How can that be fun?

garyinderry said:
I have no problems helping people look for balls. its the amount of times the guy in the OP was losing his ball that bothers me. the list was just the times off the tee. you have to wonder how many other times in the round he lost balls. purely on tee shots alone, 25 minutes could be spent looking for his ball. by the laws of averages you would imagine he lost at least another couple over the round pushing the looking time over half an hour.

if you don't think this impinges on other players then you are wrong!

I have no problems with anyone playing golf except when it comes to competitions. I think a certain standard should be adhered to so EVERYONE can enjoy the game.
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So are you saying that high handicappers can't enter comps?
 
el marko said:
Its not that i don't think it effects other players because it does. if youre one of those who it effects then take a look at yourself. I can understand where youre coming from, but having a more laid back approach will do you wonders.
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I couldn't be any more laid back chap. that's half my problem. ;)


ill explain my thinking in the following post.
 
I play 10-15 rounds a year with a 24 h/capper (no not you podgster or scouser) and love going round with him.He rarely plays to 24 over and more like 30 over. However he is very good company and has great etiquette. He may sometimes lose 5 or more balls a round, which I'll always help him with. If we went out in a 2 ball, I also know we would go round in less than 3 hours.

This is the crux of what some are trying to say, I think.

If you were in a round with someone who was re-loading or hitting provisionals virtually every hole, was taking 5 minutes looking time on each ball, still putting out for 8's and more, even on a stableford round. Added to that letting 5-6 groups through and playing a 5 hour plus round.

THAT is when it becomes a chore for fellow players. It is probably also very selfish.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
What certain standard should that be then ? Where is your cut off point where certain golfers can't play in club comps ( remembering they are only club comps at the end of the day )
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okie doke chaps here goes...


I didn't say that high handicaps could/should not play in comps. I said that I believe a certain standard of golf should be achieved before entering competitions. you have to remember that quite a lot of people who enter comps take the game quite seriously. social golf is just that, for everyone. compeitions are a little more serious (yes club comps).

I have got a handful of people into golf. guided them through from their very first swipe at a ball to teeing it up in their first medal. I think we had been quite lucky as we had more than adequate facilities to get them ready for this. we went to the range night after night hitting balls getting them past the "making contact" stage. it progressed onto daily trips to the par 3 course. this went on over the course of a summer. the following year, more of the same until the scores were getting better and their games improved. some made great progress, for others this was as far as it went for them.
The journey onto the big course 18 holes followed. At their request I took them out for a round when it was quiet so we wouldn't bother anyone and they wouldn't be so nervous or embarrassed of their poor play. Plenty of practice rounds on the big course followed and eventually they put their cards in when they felt they might actually be able to play to a 28 handicap.
soon after that, they entered their first comps and the rest is history.

the thing to take from this is that

they were aware (without me telling them) that their poor play at the beginning would/could annoy others on the course.
they would have been embarrassed to shoot 150+ before getting their games into some kind of shape.


I think this is a good way for any golfer to start out. who wants to come last in a competition? you may as well not enter. just play social golf.
 
garyinderry said:
okie doke chaps here goes...


I didn't say that high handicaps could/should not play in comps. I said that I believe a certain standard of golf should be achieved before entering competitions. you have to remember that quite a lot of people who enter comps take the game quite seriously. social golf is just that, for everyone. compeitions are a little more serious (yes club comps).

I have got a handful of people into golf. guided them through from their very first swipe at a ball to teeing it up in their first medal. I think we had been quite lucky as we had more than adequate facilities to get them ready for this. we went to the range night after night hitting balls getting them past the "making contact" stage. it progressed onto daily trips to the par 3 course. this went on over the course of a summer. the following year, more of the same until the scores were getting better and their games improved. some made great progress, for others this was as far as it went for them.
The journey onto the big course 18 holes followed. At their request I took them out for a round when it was quiet so we wouldn't bother anyone and they wouldn't be so nervous or embarrassed of their poor play. Plenty of practice rounds on the big course followed and eventually they put their cards in when they felt they might actually be able to play to a 28 handicap.
soon after that, they entered their first comps and the rest is history.

the thing to take from this is that

they were aware (without me telling them) that their poor play at the beginning would/could annoy others on the course.
they would have been embarrassed to shoot 150+ before getting their games into some kind of shape.


I think this is a good way for any golfer to start out. who wants to come last in a competition? you may as well not enter. just play social golf.
Click to expand...

So what standard should be achieved before you allow them to play in comps ?

What happens if someone achieved that standard a while ago but is struggling with his game - do you kick him out of comps ?

What if a guy who normally shoots in the 70's starts getting a case of the lambs and starts shooting in the 100's ! Kick him out of comps.

What is your cut off point ?


Should everyone who shoots over 100 be banned from playing in comps ?

Some courses just play comps at the weekends throughout the summer - imagine not allowing certain golfers to play in it because you don't think they are at a certain standard.

At the end of the day anyone with a handicap is allowed to play - Amatuer golf is a wonderful sport because it allows people of all different standards to play together and enjoy each other's company. The more the merrier should play as far as I'm concerned regardless of their standard.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Yes I think you are missing the point

The guy obviously just enjoys being outside with friends and just having a go at the game and not really caring about his score.

Some people are far to wrapped up in trying to score well they miss the whole point of amateur golf - just enjoying playing with friends and other people. I play with an old guy who struggles to get the ball round but he still comes back every Friday to spend time with his friends and the banter he gets. He also enjoys watching "better" golfers hit the golf ball.

There are many ways to get enjoyment out of golf than just scoring well and playing well.
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Top post, totally agree. I have been playing for a long time ish and I occasionally have days when I am all over the place. But I enjoy the company, the fresh air and the exercise. And on the days when i am having a mare if I score under a 7 its a bonus.
 
So what standard should be achieved before you allow them to play in comps ?


simply, a player should at least be competitive off their handicap. if a player cant be competitive of 28 then they probably shouldn't be entering competitions. there is lots of time to hone their skills outside comp times.

the handicap system is pointless if they cant score off 28. there is more than enough time throughout the week for people to play social golf and shoot 200 if they please.

the question everyone should ask themselves before teeing up in a comp is, if I have a good day can I at least shoot near my handicap? be that scratch or 28.


I cant go down to the swimming baths and splash about with my armbands on while there is a gala on. :(
 
garyinderry said:
So what standard should be achieved before you allow them to play in comps ?


simply, a player should at least be competitive off their handicap. if a player cant be competitive of 28 then they probably shouldn't be entering competitions. there is lots of time to hone their skills outside comp times.

the handicap system is pointless if they cant score off 28. there is more than enough time throughout the week for people to play social golf and shoot 200 if they please.

the question everyone should ask themselves before teeing up in a comp is, if I have a good day can I at least shoot near my handicap? be that scratch or 28.


I cant go down to the swimming baths and splash about with my armbands on while there is a gala on. :(
Click to expand...


So anyone who can't shoot near their handicap shouldn't play amateur club comps ?!?!

You really miss the point of amateur golf.

It's not always about the winning - for the majority it's the taking part.
 
No matter what handicap you are off if you cant keep up with the pace of play then you should definitely not be entering competitions.

All these people saying it shouldn't affect other players is absolute cobblers. When somebody is consistently playing taking so long either through looking for balls and hitting reloads or generally just being a slow bugger like some of the even really low cappers are then you will have groups behind backing up. Then your letting groups through hole after hole then playing half a hole then waiting while you watch a group play through and then generally hurrying to try and get back into some sort of position in the field. Anybody who says that doesn't affect them one iota is lying through their botty.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
So anyone who can't shoot near their handicap shouldn't play amateur club comps ?!?!

You really miss the point of amateur golf.

It's not always about the winning - for the majority it's the taking part.
Click to expand...

I think you are correct, but it may be that on this message board it may be the other way round in that the majority want to be competitive and win, and just taking part does not float their boat. In the same way that I suspect a high percentage of golfers on here have been custom fitted, but the percentage of all golfers that have been custom fitted is probably very low. Different perspectives I guess.
 
From what I understand the pace of play wasn't in question and the person keeps up with the pace of play.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
So anyone who can't shoot near their handicap shouldn't play amateur club comps ?!?!

You really miss the point of amateur golf.

It's not always about the winning - for the majority it's the taking part.
Click to expand...


no, amateur golf allows everyone to tee it up and enjoy it.

the vast majority of people who tee up in comps have a sneaky feeling that if they play well, today might be their day!
 
Hacker Khan said:
I think you are correct, but it may be that on this message board it may be the other way round in that the majority want to be competitive and win, and just taking part does not float their boat. In the same way that I suspect a high percentage of golfers on here have been custom fitted, but the percentage of all golfers that have been custom fitted is probably very low. Different perspectives I guess.
Click to expand...

I have been custom fitted , I enter everyone comp going , I spend thousands on fee and equipment - my main goal is to enjoy myself with good company. I'm a member at two clubs because whilst one has three fantastic golf courses the atmosphere and attitude is crap where as at the other course the members are excellent and it's an enjoyable time on the course and in the clubhouse. Golf ( whilst I'm good at it ) is a means to getting out and enjoying good company and meeting new people.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
From what I understand the pace of play wasn't in question and the person keeps up with the pace of play.
Click to expand...

The pace of play will be in question when you are hitting that many reloads and looking for that many balls unless the group behind have been eaten by bears or something.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
From what I understand the pace of play wasn't in question and the person keeps up with the pace of play.
Click to expand...

I think we are getting confused with the original point...This was not about the guy I played with, my experience of that round, him as a person, whether he should be playing in comps etc etc. He was simply the catalyst of my question...

How can it be fun to play 3 off of nearly every tee and spend time on just about every hole looking for your ball?
 
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