Last Updated on July 16, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
New golfers don’t have too much of a leg to stand on when it comes to old-school players. After all, they are still learning the ropes and figuring things out. However, we can probably all agree that there are some things old-school golfers do that drive newbies crazy. Whether you are an old-school golfer or a newbie, you’ll probably find a few things you can easily agree with here.
Pacing Off Yardages
Old school golfers like to walk off their distances. They feel their estimate is better than the technology from companies like Bushnell or Nikon.
In all seriousness, most old-school golfers don’t see the need for electronics when they have the feel and experience of golfing for the last thirty or forty years.
I can relate to this. It took me a bit to go down the technology road. The problem is that pacing off yardages takes a lot of time.
No Music on the Course
Golf traditionalists believe that music disrupts the game. They believe the golf course is for nature and beauty, and by strapping your Bluetooth speaker to your golf cart, you are taking that all away.
Again, I’ll be honest: I love the music for the casual rounds, but if I’m in a tournament situation, I prefer it to be quiet. Maybe there is a compromise somewhere here?
Insisting on Soft Spike Shoes Only
The spikeless golf shoes are comfortable, easy to walk in, and have impressive traction and stability. We can’t call these bad simply because spikes were all we had to work with for a while.
If you still have saddle shoes with soft spikes, do yourself a favor and look at a pair of modern spikeless shoes. Pick one with a good tread pattern, and you may be in less pain after a round.
It’s worth a try!
Following Strict Dress Codes
I’m all for a strict dress code when the situation demands it. Country clubs, tournaments, and any golf course that chooses to set the dress code should have golfers in tucked-in shirts and collared shirts.
However, for some public courses where dress code is less of a concern, it doesn’t bother me if someone has a Callaway golf hoodie on or their shorts have an extra pocket on the side.
There are times and places for relaxed attire that can make the game stronger in the future.
I’ve only played golf in jeans once. I played in a public course tournament in Ohio, and everyone wore jeans.
It was actually kind of fun, although I played the whole round feeling like I was breaking the law!
Carrying Long Irons (2-iron, 3-iron)
We now have data that tells us long irons are not functioning properly for golfers. The hybrids, utility clubs, and fairway woods have so much better results that it’s just not worth carrying these old-school long irons.
I’ve had so many golfers try to convince me that they hit it longer and it rolls forever, but when you really use a launch monitor, there are gaps in the performance.
You don’t get as much height, control, accuracy, etc.
Opposition to Modern Technology
Similar to speakers, rangefinders, and long irons, newbies are annoyed by old-school golfers’ desire to stick with manual scorecards, instinct, and a more traditional golf environment.
The problem with this concept is that golf technology only keeps getting better, and it only keeps helping players get better!
Slow Play Due to Rituals
The game of golf has had no choice but to get faster. Practice swings and lining up the golf ball repeatedly will slow down the pace of play. Newbies tend to have learned that if you want to enjoy the game, you must keep it moving.
Now, this isn’t a problem that is only seen by the old school golfers.
We have seen that many newbies, playing for fun and without the traditional outlook on the game, tend to move a little faster at times.
We all can pick up the pace just a little.
Preferring Handwritten Scorecards
Handwritten scorecards can be a thing of the past, but they aren’t. Old-school golfers still love setting up their cards, dotting them, and slashing that box to keep track of the putts.
Newbies have an app for that!
Many tournaments at country clubs now use apps during events. Keep this in mind; you may eventually have to switch to the digital scorecard.
The easy thing here is post-round handicap submissions. You can just send them right on through!
There are no right and wrongs here; it’s just the old-school golfers vs. the newbies. As the game evolves, we will see a mix of all of this continue.
