Compliment of not?

[JustOne]

A 20ft putt sunk would certainly get a compliment from me James!

If you sunk a 20ft putt I'd probably compliment you :rofl:

 

[JustOne]

Phil Mickelson at the Ryder cup and losing to Justin Rose! Standards!

Yeh, that was pure class.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Life is about standards!

It's a good, and should be normal, standard to compliment your opponent on a good shot, show empathy on unlucky shots and generally enjoy playing the game you love with like minded individuals. To ignore every shot is not only cheap gamesmanship it's also downright rude!

Phil Mickelson at the Ryder cup and losing to Justin Rose! Standards!

Sorry don't agree on it being rude or gamesmanship at all. As long as the people were polite and shook hands then they don't have to compliment a person just because they hit a ball ok.

 

[Scrindle]

I think it's important to take handicap into account when deciding whether to compliment shots or not. Landing the ball square in the middle of the green from 150 yards might not be an impressive feat for a lot of people, but for someone playing off 26/27/28 they might just feel like whooping if their iron play is generally not that great and they struggle with club selection. A compliment in that situation can really boost confidence.

I tend to compliment people regardless of situation. Makes no difference to my game and I've always been one for sportsmanship rather than gamesmanship.

 

[sawtooth]

Someone hits a bunker shot out to 10ft - big deal or hits it onto the green from 150yds

Someone hits a bunker shot out to a tight back pin (with a lake behind) from a downhill lie and checks the ball 2ft past the hole - "Good shot mate!!"

I can see where you are coming from James, credit when credit is due but over complimenting can cheapen it if you know what I mean. Similarly I think we over use the word "unlucky" when clearly it was a crap shot or mishit, unlucky is when you hit a good shot into a fairway and it bounces 90 degrees into the cabbage - IMO

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Unlucky!

No, beaten by a much better player.

I tend to agree with JO and will happily compliment good play.

I was a young teenager playing against my father when I was just starting to get better than him.
I holed a mid iron off the fairway.......I got a grunt, I think it was a compliment.

 

[El Bandito]

To answer the OP - I think JO's response is the key...

I have come across FCs and posts on here where people get mildly irritated by what they perceive as over-praising. Personally, if somebody hits a 150 yards onto a green - or out of a bunker to 10 feet -I will say 'good shot' - seems only polite to me...

However - many better players might deem within 3 feet as their expectation - and I have most definitely had occasions where a compliment has elicited a scowl - maybe the guys you played have had the same experience?

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Personally I say good shot when it deserves recognising, If its a nice drive down the middle of the fairway or a nice iron into the green then I acknowledge the other player, I am not fussed either way if they say good shot back.

 

[pokerjoke]

I think your right to expect some form of sportsmanship.
I would always look at someones handicap, as a single figure handicapper
should be hitting it relatively good.
One that does bug me though is the "good strike" even though its across two fairways.

 

[Ethan]

I don't say it a lot, maybe for a very good shot.

I think people have differing levels of appreciation for shots. Personally, I hate it when someone says good shot every time I manage to get the clubface of the ball and get it into the air. If I toe one and it comes off with a nice big draw, it might look great to a slicer, but I don't want someone saying good shot when I know it wasn't.

And if you say good shot a few times then don't, does that mean you think that shot wasn't good?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

To answer the OP - I think JO's response is the key...

I have come across FCs and posts on here where people get mildly irritated by what they perceive as over-praising. Personally, if somebody hits a 150 yards onto a green - or out of a bunker to 10 feet -I will say 'good shot' - seems only polite to me...

However - many better players might deem within 3 feet as their expectation - and I have most definitely had occasions where a compliment has elicited a scowl - maybe the guys you played have had the same experience?

I have often had people say good shot after I hit shots I wasn't happy with but why anyone would get upset because someone pays them a compliment is beyond me.

How good the player is definitely a factor in what gets complimented but in general, if your average golfer hits a green from 150yds, hits a fairway from the tee or sinks a put over 8 feet it is a good shot and would get complimented accordingly. Similarly, if a low h'capper hit a 70yd wedge 20 feet past the pin I'd know that good shot probably wasn't appropriate as he would be expecting better.

 

[JustOne]

The "early call" bugs me..... "good shot" just as it takes that unlucky bounce or comes up short. If you're going to compliment someone then at least wait until the ball has stopped



I don't wait for compliments when one is called for.........

I just turn to Pokerjoke and say "Spud me!!!" :whoo:

 

[Ethan]

I have often had people say good shot after I hit shots I wasn't happy with but why anyone would get upset because someone pays them a compliment is beyond me.

It isn't a compliment if it is insincere (really just a verbal tic), the other player doesn't know what a good shot is or they are trying gamesmanship.

And bad luck isn't the same as terrible shot.

 

[chrisd]

If you sunk a 20ft putt I'd probably compliment you :rofl:

To be fair James, if I sunk a 20 footer I would expect a written commendation !

 

[El Bandito]

To be fair James, if I sunk a 20 footer I would expect a written commendation !

If I sink a 20 footer - then no need for compliments as I will pay myself plenty while completing a lap of honour round the green...

 

[Region3]

I always say good shot if someone hits a good shot, irrespective of the situation.

Me too, in fact I probably overdo it and should sometimes just keep my trap shut.

I played in a comp a couple of months ago with 2 others that were around 20hc, and they were saying good shot when I felt like I'd been lucky to find the face of the club. It's easier to just keep saying thanks than to try to explain that they were actually awful shots.

I think the hardest thing is trying to decide if the player who hit the shot would think it was a good one.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

It isn't a compliment if it is insincere (really just a verbal tic), the other player doesn't know what a good shot is or they are trying gamesmanship.

And bad luck isn't the same as terrible shot.

In most instances, I think people compliment what they would consider to be a good shot for themselves

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I think the hardest thing is trying to decide if the player who hit the shot would think it was a good one.

I've decided that I can't account for the other player's expectations, so if I think it's a good shot, I say good shot

 

[Cheifi0]

I think the hardest thing is trying to decide if the player who hit the shot would think it was a good one.

I totally agree. I have only recently started playing with golfers of a much higher standard. There were times when I complimented their shot only to look at the guy obviously disgusted with the shot. I tended not to say anything for the rest of the round.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Chris

Any opponent of yours would get a sore throat if he complimented you on EVERY good shot :thup:

Steve