How to Overcome Irritating Golf Partners and Keep Your Sanity

Have you ever been paired with golf partners who irritate you?

Is there a member of your regular foursome who consistently disturbs you in your backswing?

If you are a golfer who enjoys connecting with new players you are probably nodding your head right now, picturing the most recent disturbing golf course event.

Golf is a social game so going out as a solo is only an occasional occurrence for many players. In this blog, Golf for Beginners will offer ideas on how to ignore annoyances from members of your group and to identify if you may be part of the problem!

Scenario #1: You are standing tall to the ball, you feel confident that your drive is going to land safely on the fairway and, in your backswing, you hear a ringing sound - it's your playing partner's cell phone playing the macarena...again. You tense up and your golf ball heads for the woods instead of its intended target.

What could have been done to prevent this outcome?

Most likely, you have not learned how to stop your backswing in mid-flight, so learning this technique might help for future outbursts.

This is one occurrence where you just have to bite the bullet but it would be wise to let the golfer know that his or her cell phone should be on mute and, if you have a smartphone of your own, check it before your round so you don't disturb others on the course.

Irritating golfer #2:  The golfer who lacks golf course etiquette.

Whether that annoying partner steps on your putting line or stands directly in front of you as you are trying to take your shot, this lack of golf course etiquette can result in internalized anger, topped shots and an overall drop in score.

What can you do about it?

Focus on your own game! Yes, you should politely let the offending golfer know the proper etiquette, but golf is not a team event (in most cases) and your score is based upon how well you get out of trouble and how you handle pressure. Don't let someone else's ignorance or lack of golf etiquette spoil your round- strengthen your mental resolve and concentrate on making par.

“The real test of good manners is to be able to put up with bad manners pleasantly.”  

― Kahlil Gibran

Read: Should Golfers Have to Pass an Etiquette Test?

Irritating golfer # 3: Talks in your backswing, alerting you to the hazards you should avoid.

When another player is quick to point out that bunker or water hazard in direct view as you are ready to hit your tee shot, quickly focus (and say out loud) the direction you are going to send the ball, for example, "I am placing this ball in the middle of the fairway by the 150 marker." This takes the negative thought and replaces it immediately with the last thing you heard, namely, the positive outcome. Visualize your shot and hit away.

It is also a good idea to make mention that you prefer not to receive tips of any kind during a round but will be happy to discuss it afterward, perhaps on the 19th hole.

Pro golfers have had to learn how to deal with disturbances; for golfers who have played alongside Tiger Woods, it can be "exhausting" being in the same group. Imagine throngs of folks following you and the sights and sounds which accompany hundreds - or thousands - of fans!

Final note: Golf is a friendly sport - I don't believe that players are intentionally and willfully causing you grief...you are just dealing with a lot of personalities! If something bothers you, be firm yet polite and handle the situation early in the round so that it doesn't escalate and ruin your good time on the course.

How do you overcome annoying people on the golf course? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners!

Photo by Fancycrave from Pexels

How to Walk Off the First Tee With Your Dignity

Guest Golf Blog by Colby Johannson, Founder of Quite The Chap: simple GolfInstruction by a simple man.

Sweaty palms. Racing heart. Light-headedness. Butterflies. We’ve all felt them, we’ve all succumbed to them, but we’ve also had our moments of overcoming them. How can you do it on a regular basis?

Teddy Greenstein wrote in the Chicago Tribune that Hale Irwin forced Lanny Wadkins to hit the opening drive off the first tee after they had already planned that Irwin would hit the shot. This didn’t happen just once but twice. Once at Royal Lytham & St. Annes and again at Kiawah Island in 1991, where Irwin told Wadkins…

 “Hey shut up, you gotta hit here.”

No one is immune to the first tee nerves, not even the pros, and with the Presidents Cup fast approaching it’s a hot topic for the likes of Jordan Spieth.

But how do you overcome angst and walk off golf’s first tee with a shred of dignity? 

Warm up and get specific.

The first tee is where most of the negative golf self-talk starts and so begins an avalanche of torment. “Don’t hit it in the trees, don’t duff it, oh god- so and so is watching” and on and on.

Before we’ve even teed off, we’ve convinced our mind and our body that this will potentially, probably, absolutely, be a terrible shot. 

And then it becomes our reality.

I’m going to give you two things, just two, that you can use to combat this debilitating problem.

Number One - Warm Up!

Whether or not you get to hit balls on the driving range, you should warm up in some form or fashion.

If you don’t have time to hit a warm-up bucket or there is no range at the golf course you’re playing:

 
-          Swing two clubs right handed and then left handed. This will loosen up your entire back and shoulders.
-          Touch your toes (or at least try to) to fully stretch your back.
-          Stretch side to side with your hands over head.
-          Lastly, make circles with your arms to warm up your shoulders.

If you do have time to hit balls, go through your regular routine on the range; warm up with your wedges and work your way up to your driver.

Now here’s where you need to pay special attention. Erik Horve, a Golf Channel Swingfix Instructor & Contributor wrote a great article on the necessary preparation for getting off the first tee.

Erik explains that at the end of your warm-up session you should take out the golf club that you are preparing to tee off with and hit two shots as if you are teeing off on the first hole.

I would take it a step further.

When you’re finished your warm-up session, take out the club you plan to tee off with. Stand behind the ball and visualize yourself hitting the ideal drive. 

See your perfect swing, see the flight of the ball, and see where it lands, all as if you are standing on the first tee.

Then stand up and hit it. Do this three times in total, visualizing the ideal shot before hitting your ball. 

Now not only are you physically warmed up, you are mentally prepared as well. To top it all off, you’ve hit six ideal drives (three in your mind) and hopefully another three on the range (physically).

Number Two - Get Specific!

You’ve warmed up in one-way or another, you’re mentally prepared, and now you’re standing on the first tee.

What do you do now?

You start by controlling your breathing. Deep breaths in and out will help calm you and it will also get some much-needed oxygen to your brain and muscles.

Visualize your tee shot again, just like you did on the range, seeing the flight of the ball and where it will land in the fairway.

Now is the time to get specific. Pick a spot, blade of grass, or divot 12 inches in front of your ball in line with the specific spot you want the ball to land in the fairway.

Line up to the spot twelve inches in front of you. It’s a lot easier than your target 200-300 yards away.

Now that you’ve visualized your swing, the flight path of your ball, where it’s going to land in the fairway, and you’re lined up properly, think of nothing else but where your golf ball is going to end up down the fairway.

If you focus on visualizing the shot and then on the specificity of the shot, you won’t have time to think about what could go wrong.

In summary, the best way to get off the first tee with your dignity is to prepare, mentally & physically, then get specific about what it is that you want to execute.

Read more informative golf tips by Colby Johannson on his Quite The Chap Blog.

You can follow him on Twitter @quitethechap or Facebook.

Photo Credit: Greg Cooper- USA TODAY Sports

Photo Credit: J.D. Cuban- Golf Digest

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