Every great golf group needs a hero. It’s not about being the best player or having the lowest handicap. It’s about being the organizer, the planner, the person everyone quietly relies on to make things happen. If you’ve ever felt like you might be that person — or want to become them — this guide is for you. From booking the round to bringing extra tees, setting the pace to setting the tone, here’s how to become the glue that holds your group together and the hero they didn’t know they needed.
Lead the way
Anyone can send a "let's play some golf this weekend" text, but you need someone to take the lead if the round is going to actually make it out of the group chat. If you truly want to lead the charge and make the most of your experiences, you're going to need more than just having your favorite tee time aggregation site bookmarked. You have to have a real feel for the golf landscape.
You'll know exactly when tee times open up so you can be first in the digital line to grab that coveted Saturday morning spot at Rustic Canyon. Get the text that tomorrow just opened up to get a round in? You know which courses will still have slots open or when to grab those last-minute cancellations. You're scouring weather reports like Dallas Raines to see if they affect when you should play. You're nailing down schedules to see if you need to squeeze in 18 at the course down the street or you have the time to make a trip out of it. And when you do have the chance to venture out, you know the courses worth seeking out and the ones you can find at home. Everyone knows that when nothing gets done without you making it happen.
Be the gear guy/girl
You've made it past the planning phase and game day has finally arrived. You know better than to show up empty-handed, but we've all got that one friend that isn't so prepared. If you want to go above and beyond, you come with supplies not just for yourself, but a few extras in case someone else finds themselves lacking. An extra sleeve of balls for when your partner finds every water hazard on the course, a lifetime supply of tees, a spare glove for the person that replaces theirs once a decade; it doesn't take much for you to rescue someone's round.
Don't just limit yourself to essential golf tools either. You can be the one with the rangefinder always handy to nail down distances. Maybe you keep a portable charger around for the one that forgot to charge their phone last night. Drinks, snacks, sunscreen: you have everything you need to make sure the group doesn't just survive the round, but actually has a good time.
Speaking of which...
Nurture the vibes
I'm going to take a chance and posit a guess that you are not a professional golfer. On the off-chance that you are, keep grinding out there. For the other 99.9% of you that do this because it's fun, this is your reminder that means you should actually be having fun on the course.
Every group needs someone that helps set the tone for the day. A key part of that role is understanding the dynamics of the group and getting a feel for what everyone is in the mood for that day. If fun for your group looks like some friendly competition, then ratchet up the banter and put some pressure on your opponents. Just make sure that stops short of someone chucking a club or storming off the course. If this is a day for enjoying a beautiful day outside and perhaps some adult beverages, then keep the jokes and the good vibes flowing. Just don't keep the drinks flowing until you start seeing three balls on the tee.
Set the pace
Nobody likes a group that holds up the pace of play. Not only does it draw the ire of the course marshals and everybody playing behind you, but generally the longer you take between shots the worse you'll play. So to the point above, maintain the good vibes by keeping things moving and you'll be everyone's hero.
It doesn't take much or require constant hounding of your partners to just hit the ball already. Here are some simple ways you can help speed up the pace:
- Encourage everyone to play ready golf
- Keep an eye on your groupmates' shots and help them look for a ball that they might have trouble finding. If you've searched for three minutes and still can't find it, tell them to take a drop and move along.
- Ask them to just pick it up and move on once they've reached their max score (net double bogey for those of you keeping a Handicap Index)
Keep score
This one is simple and may vary from group to group. Some people may prefer to keep their own score but also generally don't mind if someone wants to keep track for the whole group. Especially if you have some friendly competition going, this will ensure there's a central point of reference and can help settle disputes that may arise. At the very least, it's one less thing for the rest of the group to worry about.
Know the rules
I know what you're thinking: nobody likes a stickler for the rules. But the reason every group could use a rules expert isn't so that you can stand over every shot waiting to penalize the smallest infractions. If you play consistently with the same people, there's a good chance that you'll want to start playing competitively. When that time comes, it'll benefit the group to have someone who knows what they're talking about when there's a rules question instead of all arguing based on incomplete knowledge.
Even if you're not playing competitively, most golfers who play regularly want to play by the rules (at least most of them). This is just another way you can be a resource that your group relies on.
Start your own golf club
If you're reading through this list and saying "I do that already" to most of the sections, chances are you already are a hero to your golf group. The one thing your missing is a sidekick to make all of your responsibilities easier to accomplish. That's where the SCGA comes in.
You're already doing all the planning, let us give you a hand with the execution. From supplying your golfers with a Handicap Index so everyone can compete fairly to providing you with resources on managing your crew, keeping score, and becoming a rules expert, we've got the tools to help you lead the way. Whether you've got a group of 10 or 100 golfers looking to you for guidance, we can help make every trip to the course easier.
Learn more about starting your own golf club.
