I Don't Care About Your Round – Please Don't Bore Me With The Details

two golfers going over their scorecards in the clubhouse after a round of golf

Hearing about every shot after a round can be a little trying...

(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

Golf is a game of community. It's a game shared not only by your playing partners on the day, but your mates in the clubhouse bar afterwards and other golfers in your life who share an interest in this wonderful sport.

That being said, I think we're all doing too much sharing. Far too many people seem to think their round is more important or interesting than the next man's, when in fact both are dull. Despite this, everyone wants to tell me about their round of golf, and I want them to stop.

Nick Bonfield and Sam De'Ath talking at the bar in the golf clubhouse, holding their scorecards from their round of golf — Are round reflections tedious or relatable? Dan would argue for the former

'Other pressing matters'

Here's how I'd like all post-round golf conversations to go, my manifesto if you will:

I ask 'How was your round?' and Player A responds thusly: a score of some kind (whether gross or Stableford or whether you won/lost a match); how you generally struck the ball (this should be a one-word answer, by the way); a round highlight and a round lowlight. Done. Simple. I don't need to hear any more.

Once this conversation has been had, we can move away from the golf and move on to other pressing matters, like football, the weather, how bad the caterers have been at the club, Celebrity Traitors and so on. I don't want to be the Scrooge of bar golf chat – and believe me, I love a chin wag – but I'd rather talk non-golf matters.

My main issue about hearing about other people's rounds is that what to them feels like a spectacular stroke of luck or a really interesting shot really isn't to anyone else.

I know the feeling. I'd love to tell people about the 20-foot curling putt I holed to save par, but I know that, to others, it really isn't that interesting. So, I'll keep that between myself and my playing partners who reacted to it at the time.

Am I miserable? Probably. Am I right? Most certainly. Are there people who agree with me? Surely (hopefully they'll be down in the comment box below, backing me up).

The more I write this, the more I think this is a me problem, and that I don't actually care about golf, where there are probably plenty of people who do. Do I even like golf? These are the big questions.

I can't get myself up to watch the Thursday coverage of a Signature PGA Tour event, let alone care about what Mike, 55, handicap of 13.6, shot around Royal Fulford Heath Golf Club. Right, rant over, as it is me who has now done too much talking.

Dan has been with the Golf Monthly team since 2021. He graduated with a Master's degree in International Journalism from the University of Sussex and looks after equipment reviews and buying guides, specializing in golf shoes, golf bags, golf trolleys, and apparel reviews. Dan is also a co-host of Kick Point: The Golf Gear Show. A left-handed golfer, his handicap index is currently 7.1, and he plays at Fulford Heath Golf Club in the West Midlands.

Dan's current What's In The Bag:

Driver: Cobra DS-Adapt X
Mini driver: TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini
Fairway: Ping G440 Max 21°
Irons: Titleist T250 (5), Titleist T100 (6-PW)
Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro (50, 56, 60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Bag: Vessel Sunday III

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