What impresses you in Golf?

[perseveringgolfer 4,801]

There are loads of things I can think of like the integrity, friendships, fair play, challenge, scenery etc etc but I'm referring to the things that dont get mentioned that much.

I'll start.........

When I see a tour pro having some practice swings on the fairway, in front of vast crowds and millions on TV, they manage to gently brush the turf with every swing 

Even without that pressure I reckon most of us will miss the turf repeatedly, or take a few embarrassing divots! try it.

[russtopherb 9,330]

The ability to immediately brush off a bad shot (or two or three) and focus on what's coming up next. A lot of people I golf with, including myself, don't possess that ability. The few times I've played with someone who has it was definitely noticeable. 

[sixcat 4,041]

Witnessing anyone repair ball marks, replace divots and generally leave the course as they found it!

[GolfSpy MPR 12,185]

Watching pros (or other highly skilled players) hitting checking short game shots. I'm like a little kid watching his uncle do "magic" tricks: somehow, every single time I see it, I'm surprised and astonished and delighted all over again. I see the ball come toward the hole and I'm thinking of my own ball: "oh, that's going way past the hole--WHOA! that just stopped!!!!!"

[jlukes 16,196]

10 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said:

Watching pros (or other highly skilled players) hitting checking short game shots. I'm like a little kid watching his uncle do "magic" tricks: somehow, every single time I see it, I'm surprised and astonished and delighted all over again. I see the ball come toward the hole and I'm thinking of my own ball: "oh, that's going way past the hole--WHOA! that just stopped!!!!!"

It's hilarious when I hit a shot like that with randoms I get paired up with - it always elicits quite the reaction

[GolfSpy_BOS 15,236]

When the pros take the time to say hi to the kids and make lifelong fans for the game:



That’s Bill Haas in 2017 at TPC Boston handing my son and my friends son some Oreos from the players tent. Needless to say they were rooting for him that day.



My son got a range ball as well that day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tony@CIC 21,994]

1. Taking the time to sign hats, etc for the kids.

2. Ability to handle the pressure of crowds close to you while you hit a great shot. 

3. The pro that makes the putt Sunday on 18 that could make the difference between 1st and 2nd (and $500,000) 

4. The ability to ignore the jerks on the sidelines that yell  baba............   or anything else. 

[PlaidJacket 7,737]

For me it's been getting paired on the first tee with someone who you might think at first glance, "oh boy... this is going to be interesting" as in; has this guy ever played before? Don't make that mistake. Clothes don't make the man in this game.

Can't tell you how many times I've met this guy only to watch him effortlessly maneuver the ball around the course and card even par.

Also... for you guys that enjoy a "friendly" wager. Don't gamble with strangers.

[Kenny B 32,449]

41 minutes ago, PlaidJacket said:

For me it's been getting paired on the first tee with someone who you might think at first glance, "oh boy... this is going to be interesting" as in; has this guy ever played before? Don't make that mistake. Clothes don't make the man in this game.

Can't tell you how many times I've met this guy only to watch him effortlessly maneuver the ball around the course and card even par.

Also... for you guys that enjoy a "friendly" wager. Don't gamble with strangers.

Case in point...  When my wife and I (before we were married) went on our first out-of-town golf trip to Spokane, we checked in at Qualchan GC and the pro said that the rest of our 4-some was on the putting green.  There were only 2 older Asian guys there, both less than 5'7" tall walking the very hilly course, and one had about a 2" lift in one shoe.  We were riding!!  We thought "This is going to be a very looooong day!"

On the first hole we laughed so hard and completely enjoyed the round.  One of the guys, Deems Tsutakawa, is a jazz pianist in Seattle; the other was his uncle.  We have played golf with Deems about every year since 2004.  While in Seattle playing with him, he told us that he had just gotten his minister's license as a tax break.  He said he was performing a wedding ceremony later in the year (not the music).  We said if that went OK, would he come perform our wedding the next spring.  He did on the 1st tee of our golf course, and we continue to play with him and his family/friends; a few weeks ago in Seattle.  Life-long friends!!

http://deemsmusic.com

 

[Shankster 31,654]

Bubba Watson...

To be able to send a ball over the heads of the crowd and know where it’s going...

Name someone else that can do that.

—————

Playing my golf?

Sticking approach shots inside 10’ is pretty darn impressive.

[cksurfdude 10,390]

7 hours ago, perseveringgolfer said:

When I see a tour pro having some practice swings on the fairway, in front of vast crowds and millions on TV, they manage to gently brush the turf with every swing 

Agreed! I also find that impressive, especially when they all do it so seemingly effortlessly...!

 

7 hours ago, perseveringgolfer said:

Even without that pressure I reckon most of us will miss the turf repeatedly, or take a few embarrassing divots! try it.

Nope. I can't .. repeatedly .. do it. Work-in-progress!

 

But anyway, in addition to all the good things mentioned above by others one of the things that impresses me most about the game of golf is, well, the game itself ... as exemplified by Jack Nicklaus' famous quote about it being "the unwinnable game"; eg. we're on an endless quest for "better".

Nicklaus also said:
"Success depends almost entirely on how effectively you learn to manage the game's two ultimate adversaries: the course and yourself."

[Kenny B 32,449]

9 hours ago, Shankster said:

Bubba Watson...

To be able to send a ball over the heads of the crowd and know where it’s going...

Name someone else that can do that.

—————

Playing my golf?

Sticking approach shots inside 10’ is pretty darn impressive.

I saw John Daly hit driver over the heads of the crowd during an exhibition at Peter Jacobson's Fred Meyer Challenge event in Portland, OR, although honestly... I can't say whether or not John knew where it was going.   lol

[Big money 1,953]

I went to the BMW in Chicago a few years back. And we followed the last group the whole front 9. After they were making the turn we decided to sit by the green for while after they left. Was amazing looking back down the front 9 side how empty and serene the course was. Almost like no one even played their all day. The beauty of an empty course always gets me 

[cnosil 24,388]

Watching a pro hitting balls on the driving range especially when they practice wedges.  Effortless looking swings with consistent distance and ball flight.   whenever the LPGA comes to my area I always spend a few hours at the range just watching.  

[deauxrite 302]

I get to the golf course very early on Sunday (I work there).  What impresses me most is watching the grounds crew raking, mowing and getting the course ready for the Sunday morning golfers.  It is very serene at 0500 (or earlier in the summer) when these guys arrive to work their magic.

[fixyurdivot 16,561]

On 9/6/2019 at 5:16 AM, sixcat said:

Witnessing anyone repair ball marks

+1... but it's not like a pet peeve of mine or anything .  I would say the touring pro's games in general. They are, simply stated, playing at a level of both skill and consistency that astounds me. Even the healthy handful of scratch golfers I know, when asked how they might fair amongst this populous, just chuckle.