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1. I always seemed to get paired at club tournaments with a guy that says he is a 5 handicap but always shoots high 80’s or low 90’s. It is really frustrating because he doesn’t belong in my flight. Should I talk to the pro? Craig from Calgary, AB

Ahhhh, the reverse sand bagger; The player that doesn’t enter the high scores or doesn’t count all his shots on the course so that he can say that he is a single digit handicap when he has never sniffed breaking par. This guy is hilarious. No, don’t tell the pro. It is worth the pure comedy to watch him sweat bullets in the Club Championships when he is using every trick in the bag to break 90 and knows that he is out classed. It is also worth hearing his 54 excuses as to why he skulled his chips across the green and 4 jacked two holes en route to a 95 that day. Next time offer to play this chump for cash. Put a wager on the line. You might as well line your pockets in the process. Hopefully if you have a good handicapping committee at your course the scores will indicate there is a problem and they can deal with this “gentlemen”.

2. I find when I go to a resort course as a twosome I often get paired up with a couple. I am not sexist but I don’t enjoy playing with women. They typically hold up the round. Do you recommend saying something at the pro shop when I check in? Dean from Kamloops, BC.

I love playing with women I get paired with.

I love playing with women I get paired with.

Well, I am not sure if you knew this, but I am girl. I meet players like you all the time! My husband and I walk up to the first tee and when we meet our playing partners, typically two guys, I often get “the look”. That is the massive sigh, head rolls back as if to say “S^%@ I got paired with the chick”. I am lucky because I play from the tips or wherever the boys want to tee it up and usually knock it by them, so they typically shut their pie hole after that. I love playing with women I get paired with. Usually they are not super long but they are straight down the pipe. They are never OB, never in the hazards and have pretty good short games. I usually spend far more time looking for their husband’s balls, and mine! I am more the Bubba Watson of girl’s golf I may be long but it could be anywhere some days! My suggestion, do ask in the pro shop to get paired with two guys because the lady that is out on the tee wants to have a great day too and you aren’t it!

3. I find it really irritating when I play golf with people that don’t mark their balls and then pretend any ball in the rough was the one they were playing with. Suggestions? Sal from Montreal, QC

Distinctively mark your ball.

Distinctively mark your ball.

I agree, all players should get into the habit of marking their balls. I always mark mine with 2 black dots. Perhaps you could say before you tee off on the first hole “I am using a Nike 20Xi #3 with a red dot under the number” and show the group. You could then ask what your playing partner is using and if they just show you their ball offer them your Sharpie to identify it. Maybe they don’t realize that is what you are supposed to do. If they don’t want to mark it perhaps just try to notice what brand they are using and when you are helping look for their ball call them out on it if it is a different type of ball or, as long as you aren’t betting, take the high road and let him/her play their own game. Golf is a game of honor. Each player has to find that themselves.

Longball Tip

Draw straight line on ball

Draw straight line on ball

This tip will help you if you have alignment issues both on the putting green and off the tee. If you don’t already mark your ball with a line or use a line on your ball to line up your putts start immediately. It is so much easier to drain putts when you commit to the break by lining up your ball on the path you see the ball taking. It is very visually effective to see a line on your ball along that break line and then and simply set your putter face up to that. Trust the line you chose and just worry about pace. As for tee shots, I got a great tip from Jamie Kureluk who shot a record setting 25 on the back 9 at the 2010 RBC Alberta Open. Line up the line on your ball with your target in the fairway. Stand behind the ball to double check it, set your club face up perpendicular to it, then trust it.

Line up putter with line

Line up putter with line

Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk is the reigning 7-time Canadian Long Drive Champion for Women and is ranked #2 in the World. Lisa can be reached at li**********@go**************.ca.

Lisa Longball Golf - Motivational Speaker and Golf Entertainer