Golf Random Irritations

Foxholer

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Mate of mine uses his range finder when he's 20-30 yards from the green. And then usually proceeds to either duff the chip or thin it through the green. I try so hard not to laugh but I am only human :LOL:
'All the gear; no idea' springs to mind. And one of the 'causes of slow play' that annoys me most.
 

Mandofred

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I use my range finder from 30 yards (not 20 though......). I practice that shot....I put out cones at 30-50-70yds and land balls in various places around the cones. I consider the range finder to be a bit like having a caddy. I already know "close" to how far I am away from the pin....the range finder just confirms things. Now....if I did that and still hit shots all over the place....it would be a waste of time for me (and I'd quit playing golf).
 

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I use my range finder from 30 yards (not 20 though......). I practice that shot....I put out cones at 30-50-70yds and land balls in various places around the cones. I consider the range finder to be a bit like having a caddy. I already know "close" to how far I am away from the pin....the range finder just confirms things. Now....if I did that and still hit shots all over the place....it would be a waste of time for me (and I'd quit playing golf).
Honest question, why do you need to know how far it is to the pin? Surely you are aiming at a spot on the green to either roll up to the flag or land past the hole and spin it back? The distance to the flag must be fairly irrelevant?

This is coming from someone who just uses F/M/B measurements as I am not good enough to get to precise. I'm happy somewhere on the green ;)
 

Jaco

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'All the gear; no idea' springs to mind. And one of the 'causes of slow play' that annoys me most.

Exactly. I've no problem with rangefinders, and in fact I'd buy one if I knew I could consistently hit my irons a set distance. I have a Bushnell watch and I love that. It's just people who can't play and yet have equipment more suited to those who can, which then slows everything down. I'm firmly in Monty's camp, that golf should be speeded up, not slowed down.
 

Mandofred

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Honest question, why do you need to know how far it is to the pin? Surely you are aiming at a spot on the green to either roll up to the flag or land past the hole and spin it back? The distance to the flag must be fairly irrelevant?

This is coming from someone who just uses F/M/B measurements as I am not good enough to get to precise. I'm happy somewhere on the green ;)
Same reason a person wants to know the distance to the F/M/B of the green. When I'm hitting my wedges nicely I know that THAT club will go a certain distance with a certain swing effort. I don't spin the ball worth beans....but if the pin is on a flat green and 33 yrds away I will likely use my 60 degree with a half swing and an easy effort (in my head...use what works for you). If it's a flat green will be trying to land the ball just short of 30yrds.
 

Mandofred

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Exactly. I've no problem with rangefinders, and in fact I'd buy one if I knew I could consistently hit my irons a set distance. I have a Bushnell watch and I love that. It's just people who can't play and yet have equipment more suited to those who can, which then slows everything down. I'm firmly in Monty's camp, that golf should be speeded up, not slowed down.
Slow golfers....are just...plain....slow. They do everything slow. They walk slow....they put their scores down while standing on the green....they stop and talk to each other instead of getting their club selection done....etc etc. Unless the club actually makes an effort to speed certain players up.....slow players remain slow players...in their heads they ARE playing at the right speed.
 

Foxholer

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Honest question, why do you need to know how far it is to the pin? Surely you are aiming at a spot on the green to either roll up to the flag or land past the hole and spin it back? The distance to the flag must be fairly irrelevant?

This is coming from someone who just uses F/M/B measurements as I am not good enough to get to precise. I'm happy somewhere on the green ;)
Depends what you practice/calibrate! If you practice into a net, then distance to landing point, whether in front or past the pin, is the more appropriate; if on a real green, where results can be seen, 'then distance to pin' is probably a better metric. Both perhaps a bit too accurate for the ability of most, but if it promotes a confident and consistent swing either is likely to be more helpful than not knowing.
 

Slab

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Same reason a person wants to know the distance to the F/M/B of the green. When I'm hitting my wedges nicely I know that THAT club will go a certain distance with a certain swing effort. I don't spin the ball worth beans....but if the pin is on a flat green and 33 yrds away I will likely use my 60 degree with a half swing and an easy effort (in my head...use what works for you). If it's a flat green will be trying to land the ball just short of 30yrds.

I wish i could. I’ve no idea how to chip a ball 30 yards or 40 yards etc
If you asked me to close my eyes and swing to chip three balls one each to 25, 30 & 35yards I wouldn’t have a clue. I can only use what I see and feel what the swing needs to be to a visible target, for me the yardage is meaningless
 

Foxholer

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Slow golfers....are just...plain....slow. They do everything slow. They walk slow....they put their scores down while standing on the green....they stop and talk to each other instead of getting their club selection done....etc etc. Unless the club actually makes an effort to speed certain players up.....slow players remain slow players...in their heads they ARE playing at the right speed.
That's not actually 'slow play' if done while others in the group haven't finished. Even the next may not be. The essential metric is 'have they kept up with the group in front'! If the answer is 'Yes', then they are not at fault for any (perceived) slow play.
 
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Brammall Mac

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Slow golfers....are just...plain....slow. They do everything slow. They walk slow....they put their scores down while standing on the green....they stop and talk to each other instead of getting their club selection done....etc etc. Unless the club actually makes an effort to speed certain players up.....slow players remain slow players...in their heads they ARE playing at the right speed.

I would class using a rangefinder 30
yards from the green as slow play, but then again I’ve never met a golfer who admits to being a slow player.
 

Mandofred

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I would class using a rangefinder 30
yards from the green as slow play, but then again I’ve never met a golfer who admits to being a slow player.
Take it from your point of view (I think)....I could walk up to the green, wonder about how far it is and what kind of shot I should hit..... Or (in my point of view) I could roll up to the ball (already know "about" how far the pin is before I stop), pull out the rangefinder to confirm the distance (gives me confidence) and try to hit the ball that distance. Both ways CAN be fast....or slow. Someone who is slow just goes through the process slower than someone who wants to move quickly. It's like everything else in life....some people take forever to paint a room for instance....others will do it a lot faster (with same quality of job). We all know people like this....some get the jobs done quickly, others are just slow.

At my old club we would occasionally play a 5 ball on a Monday morning. The people behind us were the usual people and they didn't mind since they knew we wouldn't hold them up. We had a guy play with us once (a regular with the roll up group) who just didn't like playing at sub 3 1/2 hour speed...it was way too fast for him. He didn't like to play that fast. He wasn't a slow player....but a 5 ball group going at that speed made him hustle too much and he didn't like it.
 

Mandofred

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That's not actually 'slow play' if done while others in the group haven't finished. Even the next may not be. The essential metric is 'have they kept up with the group in front'! If the answer is 'Yes', then they are not at fault for any (perceived) slow play.
I think you know what I'm talking about with people marking cards while still on the green. It can be done properly.....or that same guy could be standing on the green while the other players are walking off to the next hole. If I just wanted to argue.....what if the group ahead of you is slow and you are barely keeping up? I think you knew what I meant with my earlier post and just wanted a bit of an argue....(y)
 

Foxholer

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I think you know what I'm talking about with people marking cards while still on the green. It can be done properly.....or that same guy could be standing on the green while the other players are walking off to the next hole. If I just wanted to argue.....what if the group ahead of you is slow and you are barely keeping up? I think you knew what I meant with my earlier post and just wanted a bit of an argue....(y)
Read my post again! You don't seem to have absorbed the meaning!
I've caddied quite a bit in the past and seen too many (narrow-minded) folk whingeing about the group in front, when the real problem is further ahead!
Btw. 'Barely keeping up' IS keeping up.
FWIW. I detest slow play too. But I'd sooner blame the actual culprit, than simply the group in front!
 
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Mandofred

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Read my post again! You don't seem to have absorbed the meaning!
I've caddied quite a bit in the past and seen too many (narrow-minded) folk whingeing about the group in front, when the real problem is further ahead!
Btw. 'Barely keeping up' IS keeping up.
FWIW. I detest slow play too. But I'd sooner blame the actual culprit, than simply the group in front!
I re-read your post. I seem to have understood it just fine. I'll clarify my point again....... I included in my earlier post several things that "some" slow people do. One of the things that "some" slow people do is hang around the green putting their scores on when the following group is waiting to hit. Is this not something that "some" slow people do? The answer to that question is yes.

You missed my point in the second part of the my post before this...in pointing out that you were looking at one thing I wrote and taking it in a way I hadn't intended. I specifically state that "if I just wanted to argue".... do you understand that I was also being silly and just pointing out that I (and in this case you) can always just argue for no good reason (as in my twisting things to blame the group in front..I did that on purpose....I thought it was an obvious silly statement....zing....right past you)?
 

Foxholer

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I re-read your post. I seem to have understood it just fine. I'll clarify my point again....... I included in my earlier post several things that "some" slow people do. One of the things that "some" slow people do is hang around the green putting their scores on when the following group is waiting to hit. Is this not something that "some" slow people do? The answer to that question is yes.

You missed my point in the second part of the my post before this...in pointing out that you were looking at one thing I wrote and taking it in a way I hadn't intended. I specifically state that "if I just wanted to argue".... do you understand that I was also being silly and just pointing out that I (and in this case you) can always just argue for no good reason (as in my twisting things to blame the group in front..I did that on purpose....I thought it was an obvious silly statement....zing....right past you)?
Well, it seems you DID just want to argue! :rolleyes:
Btw. I totally agree with the 'clarification' above, which is why I commented in the 1st place. (y)
On that basis, I'm out!
 
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A range finder from 30 yards ?????

Seriously ? why would you need use a ranger finder from that close to the green ?!

There is one senior who does it at our club - it just adds to all his other actions that make him one of the slowest at the club
 

Foxholer

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I would class using a rangefinder 30
yards from the green as slow play, but then again I’ve never met a golfer who admits to being a slow player.
Certainly potentially a contributor to slow play, but takes no time at all if done while someone else is taking their shot.
The simple rule of thumb is 'is the group keeping up with the group ahead?'.
 
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