Playing better / worse golf with certain people

[Bamberdele2.0]

Why does this happen?

 

[jim8flog]

I often play with one player who is so slow and so OCD about where people stand etc that I never play well with him these days . Sadly lately he has got worse than ever.

The oddity is that a few years ago we won the Seniors open together.

The players I play well with get on with it and treat it like a game for enjoyment have a laugh and a joke rather than if they are trying to win the Open every time they play.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

They inspire/irritate you.

 

[Orikoru]

My mate says he plays worse with me because I get in his head. He proved this to be nonsense though by shooting 77 the other day which was his best in a long time. I think he only remembers the bad ones.

I would say I play better alongside people who I'm able to have a laugh with because it relaxes me. And if I'm playing with somebody who's having an absolute mare, that does sometimes rub off on me and I'll start playing badly as well.

 

[Beezerk]

Some of the lads in our society are really high handicappers, great lads but you’re constantly looking for balls and marking 15s on a score card. It gets a bit of a drag after a while and I find myself losing interest in my own game so I play really sloppy golf.

 

[Billysboots]

I play better if I enjoy it. It’s that simple. And that’s mainly down to the company I’m keeping.

My regular playing/pairs partner is slowly starting to irritate the life out of me. He focuses solely on his own game and is a very angry man when he’s not playing well. I can no longer tolerate his boorish ways.

Time to sever the umbilical cord, methinks.

 

[babylonsinger]

I find playing with mates etc (people I'm comfortable with basically) worse for my game generally. I've put it down to you feeling the need to concentrate when playing with people I don't know as to avoid possibly embarrassing myself

 

[Slab]

I only play golf with one person where my own game seems to matter to me so much more than any other time and that's my wife. Dunno if its just the hunter/gatherer/provider instinct but I feel I need to play (very) well when we're out together

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I only play golf with one person where my own game seems to matter to me so much more than any other time and that's my wife. Dunno if its just the hunter/gatherer/provider instinct but I feel I need to play (very) well when we're out together

It's because she is judging you with every shot you play. Every duff, every slice, every missed putt, she thinks that little bit less of you . It's why you have to play well. Thank heavens my wife doesn't play, she'd have left me by now

 

[Orikoru]

It's because she is judging you with every shot you play. Every duff, every slice, every missed putt, she thinks that little bit less of you

I find the opposite really. When playing with my wife I'm more focussed on how she is playing. And any shot that I manage to get off the ground and over 100 yards she thinks is amazing.

 

[HPIMG]

I have also noticed it’s definitely a thing. I always seem to play best when playing with golfers with a lower handicap than myself. Think it’s mostly down to trying to test yourself against a better golfer.
I play twice a week with 3 high handicap players 18/20 and 28 and there really nice guys and I enjoy all there company but my god it’s frustrating watching them play. What I’ve noticed with them, if the wheels come off it’s lasting for a few holes and its brutal to watch and sometimes can throw my game off slightly

 

[HeftyHacker]

Unfortunately, I play my best golf in a very specific environment - this tends to be with mates, relaxed and having a laugh but who are also lower handicappers and playing well themselves.

I think the combination both relaxes me and brings out my competitive edge - some of my best rounds have been off scratch against a mate who is 3 or 4 shots better than me handicap-wise.

I play my worst golf when I'm playing with guys who take it too (in my opinion) seriously - no chat between shots, long PSRs, fussy about where you stand etc.

Someone once put it to me that you have to be able to switch off between shots, whether that be having a chat or sharing a joke, because to not do so would require you to be concentrating for up to 5 hours and very few can do that effectively.

 

[oleinone]

I've got to the stage where I'll simply avoid slow players. Another category is the players who narrate their every shot and moan on and on when things go badly. I play better when partners get on with it, settle into a rhythm and bring a positive, encouraging and cheerful energy to the game.

 

[pendodave]

I certainly swear less when playing with people I don't know...

 

[Newtonuti]

I find that when I play with my pals, I tend to try and absolutely smash the ball every shot, to try and keep up with distance, so I end up playing awful. Whereas when I play with my father in law, I feel calmer and more able to just play a steady round.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't mind (so much) players who are a bit slow; or who those who yack on a bit (that can be me); but what really irritates are those who moan continuously about the course - when in fact it's really rather good - in fact many might suggest it's a lot better than that. Indeed familiarity breeding contempt are never a truer three words that are spoken about our place.

 

[Retired cricketer]

I play better with someone who is much better than me, always have done too in other sports. If I'm out with player/s who I can beat, I'll just muddle along. My pet hate is someone who rushes around when putting, I'm slow and deliberate around the green but compensate for that by legging it around the fairways.

 

[PNWokingham]

Depends on what you want. I play golf for fun, love to play well but prefer to play shiiiite with good mates and people who are fun rather than boring beggars or those who sulk and don't communicate or bring down the mood of others if they play bad.

 

[chrisd]

Depends on what you want. I play golf for fun, love to play well but prefer to play shiiiite with good mates and people who are fun rather than boring beggars or those who sulk and don't communicate or bring down the mood of others if they play bad.

So that's why our last game was 23 years ago last Thursday

 

[PNWokingham]

So that's why our last game was 23 years ago last Thursday

Still waiting for the next knock with the bionic man