Are You a Golfer or Do You Just Play Golf?

Are you a golfer or someone who just plays golf? There is a distinction between the two labels. Unless you earn a living from playing the game or compete at an elite amateur level, golf is essentially a rewarding hobby for most of us, but while for many it's a simple pastime, the sport goes beyond that and is an integral part of life for some avid golfers.

Whether you are a golfer or someone who merely enjoys the occasional round isn't necessarily determined by your ability, but rather your habits, just how much of your time is accommodated for golf and how dedicated you are to improving. While a fair proportion of us would ideally like to play more and shoot lower scores, it doesn't occupy our minds with every living breath, but for others, they couldn't go without their regular golf fix.

We have been pondering the contrast between "golfers" and those of us who play golf.

Here are 18 examples below. Give yourself a point for each one that relates to you, and see where you are on the scale!

I Always Clean My Clubs After Playing Golf

A golfer will always clean their clubs after a round, while the rest of us will turn up with grass and sand embedded within the grooves of our irons from six months ago.

I Always Clean My Golf Shoes After Playing

Similarly, a golfer will be diligent with regards to regularly cleaning their golf shoes, whereas others will wear a pair that have mud encrusted from rounds and courses gone by.

I Play Golf Whatever The Weather

Do you only play when it's sunny? A golfer will be out in all conditions, rain, sleet, or snow, and have the appropriate gear to handle it.

I Will Happily Play Golf Alone

Would you consider playing alone, or is golf mostly a social outlet? For a golfer, company is a non-essential bonus, the only companion they really need is the course and clubs.

I Always Arrive Early To Prepare

A golfer will arrive 45 minutes before teeing off, giving plenty of time to warm up on the practice range, chipping or putting areas, while the rest of us will rush to the tee with five minutes to go and hope for the best.

I Play One Brand of Golf Ball

Many people will have a bag full of mixed golf balls they have found or been gifted, but golfers will only use that one brand of ball, the model they have specifically chosen for their game.

My Clubs Are Always In The Car Boot

If they don't have a locker at the club, a golfer will always have their clubs kept handy in the car boot, ready for whenever the opportunity to play arises, while the rest of us will let them gather dust in the garage.

I Regularly Visit The Range

When did you last visit a range? If the answer is three times every week, then you are a golfer, whereas for a lot of people who play golf, they couldn't remember when they last stepped inside one.

I Practice Often

Likewise, a golfer will carefully work on their game, particularly after a bad round, looking to rectify the faults, while the most practice other players will do is at best a couple of putts before teeing off.

I Always Keep Score

A golfer will always carefully keep score in recreational rounds, playing to the exact rules, while the rest of us may not even bother carrying a scorecard, at very least tearing it up after a quadruple bogey.

I Track My Rounds & Stats

If you are a golfer, then you will carefully track your scores and performance stats on a service like Golfshake, using that as a reference to improve, whereas the rest of us don't fancy going to all that trouble.

I Carefully Maintain My Clubs

Golfers will carefully maintain their clubs, researching the latest and best grips and shafts, while those of us who occasionally play won't have enhanced our irons since they were bought 18 years ago.

I Carefully Pack My Golf Bag

Before playing, will you pack your golf bag expertly with sufficient balls and tees, pencils, energy drinks, chocolate, fruit? That's what a golfer would do. The rest of us won't be surprised to find a rotten banana peel in there.

I Watch Golf Videos Online

Do you spend time watching tuition content on YouTube, or carefully follow tips on TV? That's what a golfer does. For those of us who aren't quite so keen, we are otherwise engrossed by cat videos. 

I Only Wear One Brand of Clothing 

Would you gladly wear a Callaway cap with a Titleist shirt and Cobra Golf shoes? Golfers are passionate, unrelenting one-brand players, committed to their label of choice, while the rest of us will just wear whatever is comfortable and fits.

I Have A GPS/Rangefinder Device

Does a several hundred pound investment in a GPS or Rangefinder seem excessive? Golfers will go far enough to buy one, while the rest of us will stick to the sprinkler heads for judging our yardages.

I Study & Plot Strategy Before Playing

Playing a new course for the first time? Golfers will study guides online, analysing scorecards, looking at images and videos to get a feel for what they can expect to see and plot strategy. However, some of us simply like to turn up on the day and be surprised.

I Live For Competitive Golf

Do you live for competitive play and manage your life around the club medal and championship schedule? For golfers, it matters to have something to target, while the rest of us are lucky to enter a handful of events a season just to keep our handicaps ticking over, if bothering at all.

Where do you rate on this spectrum? Count up your points.

Unhealthily Obsessed Golfer: 15-18

Passionate Golfer: 12-14

Keen Golfer: 9-11

Determined Golfer: 5-8

Apathetic Golfer: 0-4

Our Golfshake Ambassadors certainly qualify as being keen, but there are key differences in how they would describe themselves.

Matt Holbrook (Golfer)

"I live for golf. It's the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing I think about when I go to bed. I have an unhealthy obsession."

Darren Ramowski (Plays Golf)

"I generally play golf when one of my mates badgers to get me out or I'm playing in a society/corporate event. Clubs usually get cleaned the night before and my shoes only get cleaned after a round if the air hose is available!"

Rob Treanor (Golfer)

"I am a golfer. It's a lifestyle choice. On my recent group trip to La Cala, the rest of my party typically had a lie in and lazy breakfast, whereas I was out on the chipping green for 90 minutes warming up!"

Kevin Heggie (Plays Golf)

"I play golf. Cleaning my clubs every round is a bridge too far."

Robert Cross (Golfer)

"I pretty much play or practice every day. Putting mat is out, my clubs are all over the house and garage. I'm always planning trips to the range, looking at when I'm free to play. Competitions, swingles, range times. I clean my clubs, prepare my bag. I think this makes me a golfer."

Mel Davies (Golfer)

"I clean my clubs and shoes religiously.  I'm always looking for the next time when I can get out and either play or hit some balls in some way or other."

Who sounds most like you? 

Fortunately, there is room for everyone on this spectrum, whether you are someone who lives and breathes golf, or merely enjoys playing infrequently, we are all united in loving the game. It's just that some of us take it a little more seriously than others.