Bad Advice

[Backache]

What do you do when someone repeats bad advice to you? Do you nod and agree or do you reply 'No you witless moron you're just repeating a hoary old myth that should have been dispelled long before Methuselah was young.'

I still hear people saying things like if you've got a stroke on a hole play to it. Are they idiots and should they be put down?

 

[Orikoru]

Probably depends on context? If they were giving me advice I knew was bad, probably just laugh it off. If they were giving someone I cared about who was a beginner bad advice, I'd weigh in so it didn't do any damage I guess.

If we learn anything from this forum though, it's that people believe what they believe and won't be swayed - not by facts, nor by data. So if you do hear someone giving outdated advice it's not really worth discussing it for long. There's plenty of ways to skin the cat in golf anyway so just let them crack on.

 

[Neilds]

What do you do when someone repeats bad advice to you? Do you nod and agree or do you reply 'No you witless moron you're just repeating a hoary old myth that should have been dispelled long before Methuselah was young.'

I still hear people saying things like if you've got a stroke on a hole play to it. Are they idiots and should they be put down?

I deliberately play some holes as a par 6 (or similar) if I know that trying to reach the green in 3, especially if over water, is a high risk approach. Must make me an idiot and I will stop doing it right now

 

[Backache]

I deliberately play some holes as a par 6 (or similar) if I know that trying to reach the green in 3, especially if over water, is a high risk approach. Must make me an idiot and I will stop doing it right now

It would make you an idiot if you based this strategy on the number of strokes received and you changed your strategy if you had a different number of strokes.
Do you change your strategy if the wind is behind you and the fairway running fast versus the wind against you and the fairways soft?

 

[larmen]

Really depends on who gives it. If you get pared with a scratch golfer and he says he would lay up then I would do it too. If there is a hacker like me saying I moved my head then I friendly say thanks but ignore it.

 

[Neilds]

It would make you an idiot if you based this strategy on the number of strokes received and you changed your strategy if you had a different number of strokes.
Do you change your strategy if the wind is behind you and the fairway running fast versus the wind against you and the fairways soft?

If I have a shot and the chance of reaching the green is high risk because of weather, position or whatever I will lay up and use the shot. Why wouldn’t I?

 

[IanM]

My 23 handicap buddy loves to "help."

I smile and take no notice.

 

[Hobbit]

Unless it’s a dodgy carry over water, go for everything. How many times have I seen someone use their shot with a lay up then duff their chip or 3 putt for a double? If they carve their second, they could still make bogey or a double, which is what they’d get if they screwed up playing sensibly.

Nah, always go for everything.

 

[Backache]

If I have a shot and the chance of reaching the green is high risk because of weather, position or whatever I will lay up and use the shot. Why wouldn’t I?

And if you don't have a shot why does it change your approach?

 

[Neilds]

And if you don't have a shot why does it change your approach?

On my home course I always have at least 1 shot

 

[Golfnut1957]

I deliberately play some holes as a par 6 (or similar) if I know that trying to reach the green in 3, especially if over water, is a high risk approach. Must make me an idiot and I will stop doing it right now

Par 3s? Or are they accidental?

 

[Neilds]

My 23 handicap buddy loves to "help."

I smile and take no notice.

He may actually be right with some observations - feel v real

 

[Golfnut1957]

What do you do when someone repeats bad advice to you? Do you nod and agree or do you reply 'No you witless moron you're just repeating a hoary old myth that should have been dispelled long before Methuselah was young.'

I still hear people saying things like if you've got a stroke on a hole play to it. Are they idiots and should they be put down?

It generally depends on the sort of mood I'm in. The response can be, smile and ignore, a gentle coaxing back to the path of the righteous, or the full hair drier treatment. They would have to say something particularly stupid to get the latter.

 

[RichA]

What do you do when someone repeats bad advice to you? Do you nod and agree or do you reply 'No you witless moron you're just repeating a hoary old myth that should have been dispelled long before Methuselah was young.'

I still hear people saying things like if you've got a stroke on a hole play to it. Are they idiots and should they be put down?

Are you just asking about harmless golf waffle or including the potentially harmful dodgy medical, legal, motoring and DIY advice that gets chucked around here and on the golf course?

 

[Albo]

I just pretty much ignore all advice and row my own boat.
Re going or not for a par 5 in 3 shots, there are some situations where it is impossible, one par 5 at my course I was playing the other day into a massive wind was playing 600 to the middle (accounting for wind, about 550 without) in my head on the day it was a par 6, I still went for it in 3, chip and a putt made birdie in my mind. Having a shot is all well and good, unless you really have to due to a water carry I see no need to play for account of that shot. Fine not going for a par 5 in 2 if there is a bunker or something in the fairway, but not going for it in 3 if it’s possible seems like a negative strategy. That said as I opened up this post with, I pretty much ignore all advice so I expect others to do the same with this.
Does that mean I just wasted my time writing all that out

 

[Hobbit]

Just as a general observation I remember a bit of advice from an old pro. “If you have an 18 handicap, that’s for 18 holes. You will have a run of pars and a hole where you’ll drop 3-4 shots. Don’t worry about car crashes as you’ll either make up for them or you’ve already bagged a bank of shots.”

 

[Backache]

On my home course I always have at least 1 shot

What if you've topped the ball and used up your stroke?

 

[Orikoru]

Just as a general observation I remember a bit of advice from an old pro. “If you have an 18 handicap, that’s for 18 holes. You will have a run of pars and a hole where you’ll drop 3-4 shots. Don’t worry about car crashes as you’ll either make up for them or you’ve already bagged a bank of shots.”

Yea, I try not to care which holes I get shots on - 13 shots on my round just means I'm allowed 13 mistakes at the most.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

What if you've topped the ball and used up your stroke?

Most high handicap golfers would do well to ignore par and just play what they are faced with.

To your point though, do you mean bad advice, or unwanted advice? In my experience, they’re easily conflated

 

[Backache]

Most high handicap golfers would do well to ignore par and just play what they are faced with.

To your point though, do you mean bad advice, or unwanted advice? In my experience, they’re easily conflated

Should low handicap golfers ignore what they are faced with and play according to par irrespective of conditions?

I don't think bad advice is ever wanted. Good advice when not in competition may be helpful.