Golf Tips: Playing Partners

Golf is so much more than a score written on a score card.  It is more than a number.  Fresh air, green grass, the challenge sunshine... all great parts of the game.  One of the most important aspects in the enjoyment of golf is the camaraderie and competition one has with his/her playing partners.  Playing with the right partners can make a huge difference in one's enjoyment level. Wrong Partners How many times have we had not-so-enjoyable rounds when stuck with the person who plays way too slow?  How about the player who has bad golf etiquette or manners?  How about the ever-irritating player who is talking on his cell phone when he should be hitting his shot?  How about the guy who thinks his double bogey putt is the last putt on the 72nd hole to win the U.S. Open, and he takes 25 minutes reading it from every imaginable angle while the group behind is calling the course marshal?   Then there's the one guy in the group who is a 30 handicap when the rest are single digits.  That's tough for both sides. Right Partners Choosing the right partners who share the same interests, have the same general playing ability level, and have the same pace of play can make a good round great.  Great camaraderie and enjoyable playing partners help make the round even more enjoyable. Great playing partners can last for years, decades even. It's not all about scores.  Enjoy the walk with like-minded and like-skilled friends.