Playing down to your partners level.
 

Dianes thread has me asking this question. Do you find yourself playing worse when paired with someone who isn't very good? If they are hacking up the course & normally you are fairly even keeled, do you find yourself mimmicking them & stinking the place up?

Sometimes it will affect my game, but not usually.

My regular golf partner (and best buddy), on the other hand has benefitted from playing with me (I say with modesty - LOL). When we began playing together 10 years ago he didn't have much interest, and as a result shot in the 120's.

Last Thursday in League play, he shot 43 for 9 holes (with an 8 on a par 5) for a net 29. Yes, he's a 14 handicap for 9 holes. It was one of those rounds for him where he only blew up on one hole, had one birdie and a par, and everything else basically bogeys. I was so proud of him. http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...ies/banana.gif

i don't like having a good round when my friends play like crap. Usually my playing partners will have such bad attitudes when they are playing bad it affects my game.

I don't much notice either way, better or worse than me. I used to be intimidated by playing with players who were much better than me, but I joined a group on Sunday mornings on my old home course. I was the highest handicap at 6, we had them down to 1.?. We put $5 in the pot and played for skins, no carry-overs, two tie, all tie. I've seen the day that 2 eagles got capped. I lost my fear of hitting bad shots because they also hit bad shots, they just recovered better. It actually changed my outlook on how the game is played, so it was good for me in the end.

If someone stinks, I just try to be as supportive as I can without being condescending. I encourage them as best I can. I just play my game. Played today with a group and I shot 82 while they shot 88, 92, 98...16 shot differential, but it didn't stop me from playing decently.

All the time. I play just good enough to win. That said, I really enjoy playing with folks who are better than I am.

My game stays at the same level irrespective of a playing partners h/cap,if i start of badly it stays bad,if a start well it generally stays that way.

I tend to feel as if I don't have to try as hard. Then I get upset with myself for not playing better.Usually I'll try shots that are stupid,thinking well it won't matter much since these guy's can't play anyway.

I have never really played with anyone worse then me, but that has a lot to do with the fact that I am not sure there is anyone worse then me. I am pretty good off the tee and my wedge game is solid but I have some serious putting/sand/ball topping problem. I hope when others play with me I do not bring them down. So far no one has said anything to me http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...rs-crossed.png

Yes, I find I can't stay focused and play well when I'm hooked up with a group that is much worst. I've tried,but just lose it by the 6 or 7th hole. I think it's the standing and waiting that gets to me.

Same here, hate waiting as I lose any and all tempo & momentum.

Just because someone shoots high scores doesn't mean they take forever to play. I've played with people who shoot 120 that play faster than a low 80s friend of mine. Who do you think I'd rather play with? That's a general statement about people who play slow. If they play ready golf and keep up the pace, it's all that matters. Tom Watson even said back in the 70s that most of his friends didn't break 100 but they kept up. So I take offense to that statement.

Compared to you, I suck at golf. But I'll keep up with you and not slow you down. I may take 15 to 30 (of God forbid, more) shots than you but we'll keep up with the group ahead. And if there is no group ahead, we'll fly through. It's a matter of who you play with, not what they shoot.

Smallie, you are exactly right. I find it is the exact opposite. With all the people I have played with, the better players are almost always the slowest. Especially on the green.

I will once in a while..argh....This year I have been able to hold my own when playing with higher capers.

You know what? I answered the OP question as honestly as I could. I even said "I think I said I think it's the standing and waiting".That's a guess not a statement.

I see the real reason is watching the ball fly everywhere and them taking 2-5 shots to get to my 1.But, No I couldn't just be nice,you wanted me to get nasty to join your nastiness.

Just don't get it.I was being polite and you must bite my ass and spit it out for lunch
Plus I'm not saying my **** don't stink and I'm better then everyone.

Lets all be friendly here. There is no reason for anybody to get nasty.

Sorry, Lefty, didn't mean it to sound like I was tearing you a new one. But the statement standing and waiting, seemed to be a blanket statement about high score shooters and not something that your better players would ever do. I just addressed that. You don't like to stand and wait. I don't either.

But even if people take more than a couple shots to get to your ball, if you aren't going to shoot anyway because of the group ahead, what's the difference? Unless you are playing during the week or very early on the weekend, you're going to be waiting. Fact of golf life.

Several years ago I played in a foursome which no one broke 100, but we were the first off the tee. By the fourth hole, the next group was well over a hole behind and we didn't see anyone the rest of the round. We played in 3 hours.

Can't say I've played with anyone worse than me either. But like Smalls I might play badly but that doesn't mean I don't play fast.I have played behind the tips players and that usually makes for a slow day. Hope none of you pros get teamed up with me cause I wouldn't want you to pick up a couple of strokes cause I brought ya down to my level.

Unfortunately, that does become a problem.

The only exception is if that person - despite their ineptitude - is still very much "into" playing and respects the game, the course, etc. These people are rare, but they do exist and it's their enthusiasm that tends to save the day. I don't necessarily find myself mimicking them or playing very poorly as much as I just tend to lose interest. It's basically more of a buzzkill than anything else.

But all in all, I'd much rather play with people whose games are at least equal to mine, but preferably better than mine because I end up playing better and I learn more from watching or "chasing" them.


-JP

No problem,Just seemed like you were really trying to lay into me for my simple comment.
I guess i notice it more with the folks who might be shooting high 90's and in the 100's.And those are the one's who want to play back on the tees with me.Those are the one's that irke me the most.If people just play from the proper tees,pace of play is normally faster