Playing with people better / worse than yourself

[Grant85]

Obviously it's nice to play with someone who has some good conversation and is laid back.

Ability doesn't bother me at all. I remember hacking my way around and looking back probably annoyed a few people taking a bit too long over shots and looking for balls a few too many times a round. But it can be painful to watch someone spray it and duff it around - especially in a medal if they are intent on recording a score. However I always think back to my early days and try to make sure I'm not negative or disrespectful.

Biggest issue is someone who gets too angry, throws clubs about etc.
And someone who is slow, but that isn't as much of an issue as someone who is slow and can't / won't hurry up when others are behind you.

 

[GG26]

I don’t mind what standard of golfer I play with. With certain single figure handicappers I have been able to out drive them, but watching their short game has been an eye opener. In social rounds with higher handicappers starting out I try and give the odd piece of helpful advice (for example, when in doubt play a provisional and don’t believe your PPs who say that it will be easy to find).

 

[Ethan]

My spectrum of playing with people better and worse ranges from a couple of PGA Tour players who were, unsurprisingly, pretty good to a guy with one arm (a left one) who discovered that playing golf with only one arm on a windy links course makes for a very long day and many, many lost golf balls. Setting that unfortunate chap aside, also played with many able-bodied but golfing talent-free players who scored a gazillion. Not always a bad experience so long as they hit their many shots relatively quickly. Torture if they are slow as well, though. Best club player I played with was a +4 when I was a member of Silloth-on-Solway. Scored a smooth 64 which could have been even lower.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

These days I can enjoy the company of, and learn from nearly anyone in this game so ‘standard’ is often irrelevant. Good character and spirit wins out every time. There is something compelling about going toe-to-toe with the better player though...

 

[Eagle2]

Its great going round with a scratch player... you learn a few things

Like that you don’t have to say great shot after every shot!

 

[BubbaP]

I think I'm like the majority on here and am often playing golf with new people. Sunshine's post did remind of a comp round a few years back though. I think a couple of guys, maybe 19 & 21 'caps, possibly still playing rubgy regularly - both hit a decent length ball. For 7 holes things were going swimmingly, they were both better than handicap, then out of nowhere they both starting spraying it all over. Just a shocking run of holes, I was looking for balls on both sides. Let groups through. Started to rush to try and compensate. Long & wild can be a dangerous combination.

 

[Rlburnside]

I don't mind playing with any standard of player especially if their good company, I don't get to play with many low players, I generally play with players around my standard.

I like playing in senior opens you get to meet some nice people, 3 of us played in a 4 ball senior open at Tenterden in Kent where you got paired up with a member, our member was a better player than us, think he was 11h/c and around 10 years older than us, he was a great laugh and made for a great day.

 

[TelTel84]

I have played with a good friend of mine who has a handicap of 12 and it was great to watch him but also good to ask him questions, seek advice and get positively complimented when you made a good shot. Even the greatest players started somewhere so i think its important that if your playing good level golf that it doesn't hurt to help them improve even if it meant a few sessions at a driving range before jumping on the course to keep good momentum of play.