10 things golfers hate

Most amateur golfers have a love-hate relationship with the sport. The highs are tough to beat, the lows are tough to bear. We can all reel off a list of the things that irritate us about the game and some will be more fickle than others. Here are 10 things that might just get on your goat… see if you agree.

Slow play

A look at your watch shows it’s been four hours since you teed off and you’re only on the 16th fairway. You’ve waited on every single shot but the group ahead seems totally oblivious. Aaarggghhh!

The course being closed

The true golf lover is prepared to forge out onto the links no matter what the weather is doing. There’s only one thing that can stop him – the dreaded “Course Closed” sign.

Losing a brand-new ball

You crack open a new sleeve, mark your ball and peg it up. The feeling of loss is huge as you watch it disappear into the middle of a lake - £3.50 gone in the blink of an eye.

Finding your ball in a divot hole

You've belted one down the centre of the fairway - a career best drive... It's miles down there.... It's in the Mayor's office... It's, it's... It's in a divot hole. How unfair is that?

Missing a short putt on the final green

No matter how well you’ve played, you’ll be kicking yourself for the rest of the day at the shot that got away right at the death.

The duffed chip

The chip shot should be so straightforward, so why is it so damned difficult? You’ve only 20 yards to the pin but manage to advance the ball just a couple of feet, is there a more disgusting feeling to be had on the golf course?

The plugged lie in a bunker

You've played a poor shot and it's headed for a sand trap. But, hey, you might still get up-and-down and save par. You did it once before. Hmm - maybe not from that lie!

Bandits

You post your best Medal round of the year only to be beaten into second place by a 24 handicapper who returns a nett 56. You should be magnanimous in defeat but you just can’t.

A bunker filled with water

The most unfair rule in golf? Your ball narrowly misses the green and topples into a bunker. It’s brimming with water with no chance of relief within the hazard. So you’re forced to take a penalty drop behind the trap, and now you have to play back over it!

A sky mark on a new driver

You’re so proud of this shiny new driver and it’s made you the envy of your friends. Now it’s been tarnished and your friends are less interested.