One Planer
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This is NOT a rant, nor a dig a higher handicapped players 
Not something I usually post about, but after Saturdays round, I thought I'd gauge some opinion.
One of our more regular playing parteners (Work collegue), to be frank, is not the best company on the golf course. The chap in question is a nice enough bloke off the course, has a handicap of 28, but has never, ever, played to it.... In 5 years of playing.
He is a serial club chucker/dropper, comes out with language that would make Frankie Boyle blush and has the uncanny ability of getting into peoples heads with his antics. He had one lesson, didn't work on the changes suggested and, as a result, has never improved.
Normally, when we play (Either a a 2, 3 or 4 ball), I can quite easily block his antics out. After I've hit my tee shot, my glove comes off and I let my mind wander. Look at scenery, listen to the nature, you get the idea. Get to my ball, glove goes back on, focus on my shot, hit the ball, glove comes off, rinse and repeat for 18 holes. We'll usually have a chat about this and that during the round, as most folk do on the golf course.
Saturday, however, was a different story. From his tee shot on the second hole, the swearing and dropping began. I couldn't switch off. Not because of him directly, but the effect he had on our other partner (.... Again, another work collegue).
Our other partner is a very, very steady player. He plays to the same handicap as me (14) and generally hits a good ball, but all the club dropping and swearing seemed to get to him more than usual. As a result, his game went into melt down. Arthur J's, fats to name just a few.
I think I started looking at this instead of what I do usually. In turn, my game suffered.
The club chucking and swearing went on from the second hole, right through to the 18th
Here's and example. 2nd tee shot is a short par 4. He sets up with his 3 wood, draws the club back, starts down from the top, hits the ground 2 feet behind the ball, the club bounces off the hard tee box, goes over the ball for a fresh air shot, into a full pirouette. After which he drops his club, next to his still tee'd ball, walks off the back of the tee box swearing and berating himself, before walking back to pick his club up, composing himself, then duffing the ball 30 yards, just about making the fairway.
After we finished out, myself and our other partner decided to play a few extra holes (.... Alone) our games were vastly different to the previous 18. Pars and birdies a pleny.
It's getting to the point now where, although we are good friends and work collegues, nobody wants to play with him because of his antics. We've both tried to explain to him that the mental side is equally, if not more important, than hitting the ball, he hears what we say, but doesn't listen and doesn't take it in. It's a shame really because he's a nice bloke off the course but turns in Mr Hyde with a golf club in his hand.
He is considering joining a different course where a few managers from work play (.... He was previously a member there and is also a manager where I work), so I suppose we'd only have to suffer it until subs are due in March .
Anyway, I digress. The point of my thread is not to belittle him, or take the proverbial.
The point of my thread, is as per the title. How much does poor company on the golf course affect your game?
Not something I usually post about, but after Saturdays round, I thought I'd gauge some opinion.
One of our more regular playing parteners (Work collegue), to be frank, is not the best company on the golf course. The chap in question is a nice enough bloke off the course, has a handicap of 28, but has never, ever, played to it.... In 5 years of playing.
He is a serial club chucker/dropper, comes out with language that would make Frankie Boyle blush and has the uncanny ability of getting into peoples heads with his antics. He had one lesson, didn't work on the changes suggested and, as a result, has never improved.
Normally, when we play (Either a a 2, 3 or 4 ball), I can quite easily block his antics out. After I've hit my tee shot, my glove comes off and I let my mind wander. Look at scenery, listen to the nature, you get the idea. Get to my ball, glove goes back on, focus on my shot, hit the ball, glove comes off, rinse and repeat for 18 holes. We'll usually have a chat about this and that during the round, as most folk do on the golf course.
Saturday, however, was a different story. From his tee shot on the second hole, the swearing and dropping began. I couldn't switch off. Not because of him directly, but the effect he had on our other partner (.... Again, another work collegue).
Our other partner is a very, very steady player. He plays to the same handicap as me (14) and generally hits a good ball, but all the club dropping and swearing seemed to get to him more than usual. As a result, his game went into melt down. Arthur J's, fats to name just a few.
I think I started looking at this instead of what I do usually. In turn, my game suffered.
The club chucking and swearing went on from the second hole, right through to the 18th
Here's and example. 2nd tee shot is a short par 4. He sets up with his 3 wood, draws the club back, starts down from the top, hits the ground 2 feet behind the ball, the club bounces off the hard tee box, goes over the ball for a fresh air shot, into a full pirouette. After which he drops his club, next to his still tee'd ball, walks off the back of the tee box swearing and berating himself, before walking back to pick his club up, composing himself, then duffing the ball 30 yards, just about making the fairway.
After we finished out, myself and our other partner decided to play a few extra holes (.... Alone) our games were vastly different to the previous 18. Pars and birdies a pleny.
It's getting to the point now where, although we are good friends and work collegues, nobody wants to play with him because of his antics. We've both tried to explain to him that the mental side is equally, if not more important, than hitting the ball, he hears what we say, but doesn't listen and doesn't take it in. It's a shame really because he's a nice bloke off the course but turns in Mr Hyde with a golf club in his hand.
He is considering joining a different course where a few managers from work play (.... He was previously a member there and is also a manager where I work), so I suppose we'd only have to suffer it until subs are due in March
.Anyway, I digress. The point of my thread is not to belittle him, or take the proverbial.
The point of my thread, is as per the title. How much does poor company on the golf course affect your game?
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