Feeling Guilty

[Region3]

I don't know if guilt is the right word. Maybe it should be embarrassed.

Either way, do you feel it if you (or your partner in pairs) has a day where everything goes right?

You know you/your partner doesn't have an artificially high handicap, but your opponents don't as they've never seen you play.

Do you feel the shame that a bandit should feel, even though we know they don't, or do you believe you should bash them up as much as you can while you're playing well and they will accept that you just had one of those days?

Answers on a postcard...

 

[JustOne]

I'd have to play pretty much outta my skin to feel like a bandit... if I shot a 65 I'd feel a tad embarrassed but only until I'd had my first 5 pints!

If my partner had a hot day on the course it wouldn't bother me either as I know he's just having a good one, in fact the lower he goes the better.

I would never knowingly partner a bandit to start with.

 

[Imurg]

Happened to me a few years ago. Me and a mate were playing a match at Magnolia Park. I was off 8 he was off 19. Iplayed very ordinary golf - he parred the front and shot 8 over on the back. They were not impressed but it was just one of those days.
Guilty?
Me?

Never!!

 

[Smiffy]

Happened to me too a few years ago playing at Crowborough.
I was off 14 at the time and coming down fast. My partner was off 12, and we were 5 up at the turn. I was playing like God and remember that I kept apologising to our opponents. We got through to the final that year, got beat 2&1 by a Father/Son combination with the boy playing off 3. He was good!
I'd love to be hitting the ball like that now...

 

[Region3]

Last night it was my partner. He plays off 17 and isn't a bandit in my opinion. He's played in 5 qualifiers this year and had 4 0.1's and a buffer.
He's a bit like me in that he plays a lot of holes very well then blows all his handicap on 5 or 6 holes, so we do really well as a pair because one of us will generally play each hole like a golfer when the other has a meltdown.

Anyway, last night he had 'one of those rounds'. He still had his bad holes, like 2 OOB of the 2nd tee and a duck hook into cabbage on a par 3 which would have killed his chances in a medal.
In between those though was holing out from 100yds for an eagle, gross birdies on SI1 and SI6, and 2 or 3 20' putts sunk.

We were 4 up after 9, and I was almost pleased when my partner missed his par putt on SI2 so they won a hole.

Ended up winning 4&3, now into the semis of our summer pairs.

I worked out in the bar afterwards that if it had been stableford we'd have had 48pts

 

[USER1999]

You're feeling quilty?

Just think how Homer must feel playing with HTL.

 

[Region3]

But does Homer feel the guilt?

Some people do, some don't. I know I should have the killer instinct and want to close matches out as soon as possible, but I always end up feeling sorry for someone that's taking a hammering and easing up (or being happy that my partner misses!)

 

[Ken_A]

Just posted about my doubles match last night - they where deffo bandiditos (or so we thought - not having played with them before) We had a complete corker between us and like yourself my shanks and dodgy drives where evened by my partner.

I felt a but guilty as we had a great run and they just melted - however, no real guilt - I have had 12 0.1's this year and I return every card plus play to my best ability every round so I can honestly say we are not bandits. I can say the same about my partner - so congrats on having a cracker. May it continue into the next match.

 

[Region3]

Just posted about my doubles match last night - they where deffo bandiditos (or so we thought - not having played with them before) We had a complete corker between us and like yourself my shanks and dodgy drives where evened by my partner.

I felt a but guilty as we had a great run and they just melted - however, no real guilt - I have had 12 0.1's this year and I return every card plus play to my best ability every round so I can honestly say we are not bandits. I can say the same about my partner - so congrats on having a cracker. May it continue into the next match.

But that's the thing isn't it. They could quite well be posting exactly the same thing on another golf forum.

How can you tell?
90% of golfers are quite capable of playing 4 or 5 shots below their handicap on a good and/or lucky day.
If any of their playing partners have never seen them play before then what are they supposed to think?

I personally like to think the best of people and can't understand cheating in any form, but they are out there, and as far as handicaps go most of the time it's impossible to tell.

 

[Ken_A]

Just figured it out - its the Bridgestone balls, Titleist clubs and yes putter combo.

I do tend to assume that everyone plays to beat their handicap every time and thus there is no cheating - this may be foolish in some peoples views. I am honest and I assume that everyone else is the same. Why would you assume everyone is dishonest, well I dont really think they where bandiditos - but they are due to get a cutthats for sure.

I play with lots of people at my club and they all wonder why I play off such a high number - then somewhere along the way they watch me blow up and shank/hook/slice for 4 holes and they understand.

In short - if you are honest how gives a monkeys - you are the only one that can tell if you are a bandit.