We've done things similar to this before, but I thought I'd start a thread where people could discuss what they like, dislike, pet-peeves, etc. in a regular playing partner.


Of my old foursome, one moved to Tenn., another is often unavailable due to work (I play exclusively during mid-week afternoons). I'm basically down to 1 guy, a retiree who plays everyday, travels to play and often has other plans.

I played yesterday with a friend from church for the first time. He's a great guy. He's 68 and had a quad-bypass last year. He's a rangy old country boy who was a bar bouncer for decades. He still hits it a ton, 270+ off the tee and I'd guess him to be a 5-7 H/C...quite a bit better than me. He is also, coincidentally a ranger at my favorite nearby public course. He is also very competitive.

I had one of the best 9s of my life on the front. It was only a +5(40), but I had 2 doubles due to a couple of brain farts. I was 3 up on him. I could tell it bothered him some and said he must be my good luck charm because that is as good as it gets for me (which I demonstrated on the back ). Early on he "diagnosed" a couple of mis-hits I had. That soon stopped thank God, but he kept up an 18 hole running commentary about how good he usually plays, how far he used to hit it (300 +), how he "lost" his swing after 27 holes last week , blah, blah, blah... I have NO doubt that it is all true after watching him hit. He wound up beating me by 4 anyway 87-83 with is "bad" game. But I'm thinking... you're better than ME with your current game. I get it. You don't have to try to impress me.

We're playing again next week with the other 2 guys. Hopefully a foursome will change the conversational dynamic, because I'd have trouble listening to that for 18 holes every week and there is no way out of playing with him if it continues. I just wanted to get that off my chest.