Would You Rather?

[7ironDave]

Sorry if this has been posted before, had the discussion with a buddy this weekend.

Would you rather play a round at a course that you would otherwise never be able to play, think Augusta, Seminole, Shinnecock, etc. with 3 stuffy stick in the mud members that you don’t know.

or

Play one of the best public courses, think Pebble, Pinehurst,Sawgrass, etc. with 3 of your golfing buddies?

So are you choosing the exclusive course to say you played it or the public with your buddies?

I landed on public with my buddies. I’d rather have a fun day on a great course than be able to say a played at XYZ and not really be able to share the memories with buddies.

[MtlJeff]

Pebble is still a fairly "exclusive" course in that it costs a lot and i think you still have to book like a year in advance right?

I'd definitely choose playing with my friends. There's enough really nice public courses that maintain that level of "exclusive" type feel. Playing with guys i like at a Sand Hills, Whistling Straights, Pebble, Spyglass etc....would trump playing with people who aren't nice at a place like Augusta

[kmay__]

Well I'd obviously prefer to have fun with friends, but seeing as I can do that every weekend, I'd probably go play the stuffy course just to piss those 3 off and have the experience of playing said exclusive course. Then next weekend me and the boys are back at it at the public.

 

If this was like "last round of your life" sorta scenario, then yea a premier public with the boys of course.

[SNIPERBBB]

I'll play with anyone once. I'll take ANGC and tell the stories to my buddies afterwards

[SnapHooker_307]

I'd say Sawgrass with the buddies. I can only imagine the amount of ribbing that would go on on 17, it would be legendary.

[caniac6]

I have a feeling that those "stuffy" guys probably are not as stuffy as you think. If I had a chance to play ANGC, Seminole, Pine Valley, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[dubbelbogey]

Probably true, but that wasn't the OP's question. He's asserting that the stuffy guys are going to be just that, so you have to choose between those two options.

[dubbelbogey]

[bogiii]

Playing with buddies forsure, although Augusta would be nice!

[jholz]

If I had a chance to play Augusta, I'd do that. I don't care who I am playing with - within reason of course. I assume that under the proposed scenario I wouldn't be paired with Charles Manson or similar.

 

I mean, stuffy folks? no problem.

 

Homicidal sociopaths? I'll go play Sawgrass or Pinehurst.

[PappyVanWinkle53]

I'd take the elite private course with the 3 stuffed shirts every time......Like #SniperBBB said, I'll play with anyone once. I'd be so caught up in the moment of playing ANGC that I prob wouldn't even notice how stuffy the other guys were acting.....Plus i've already played Pebble, Pinehurst and Sawgrass

[puttingmatt]

Since my schedule is open, I can do both.

And have a great time with strangers and freinds.

[aenemated]

Nah, you don't have to book it that far out. I booked my most recent round there - last fall - like two weeks out. Though, I did pay the premium to stay at The Lodge - that might have been my in. But I figure if I'm driving up to PB, Imma go all out.

That said, honestly ... I'd rather play with stuffy folks I don't know on those types of courses. (When you have long hair and are covered in tattoos - including the neck - most everyone at a golf course seems stuffy in comparison haha) I've been fortunate to get grouped with some great folks on my bucket list rounds that were very fun to play with but the advantage of playing with strangers is I focus on the golf more than the camaraderie. Cuz me and my buddies spend far too much time being clowns - and I'd much rather bring my A game than just horse around half the time when playing a bucketlist course.

The majority of my best scores over the last couple years have been when playing with strangers.

[Dion1970]

Public with buddies. Nothing ruins an expensive round of golf more then spending 4 hours with a bunch of turds you don’t know. Lol.

[PureDivots]

Augusta, members there are probably interesting, but otherwise no contest playing with friends. Travel and time are half or more of the battle. Whether the course is exclusive or not doesn’t matter that much.

[Hawkeye77]

Seems to be a faux choice. By definition I can play a public course almost anytime I want, just have to make the effort and whatever trip is required. If I get on Pebble this summer it will 99.99999% be with total strangers and I could care less. Nobody will be bringing me down, lol.

I don’t give a rat’s rear who I play with at Augusta National, and I’m not going to assume members I’ve never met are stuffy or whatever the original point was. I’m their guest.

[WristySwing]

Private club. Pretend I don't speak a lick of English so I don't have to talk to the stuffy people if they are as bad as OP paints. When I was a junior at a country club (around 20 years old) I was paired with the stereotypical judge Smails stuffy doctor type plenty of times in my morning rounds. It was always a bit terse the first few holes but after that, it is golf after all. They open up and start talking about their games and they talk to each other about things in general. Doable and semi-boring but well worth it if I'm playing Augusta. My guess though I wouldn't have to pretend and we could get along okay.

[GLF4EVR]

So long as it is Augusta would be an easy choice for me. With the stuffiness I would tend to concentrate more on my shots. Then the added bonus of being able to tell my golfing buddies about it.

[mmoyer630]

Friends all day