Great course or great company?

thesheriff

thesheriff

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Playing 18 holes in a 4-ball you are given the choice. You can either play a top golf course in great condition, but with PPs you'd rather avoid, or you play a middling course, but with great company. Assume both are free and weather is fair. Which would you plump for?

I played an outing over the weekend at one of the more renowned courses I've played (not going to name it on this thread). Great course, outstanding weather, great price. The only downside (rant alert!), unfortunately was the attitude 2 members of my 4-ball. The morning was greensomes and the only peep out of them were a snide comments about chances me and my partner had missed or to thoroughly berating themselves for anything less than tour standard shots (they were mid handicappers). The afternoon strokeplay and more of the same. They seemed to take joy in our bad shots and rarely acknowledges our good play or appreciated compliments on theirs. Neither managed to crack a smile over 36 holes.

The golf was great and thoroughly enjoy playing a splendid course, though the company tarnished a golden opportunity to have a very memorable day.

It highlighted to me the reason I play golf, to have fun with old and new friends, to try my best, enjoy the good and accept the bad maintaining my demeanour come triumph or disaster. Given the choice of great course or great company, I'm choosing the latter every time.
 
Captainron said:
Great company can definitely make a bad course more enjoyable but I would always opt to play a better course irrespective of the company
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I played Dubai Emirates Faldo last year. We were paired up with a member and his mate. The member was p*55ed as a fart. Even although his pi55edofficity was not intrusive to my shots - it was nonetheless very off-putting as we had to watch out for him falling off his buggy - as he did a few times. I enjoyed playing the course - but not as much as I did playing the much lesser Jabel Ali course (in Abu Dhabi) a couple of days before.

So an extreme example I accept. But it is def the case that your playing companions can spoil a round - notwithstanding the quality or standing of the course.
 
I personally always try to be a civil as possible and be considerate of others, iv not had to much pairing but a moaner will always be avoided if possible if not I just keep my head down and get on with it, I'd take a good group over a great course every day of the week, some of my best experiences iv had at golf are with my friends
 
Lord Tyrion said:
Company every time. It doesn't matter how good the course is, if the company is sucking the joy from the round then it is no fun.
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works the other way too, I've twice played Selsdon Manor which is a nice course but nothing special, both times the weather has been amazing, had really good playing partners and played decent golf, and they both stick in my head as some of the best rounds of golf and Selsdon is now one of my favourite courses to play
 
r0wly86 said:
works the other way too, I've twice played Selsdon Manor which is a nice course but nothing special, both times the weather has been amazing, had really good playing partners and played decent golf, and they both stick in my head as some of the best rounds of golf and Selsdon is now one of my favourite courses to play
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Agreed. Great company can elevate a course in your mind as the whole experience becomes more fun.
 
Definitely great company.
I don’t mind playing average courses if I’m playing with certain people.
I don’t take my golf too serious.
Bad shots are usually followed by some ribbing.
 
would depend on what course, if it were one of the open course UK or US or a private club you other wise could not play.... i'd play with Adolf Hitler if it meant i could get on;)
 
patricks148 said:
would depend on what course, if it were one of the open course UK or US or a private club you other wise could not play.... i'd play with Adolf Hitler if it meant i could get on;)
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Aye - I would even have allowed my girlfriend (now wife) to walk round Pebble Beach with me - if she'd let me play :(
 
Captainron said:
Great company can definitely make a bad course more enjoyable but I would always opt to play a better course irrespective of the company
Click to expand...

Exactly this - if in bad company playing a great course I can easily ignore the company to soak in the course.
 
I couldn’t care less where I play if the company is good. If I play quite well and have a laugh on the way round it’s a perfect day regardless of where it is. If I’m playing with people and there is a bad atmosphere for whatever reason I never play as well, I can’t just put my head down and ignore it.
 
As a one off, the great course. Easy choice for me.

I’m going to St. Andrews in the summer and if I get a chance to play the old course i’ll be all over it regardless of who I’m playing with.

Now, if the question was where would I rather be a member, an amazing course or somewhere which is decent but has nothing but great people to play with, it would be the latter.
 
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