Playing with better golfers. Does it help your game?

[Billysboots]

It depends on the individuals.

I’m single figures, but there are certainly two members at ours who treat anyone “worse” than them with total disdain. They’re both off less than 2, and when they are in my group all they are interested in is their own game.

They analyse everything they do, discuss each other’s shots after every ball struck, and think nothing of carrying on their conversations whilst lesser mortals are standing over the ball. On any number of occasions I’ve stepped away and told them there are others in the group trying to play the game too. They are utterly self absorbed to the point I hate being drawn with them.

It’s a shame because, as individuals, they’re lovely guys. But as golfers they’re arrogant pillocks who look down their noses at anyone who has the temerity to not play at the same level.

Sometimes it’s just more enjoyable to play with those at the same level, rather than seeking to learn from those too arrogant to share.

 

[Voyager EMH]

It helped me a heck of a lot as an improving teenager to see close-at-hand the standard of play I was hoping to achieve.
Later, in my 30s, I would see players who were consistently a little bit lower handicap than me and I would ask myself, "What are they doing that I am not doing?"
Gave me some focus on what I needed to improve. Mainly straighter tee-shots (length was not an issue) and short game and putting.
Practice, practice and practice was key. Putting in particular.

 

[Orikoru]

It helped me a heck of a lot as an improving teenager to see close-at-hand the standard of play I was hoping to achieve.
Later, in my 30s, I would see players who were consistently a little bit lower handicap than me and I would ask myself, "What are they doing that I am not doing?"
Gave me some focus on what I needed to improve. Mainly straighter tee-shots (length was not an issue) and short game and putting.
Practice, practice and practice was key. Putting in particular.

This never really helps me. Usually the answer is, they're just a bit better at hitting the ball than I am, a bit better at chipping, and a bit better at putting. And it's not news to me that I need to practice those things.

 

[Neilds]

This never really helps me. Usually the answer is, they're just a bit better at hitting the ball than I am, a bit better at chipping, and a bit better at putting. And it's not news to me that I need to practice those things.

But do they have a shorter swing?

 

[Voyager EMH]

This never really helps me. Usually the answer is, they're just a bit better at hitting the ball than I am, a bit better at chipping, and a bit better at putting. And it's not news to me that I need to practice those things.

Nothing much helps me at all at my time of life.
Avoiding rapid decline and achieving as slow a decline as possible - that is more of a realistic approach for me.

But I still get the same experience as you when playing with some younger chaps who are much better than I ever was or was ever likely to be.
I enjoy playing with them and watching them go about it, however.

 

[cookelad]

Not sure I have noticed someone’s handicap when it comes to pace of play

Definitely not, I've played with low handicappers who I've struggled to keep up with and some that I've eaten a sandwich during their routine, and higher handicappers for whom the most important thing about their round was the time and with people where the most important aspect was the time outside.

back to the original question, my handicap came tumbling down (well from 5 to 2) when I was playing 2-3 times a week with +3 handicapper, it could just be the fact that I was playing 3 times a week or maybe the combination of both.

 

[CountLippe]

I'd say it helps if your new to the game and learning or undergoing rapid improvement.
If your skill level has plateaued, your more likely to be helped by playing with golfers with a similar golfing personality.

 

[mariwin]

yeah i totally agree, playing with better golfers really pushes you to up your game, even small tips like tee height or stance can make a big difference, plus you pick up how they think through shots which helps a lot more than just practicing alone

 

[sjw]

I play better with certain people at my club, I'm sure of it. There's one group that I will try and squeeze in sometimes that's a nice balance - one of them is off +1.5, the other two are like a 15 and a 20, but no-one's taking it that seriously and you have a proper laugh. So there are two that I know I can beat, one that I can watch and try and learn from, and everyone's proper chill

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I usually find myself being the lowest handicapper in any group I play in (sometimes by quite some way) - just my bunch of rollup mates. And that's fine. But I do sometimes hanker to play with guys of similar or better standard as I do learn something when I do.

For that reason I always enter our scratch KO...not with any realistic chance of winning the thing, but just for the chance to be competing against a better, often much better, player. Last year I played a match against a scratch (had been a + handicap) player...he stuffed me. There were aspects of his game that were levels above mine that I knew pretty much certainly, that I couldn't reach.

But I learned a lot from the way he played many of his bunker shots and his explanation of how, when I asked him. This was something I could work towards without too much difficulty. I thought I was pretty good out of bunkers - but realised when watching him that I was nothing like as good as I thought. I have taken on board that lesson and it has definitely improved aspects my bunker play.

Playing with high handicappers I have to play well to have a chance of beating them or to support a higher handicap partner in a foursomes, fourball or 'team' format. Do I play better when playing with players having lower handicappers? I'm not sure. But I can certainly learn from them.