Competition In A Golfing Group
Too many times, I have seen a perfectly ideal golfing trip torn apart by gambling. It can seem like a harmless and fun idea to wager a bit of money on who wins the match, but often this harmless fun will end up evolving into competitiveness and strife between members of your group. If a small sum is lost during the first game, that embarrassment and loss can lead up to a much higher wager for the next game. Each game gets fiercer and more competitive. Eventually all of this can add up to members of your group wanting to beat each other with golf clubs. If your group can’t get along and act agreeably, you will find the stay at the hotel unpleasant as certain members refuse to acknowledge each other.
As you can see from my opinion so far, I do not think golf trips are the right time to gamble. Golf is a very refined and classy game to play, and gambling just seems to reduce its elegance. While I do not think money should be gambled, you should always have a bit of fun. Competitiveness is not necessarily something that will ruin your time. The goal of a golf trip is to play games, and that you should. Always mix up the teams and what exactly your goal is during the game. Maybe even afterwards, the losing team can buy drinks for the whole group. This keeps it harmless, but still adds some competition (and therefore more fun) to the whole trip.
Another thing you could consider for your group is playing for some kind of trophy. I know several guys from a group that plays every year for an old shoe. The winner every year gets to take home the shoe. It is fun and harmless, and still provides a “prize” of sorts for the winner without causing any poor relations in the group.
In short, bringing money in to any golfing trip can be what causes its downfall. However, this is not true at all about competitiveness or the desire to win. Talking smack to your friends before the match is a priceless (and harmless) experience, and should not be left out of the whole golf tip experience. Like the old saying goes, money is the root of all evil. It is what can bring strife to a group of even the closest friends.