second shot on Par 4s until the green clears, even though they haven’t hit a green in regulation since Reagan was in office.

[mshills]

19 minutes ago, shankasaurus rex said:

If I'm keeping up with the group ahead, my responsibility to you ends, full stop. Enjoy the wait, and plan your day better. 

💯 💯 💯 Every day and twice on Sunday. If I’m keeping up with the group in front of me I’m never even looking back to see someone’s gesticulation about who knows what. 

[AThompson_3]

18 hours ago, jda said:

 

Wait, what?  I thought that this is about 70% of this board and 95% of this thread is all about?  🙂  No music, have to shake hands, cannot be a bro or play with bros, have to wear your cap with the bill in front... and the list goes on.  I am kidding, of course.

 

As for waiting or hitting into greens, my experience has been regional.  I can hit a 3 iron about 240-255 and a 3 wood a bit further.  In the midwest, it was totally cool to roll a ball on/near a green while others were putting whereas people get really mad about this in Colorado.  I am not saying to fly a ball in there which is no good anywhere in the world.  The other day, 260 and 4 iron was nutted (usually about 230 or so and I was trying to just be in front) and rolled to the middle of the green and the group waited to tell me how much of a jerk that I was - it was a one in 100 shot and it was rolling like a putt when it hit the green.  I'll bet those same old farts complain about slow play too, which I told them as I was unapologetic which they also did not seem to like.

The experience isn't regional, the confrontational nature is different. There is not a place in the world that is ok with getting hit in to while on the green. Some people may call you out to your face, some may wait until they get to the cart to complain to their buddies, some may never say anything and toss your ball in the woods or nearest body of water. Nobody is ok with it. If there is any possible way you can reach, wait or lay up. Period.

[mshills]

2 minutes ago, AThompson_3 said:

The experience isn't regional, the confrontational nature is different. There is not a place in the world that is ok with getting hit in to while on the green. Some people may call you out to your face, some may wait until they get to the cart to complain to their buddies, some may never say anything and toss your ball in the woods or nearest body of water. Nobody is ok with it. If there is any possible way you can reach, wait or lay up. Period.

Some situational awareness is called for too. It is pretty easy to tell if someone just hit a 1 in 500 nutted shot that landed 10 yards short, got a members bounce, and rolled on. You look back and the player is usually waving or hand up and often yelling “SORRY!” I’m not going to be mad about that at all, and if the player rolls up to apologize I’m going to fist bump him and tell him to make that putt!
 

You drop a 5w trajectory in on top of me….not the same thing at all, and you won’t have an eagle putt any more when you get up there. 
 

I do agree, if there is any chance at all, I wait, and that is not slowing the PoP down one bit. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

My unpopular opinion? Slow play is used as a catch all for anything in golf that you don't like. I.e. if you don't like something, you say it will cause slow play. 

 

I.e. in the ball rollback thread, the anti-rollbackers say a shorter ball will slow down play. While the pro-rollbackers say it will reduce how far offline the ball goes (b/c it's shorter) resulting in fewer lost balls, so added distance slows down play. 

 

Don't like alcohol on course? People being tipsy slows down play.

Think aimpoint is silly? Process slows down play.

Don't like gambling? Grinding over short putts slows down play. 

Don't like short knockers playing from the white or blue tees? Lack of distance slows down play. 

Don't like high caps playing from the black or gold? Wild tee shots whilst "swinging for the fences" slows down play. 

 

But the problem is that I can point to examples of basically all of these things and players who play fast. Players who shoot 68 and take forever. Players that shoot 110 while drinking a number of beers and get around fast. 

 

It's all BS. You know what causes slow play? Slow people. Simple as that. 

 

Everything else is just an excuse to criticize something that you already want to criticize, and hide behind slow play as a reason. 

[Argonne69]

Practice swings are based on the premise that you can repeat a swing. IMHO, 95% of golfers can't do that, so knock it off already. Lol. OK, one practice swing, but make it a real swing. I've seen countless "swings" that look more like one chopping wood than swinging a golf club. You don't need 3 practice swings, especially if you're going to top the ball 30 yds. 

 

Played a round a few years back with a junior player and his father. The father was coaching him to take five to seven practice swings on every single shot. By the 5th hole we were already two holes behind the group ahead. It was simply brutal. I should have pulled the father aside and politely told him to knock it off, but I kept my mouth shut. By the turn I'd had enough, and told the father that I was going to play ahead. I caught the group ahead four holes later. 

 

Edited June 6, 2024 by Argonne69

[mshills]

Practice swings are a waste of time and energy unless the stance is really unusual / uneven. 

[jda]

5 hours ago, AThompson_3 said:

The experience isn't regional, the confrontational nature is different. There is not a place in the world that is ok with getting hit in to while on the green. Some people may call you out to your face, some may wait until they get to the cart to complain to their buddies, some may never say anything and toss your ball in the woods or nearest body of water. Nobody is ok with it. If there is any possible way you can reach, wait or lay up. Period.

I am ok with anybody rolling a ball up onto the green while I am putting.  Rolling.  ...so there is at least one guy who is ok with it.  Flying it in there is never cool.  If you intended to be in front and nutted something and it rolled up, then I will clap for you.

[AThompson_3]

7 minutes ago, jda said:

I am ok with anybody rolling a ball up onto the green while I am putting.  Rolling.  ...so there is at least one guy who is ok with it.  Flying it in there is never cool.  If you intended to be in front and nutted something and it rolled up, then I will clap for you.

Someone has never had a ball roll through their line as their standing over a putt before... It's never ok to hit a ball that even if you have to nut, could come close to a group whether its on the fly or rolling up. The only time it's not worthy of getting frustrated about it is if a ball is bouncing down a cart path or got a bad ricochet off of something. I don't see what is complicated about this.

[AThompson_3]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Practice swings are based on the premise that you can repeat a swing. IMHO, 95% of golfers can't do that, so knock it off already. Lol. OK, one practice swing, but make it a real swing. I've seen countless "swings" that look more like one chopping wood than swinging a golf club. You don't need 3 practice swings, especially if you're going to top the ball 30 yds. 

 

Played a round a few years back with a junior player and his father. The father was coaching him to take five to seven practice swings on every single shot. By the 5th hole we were already two holes behind the group ahead. It was simply brutal. I should have pulled the father aside and politely told him to knock it off, but I kept my mouth shut. By the turn I'd had enough, and told the father that I was going to play ahead. I caught the group ahead four holes later. 

 

I get the point you're trying to make and practice swings should be limited to 1 to 2 anyways, but practice swings are not about repeating the swing. They are about replicating a feel so should be slow and exaggerated. Who takes a full cut practice swing? The issue is people taking practice swings with a flawed purpose. 1 -2 practice swings exaggerating a feel whether it be takeaway, transition, etc. then swing.

[klebs01]

21 minutes ago, jda said:

I am ok with anybody rolling a ball up onto the green while I am putting.  Rolling.  ...so there is at least one guy who is ok with it.  Flying it in there is never cool.  If you intended to be in front and nutted something and it rolled up, then I will clap for you.

I’m with you on rolling one up and from the Midwest. It happens once in a blue moon and isn’t something to worry about. I would usually say nice shot. Catch a flyer that rolls up from 280 out. It happens. Not going to fault anyone. The should have hit. Just don’t fly one in when it’s obvious. 

[jda]

It could happen multiple times a round when I was in HS and College.  If you had trouble putting because of this, then coach would find somebody who was actually mentally tough.  Again, nothing dangerous.  It happens on tour sometimes too and guys clap and move on.

 

We had a 400 yard par 4 strong dogleg on home course that if you took an aggressive line over the water with a draw, it would roll down hill 40 yards onto the green.  Everybody did this with people on the green.  Sometimes there would be 4 balls on the green or back fringe while you were putting... you just get over it.

 

The smart groups let the people behind hit while they were approaching the green, but not everybody did this.  You just marked their ball and put it back when you were done.

 

330 yard par 4 too.  Occasionally see a drive end up on the green while you were putting and many in the front right bunker.  You could hear the drives landing short but nobody was in danger.  Had to be mentally tough.