 Take a look at the picture on the left - - that's Stinky Golfer Chris, flubbing his attempt out of a trap (note the ball is still in the same spot where it began) on one of the nicer courses in Connecticut (Lyman Orchards - The Gary Player Course). Now, based on that shot, do you think he's not worthy of playing on a "Gary Player-designed" course? Believe it or not, many people would answer "yes" to that question, and that really has me scratching my head!
Golf is a unique sport in that every field of play is very different from each other. Sure, baseball fences vary, but it's still 90 feet to first base in every major league park. Football, basketball, hockey and soccer playing fields are even more uniform, fitting exact specifications no matter where you are. But golf is unique. Each course has its own challenges and aesthetics. Courses will feature an unimaginable amount of things to keep you from shooting low and, every course presents them in different layouts and styles. I'll even go a step further by stating that no two courses are exactly alike.
With this "no two courses" notion in mind, it seems odd to me that so many people who don't belong to a country club, still play the at same course all the time. Are these the same people that always eat at the same restaurant? Perhaps they feel comfortable on their course, or maybe the price is right? But, not to try a different course even once in a while? It just strikes me as boring. And, even more bizarre to me are the people (and you know if you're one) who claim they won't play a good course because they're not good enough. Allow me to toss in my two cents here: That is the lamest excuse in the book! Find me where it's written that only good golfers can play on good courses. The mere notion is ridiculous.
However, let me take a step back for a moment to highlight the difference between "poor players" and "slow players." I once saw a sign at a course that read: "No one is offended by poor play; everyone is offended by slow play." How true that statement is. But it's been my experience that the really slow players are usually the people that probably shouldn't be out on a course to begin with. These are people who have not been properly introduced to the etiquette side of the game. This is an entirely different problem in golf and not the people I'm penning this article about. No, the people I'm referring to are the more frequent players (10 + rounds annually) who understand golf's etiquette quite well. So, as long as you're not holding up every foursome on the course, there's no reason to think one is "not good enough" to play a particular course.
Which brings me to the issue of money. Now I haven't conducted any polls, but I'd bet the real issue here is money - - that's what's making these people hesitate, and not that they "aren't good enough." In general, the best courses have the highest greens fees, which makes sense though - - In general, the best restaurants are usually pricier than your average eatery. Sure, you're not going to eat at the best place in town every night, but you probably would once a year, perhaps on a special occasion? That doesn't seem so far fetched, right? Then why do people think paying more to play a better course is?
Allow me to throw in my two cents again: Many people simply don't equate golf with the notion of rewarding oneself. Why do we golf? The answer is simple: We enjoy it. By golfing, we're rewarding ourselves - - even when we play poorly. Want proof? We keep coming back for more no matter how bad our last outing was. Try this: Why did you go to that great steak house on your birthday or that pricey Italian/Japanese fusion place when you got that promotion? Do you have an answer? Now ask yourself why you shouldn't experience the best course around by playing the game you love there - - even if it is only once a year?
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