Blobbing it (Socially)

[Bdill93]

When I first started playing golf, 18 months ago or so, I played stroke play every single time I played. My thought process here was simple, I can only track improvement by seeing what I score over 18 or 9 holes playing in full competition rules. This got boring after a while.

These days if im playing a round of golf socially and I start to blow up on a hole, ill just blob it and walk on. Lets be honest, no golfer enjoys finishing out for triple bogey or worse, it puts us all in a bad mood, no matter what level you play at. Whats the point in playing yourself into a bad mood?

Ill stress, I keep playing if it isnt my home course and obviously in a comp I dont just NR, I would keep playing for my solid 10...


What do you do when playing socially? Always hole out or blob it?

 

[HampshireHog]

Not sure why anyone would play medals outside of competition, seems pretty masochistic.

I pretty much try and avoid stroke play outside of comps. Singles Match play, 6‘s , 4BBB ideally.

Worst case scenario for stroke play I’d play Stableford in a roll up.

 

[Beezerk]

I'll usually pick up if I'm on a bad score on a hole, some of it is to encourage some of the other lads we play with to do the same. A handful are new players and often make a cricket scores on a hole, writing down a 17 is no fun for anyone and slows the round down to a snails pace.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If I can't score, having a mare on a hole then I will pick up. If it is early doors and I want to practice a chip or, more likely a putt, then I may keep going purely to do that. I would only do that once or twice though and not after the first few holes. Why hit 8-9 shots on a hole? There is no fun in it and you are just annoying everyone else. Thankfully, my regular pp have the same attitude and do the same.

 

[chrisd]

I guess I just dont get over annoyed. Sometimes I'll finish a hole, sometimes I wont, depending on the circumstances at the time. If there's nobody pressing behind I'll play out the hole just to see if I can hit a really good shot which will save say a probable 8 down to say a 6 but, getting angry doesn't help, and those who get particularly angry usually carry the anger and poor form over to the next hole.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

My answer is that it depends. Sometimes I want the pressure of compiling a medal score, but other times Stableford is fine and I pick up if I get to no score. Last week, in failing light on my own, I played to get as close to the hole as possible in gross par, which meant I played different shots to that which I would if playing Stableford, or a medal.

 

[Beedee]

I'm probably too far on the other side. I play every round as a Stableford and happily pick up in medals if I'm having a bad day. When you start writing 9's or worse on the card you ain't gonna win anyway. Pick up, move on and play for your stableford score and your handicap.

And always tell people in the bar afterwards how many blobs you had in the medal. Such fun to watch the veins in some people's foreheads

 

[Orikoru]

Yeah, always Stableford for our friendly rounds. If you're having a mare hole, just pick it up and move on. Why bother hacking it up and putting out for a snowman? One of my usual group is off 29 too whereas the others are 15 (me) and 13, so it makes sense to do Stableford scores anyway to make the scores somewhat relatable.

You can still get an approximate gross score anyway, in my Hole 19 app if I blob a hole it just counts it as net double bogey. (So blobbing a par 4 usually counts as a 7.)

 

[Oddsocks]

I guess I just dont get over annoyed. Sometimes I'll finish a hole, sometimes I wont, depending on the circumstances at the time. If there's nobody pressing behind I'll play out the hole just to see if I can hit a really good shot which will save say a probable 8 down to say a 6 but, getting angry doesn't help, and those who get particularly angry usually carry the anger and poor form over to the next hole.

Pretty much the same although I’ve started playing a different game.

Match play against the course is quick and actually pretty enjoyable.

Birdies/net birdies are a hole win therefore must be putted out.

Pars/nett pars are got a hole halfed and must be putted out.

Bogies/nett bogies/worse are gimmies or pick up if you’ve had a mere.

I find this keeps the pressure on the putts that count and allows you to mentally reset on bad holes. It also keeps the pace of play moving.

Ironically I lost 3&2 against the course recently yet shot 36/38+ points. This keeps you focusing on positives, practicing the high pressure putts and allows you to quickly dismiss negatives.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

If it's just me and a mate having a friendly knock, we'll often just keep our own scores for 9 or 18 holes.
But if there's more than 2 of us it'll be a match of some sort 6's or "in the chair" normally.

 

[IanM]

Why not... not all golf is meant to be formal competition.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Not sure why anyone would play medals outside of competition, seems pretty masochistic.

I pretty much try and avoid stroke play outside of comps. Singles Match play, 6‘s , 4BBB ideally.

Worst case scenario for stroke play I’d play Stableford in a roll up.

I’m exactly the opposite. The point of golf is to get the ball in the hole. Picking up doesn’t fulfill that requirement.

If someone suggests playing an stableford I let them get on with it and work out the points, but I don’t bother.

I wonder how many players who only play stableford in casual rounds, then fall apart because they can’t handle the pressure when playing a medal comp.

 

[jim8flog]

In social play I apply the same guidelines as I do for Stableford. Once I have reached net double bogey (zero points for the hole) I pick up.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Social rounds for me is mainly 2 vs 2 better-ball matchplay. Nobody bothers keeping track of their individual score, unless they do-it-in-their-heads and keep schtum about it.
If three of us, its the same thing, but either the 6 points a hole game or skins.
So you pick-up when your putt is conceded, when you can't improve on your partner's score or when you've lost the hole.
I've stopped playing roll-ups, until people realise that you score stableford points, when playing with and against other players, according to your playing handicap for individual strokeplay. NOT COURSE HANDICAP.
Can't be bothered arguing about it with "members" so I don't take part. Once they get it through their heads I'll take part again, if they let me.
I, and players like me, play enough handicap qualifying rounds and are glad of an opportunity to play a social matchplay without keeping track of individual strokeplay scores.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Medal, stableford, on my own, with friends…… I’m blobbing. Got no time for nonsense even my own.

 

[SteveW86]

Play the hole out every time for me. I want to know my gross for 18

 

[Backache]

Depends on things like how quick I want to play, how busy the course is, what the weather is like etc.
I will usually keep trying though.

 

[RichA]

I generally only pick up if I can't score and my group have another in sight behind us and closing.
The hole point of golf is getting the ball in the whole, after all.

 

[Boomy]

If I set off with the intention of keeping a score then I aim to play the hole out every time, record a true score, and keep working on bettering that score for next time. Especially if I’ve put myself in some trouble (deep rough, tricky shot etc) as it’s good practice for actual competition play and good practice for keeping my concentration.

Each to their own of course, but only claim a score at the end if that is what you have actually scored. I.e if you picked up on a par 4 and save it in your app as a net double 7 when in fact you’d had 8 shots when you picked up and still weren’t on the green - that isn’t real scoring.

For me, if someone wants to play in medal competitions then you have to practice that pressure. How many players fall apart because they’re not not familiar with finishing every hole…

If we are playing stableford or match play and not keeping score then I’ll pick up if i’m out of the hole. In winter we generally do this to get round quicker with the limited daylight hours.

 

[Sats]

Socially, I never play medal/strokeplay, it's either Stableford, Match play, split sixes or another form of play so if I'm having a mare on a hole I'll pick up. I'll only go until I hole out is when I'm playing a medal comp.