golfrewind.com

So you made it. You are in the single digits. You hit MOST of your shots to the best of your ability and can consistently shoot in the 70s. You continue to play to chip away those last few strokes to get to that coveted 0 number on the handicap card. You play by all the rules and consider mulligans a crime. You stare down a 6 ft putt as if to say to the course "is this the best you've got?!" Your playing partners are in awe as you strike it pure 90% of the time and shake their head in disbelief at the deaf touch you have with your putter. As you begin to tee it up for the bizzilionth time you look up and see............................... a 4some of drunk hackers on their 6ths shots and still 200yds out......................
LOL

i said all of that to ask this question. Do you wish sometimes that you had a course near by that was handicap restricted? Dont get me wrong please, im a golf coach and thing EVERYONE in the world should play golf. And hardly ever complain on the course about slow play. Thats not even a real pet peeve of mine. But every know and then i just wish i could show up at the course and play against some seriously talented golfers. That when i showed up to the green there aren't 8 different pitch marks that have not been repaired. That the back tee boxes were not hacked to pieces by people who shouldn't be playing from them. ahhhh paradise.... lol. oh well anyone else wish they had this luxury sometimes?

I think we've been down this road before .... however, I'm very grateful that the worst that's likely to happen is that I get held up by some slow players since any drunk on our course would be removed and suspended for 6 months - now in the clubhouse that's a different story!

Although I am just as likely to be in that group on our 6th shot, 200 yards out on a 375 yard par 4 (although NEVER drunk!), I know what you mean.

However, don't blame all the pitch marks, hacked up tees and other course blemishes on those of us still in double digits! I've fixed more ball marks on greens while following a foursome of single-digit players than when I am behind a group of newbies. Probably because the newbies can't hit the types of shots that leave ball marks on the greens!

But yeah, I'd love to play where the tee boxes are level and not littered with broken tees; where the greens are never full of pock marks; where the edges of the hole haven't been wallered out by people too lazy to bend over and pick up their ball from the hole; where you can play at whatever pace you are comfortable at, with no one holding you up and no one pushing you from behind. Does such a place exist? Or is that what heaven is going to be like?

Reminds me of a joke:

Elderly man and his wife are killed in a car accident. They arrive at the Pearly Gates, and are welcomed in by St. Peter. They look out across the loveliest golf course you could ever imagine! The man asks St. Peter,"Can anyone in heaven play this course?" "Yes, anytime you please! We have the best of everything - clubs, balls, carts, etc. No tee times needed, the weather is always great, and the course is never crowded." At this the man starts getting angry, turning bright red! His wife asks,"What's the matter dear? You love to golf, doesn't this make you happy?" To which the man replies angrily,"You and your **** bran muffins and lowfat diet! I could have eaten what I wanted and gotten here 20 years sooner!"

I wish that were me when I was putting!!! I play off 6 and stare at a 6 foot putt thinking "oh @!$%, these are the ones I'm supposed to knock in no problem"!! But seriously, slow play doesn't bother me, as long as it's not over 5 hours per round, gives me more time to think about shots.

like i said slow play isnt my pet peeve either, just the lack of consideration or ignorance of other players some times. just whining because i want the perfect course thats all. LOL.

I do agree to a certain extent, though some people. Myself included who have been playing barely 12 months & have reached a reasonable standard, still doesn't have an official handicap, as I generally play solo & when I do play with mates, they are not members of my club & therefore I can't submit those cards...hey ho. Because of my rota system its not really possible to attend the medal events & get it that way either.

But everyone has to start somewhere & most people have their off days.

However there are limits of behavior, no matter what a persons ability on the golf course & its drunken loutish behavior that I bemoan. The irony is most those guys in front probably hold a reasonable handicap anyway. If You've a decent golf committee then those guys will find themselves with memberships which are not renewed & are in effect refused by the club.

My course does reserve the right to eject & refuse anyone & I don't pay that much for my membership.

So although I sympathize, I really don't like the disclusion of people without handicap certificates or ones of low enough rating. I might change my mind when my game gets to single figure ability. But patience is a virtue & as long as you have tact, which I'm sure you do, then a quiet word in one of the more receptive eras of the foursome in front might get them to see a little bit of sense.

If they are being overly slow & damaging the course & are drunk on top of that, then they have no right being there in the first place.

I suppose I'm lucky.

I am a member of a private club that overlooks the very beautiful Filey Bay with the 'Brigg' at one end and Flamborough Head at the other, so when we are held back (I do prefer that saying at times), I just look out over the bay and think of the people in Hospital that would love to be being held up there.

I have been through the competitive times and now just enjoy the Game of Golf. The fact I can still play a bit does help though.

I've been fortunate enough that I haven't run into too many rude golfers in some time. A lot of guys I have joined up with apologize to me for the way they are playing and I usually just make a comment like 'Hey, don't worry. You should have seen me two weeks ago when I had the shanks real bad." Even if it isn't true it tends to relax them a little. I haven't forgotten what it was like when I first starting playing.


People playing poorly on the course never bothers me. It's when they take their sweet time playing poorly that I get irritated. Don't take 5 practice swings and then chunk it 10 yards. Everyone has bad rounds, just don't take your time about it.

Exactly! If you're going to play bad, please play bad fast. Simp

That is really a shame about the single digit players not keeping the course in shape and neglecting to fix ball marks. I am a single digit player who makes it a point to fix not only mine but 2 others on all greens I play. Maybe because I used to be an assist pro or maybe cuz my parents brought me up responsible. I dont know. But I do know I would make it a point to find a course marshalll and have him do his job or report it to the head pro and make sure they are put on the "watch for" list so the next time they get a lecture before teeing it up. That is simply ignorance or the attitude that I am too good to worry about it. Not in my group! That really gets my attention and blood boiling to hear that. I can understand if they are just starting out and have not really understood the importance of course maintnance but that is ridiculous.

I'm a single digit handicapper and I wish my game was like you what are describing!

I was pondering this same scenario during the past weekend. But, like others have stated it's really not the level of golf that people play that is important. It's how the handle themselves on the course. I don't care if a guy can't break 100. But, I do care if he throws clubs, gets drunk, doesn't fix ballmarks and has poor/no etiquette.

A friend of mine rarely breaks a 100 and used to be out-of-control on the course. He didn't drink. But, he had a short temper. That fact that he was 6'7", 350-400 meant that most of our other golfing friends wouldn't confront him about his antics. We finally started booking teetimes and not telling him. After he heard about it and asked me what was up, I told him that we kind of put him on probation because of his antics. Since then, he's calmed down a lot. And our golf outings are much more enjoyable.

It'd be nice when I get to that level. But that kind of paradise seems to be only found at private courses which is too much bling for my pocket. For now, I'll just keeping booking afternoons off

very cool reading responses and everyones different takes. i think some people mis-understood what i was getting at but thats ok. most of you got it.

I dont mind people playing bad at all. i just love that people are out there taking an interest in the best game around and enjoying themselves in the process. and by all means if you paid for your round you play it however you want too within the rules of decency. if you want a mulligan go for it, your paid for your round its your right. but 6 mulligans.... per hole...... ummm... no. thats just not conducive to the enjoyment of everyone else around you. keep discussing this is interesting.

I think it is closer to 75-80% - on the PGA they may get it right (pure) 90% on their good days.

As far as playing a handicap restricted course goes , it is simple. Play in amateur tournaments .... then you can play with a course full of 128 low handicappers playing miserably slow......