Playing with other golfers can be a lot of fun — but it can also be a little intimidating at times. Any time you tee it up with golfers you don’t know, you might be the best player in the group … or you might be the worst.

Being the best is certainly more comfortable, but how do you handle it when you’re actually the worst?

This happened to me recently. My son was scheduling a practice round for a tournament and asked if I’d like to join. Any opportunity to play with him, I’ll take.

As it turned out, the “regular” golfers we were scheduled to play with didn’t show. So I found myself playing with three of the top juniors in the country. It was a bit intimidating, but still a lot of fun.

Here are a few suggestions if you ever find yourself in a similar situations

1. Don’t play slow

This is rule number one. If you can do this, you’ll be just fine.

You may be hitting more shots than they are, so efficiency is key. Move quickly to your ball. Choose your club promptly. Keep your setup and routine simple and consistent.

You can also anticipate what club (or clubs) you might need and grab them as you return to the cart. You won’t always know exactly what you’ll need, but when you do, this small habit can save valuable time.

2. Know when to pick up

If you’re not in a tournament, keep pace with the group. That might mean occasionally picking up your ball and moving forward to stay in position. There’s no need to hit several extra shots while others are waiting.

The same goes for putting. After your first putt, you might choose to pick up to keep things moving. You may not post a “true” score, but you can still enjoy the experience of playing alongside better golfers.

3. Choose the right times to socialize

One of the best parts of golf is the people you meet. A fun round often comes down to good conversation. Just be mindful of timing. Waiting on the group ahead or walking off the green toward the next tee are great opportunities to connect without slowing play.

4. Keep trying

Throughout the round, simply do the best you can with your own game. Ideally, you have a basic understanding of your tendencies and how to make small adjustments. Use the on-course experience as a chance to improve and self-correct. With the right mindset, you might even finish the round playing better than you started.

5. Use it as motivation

Playing with great golfers can be incredibly inspiring. They often make the difficult look simple.

In my years of teaching, I’ve noticed that the best players are usually the ones who work the hardest. It looks effortless because they’ve earned it.

Man Utd consider swoop for Liverpool‘s Alexis Mac Allister, Man City not keen on James Trafford sale, Nicolas Jackson to return to Chelsea from Bayern Munich.

Manchester United are considering a move to sign Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, 27, from Liverpool with the World Cup winner potentially set to leave Anfield this summer. (Star), external

Manchester City would prefer to send English goalkeeper James Trafford out on loan rather then sell him this summer with Leeds, Aston Villa and Newcastle all interested in the 23-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Nicolas Jackson, 24, is expected to return to Chelsea this summer because his lack of game time at Bayern Munich means the Bundesliga club are unlikely to trigger an obligation-to-buy clause in the Senegal forward’s loan agreement. (Times – subscription required), external

Arsenal have been told by intermediaries that Spain winger Nico Williams, 23, is ready to consider a summer exit from Athletic Bilbao. (Teamtalk), external

Brighton have made Said El Mala, 19, a dream summer target and have submitted a written offer to Cologne for the Germany Under-21 winger. (Sky Germany), external

Napoli have made it their top priority to keep Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, 29, out of the clutches of several Premier League clubs this summer by offering him a lucrative new deal. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Manchester United have denied making contact with Jurgen Klopp’s agent after he said the club made an enquiry about the 58-year-old former Liverpool manager taking over at Old Trafford. (Sky Sports), external

Real Madrid are thought to be in pole position to sign Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck, 26, from Borussia Dortmund this summer with Barcelona also vying for his signature in a 50m euros (£43.4m) deal. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Manchester United will continue to monitor Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, 23, before the summer transfer window, with Leeds, Tottenham and Everton also interested in the Englishman. (Teamtalk), external

Galatasaray are keen on a summer move for Inter Milan and Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, 32. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick wants to reinforce his defence with the signing of Borussia Dortmund and Norway full-back Julian Ryerson, 28. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

It’s safe to assume that the LA Lakers fanbase, or at least some parts of it, hasn’t fully embraced LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony called out the Lakers fans who continue to disrespect James, who has played eight seasons for the purple and gold franchise.

On the latest episode of the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast, Anthony and guest DeMarcus Cousins discussed plenty of topics around the NBA, including James’ future. The Hall of Famer described what “The King” is experiencing in what could be his final year with the Lakers.

“He’s living long enough to be a villain,” Anthony said. “You get what I’m saying? That’s what he’s doing. He’s doing everything at the top, still holding this league down. This league don’t move without ‘Bron. I don’t give a f**k what nobody say. That’s a fact.”

Carmelo Anthony then called out the Lakers fanbase for not fully accepting LeBron James despite bringing a championship in 2020. Anthony added that Lakers fans have no right to be angry at James if he signs with the Cleveland Cavaliers next season.

“If you going to be mad at him leaving LA, f**k is you mad about?” Anthony said. “You see it written on the wall, right? Because of the influence that’s out there. Y’all pushing him out in a sense. Y’all never accepted him in LA anyway from the beginning.”

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The LA Lakers are reportedly ready to move on from LeBron James after the season. Luka Doncic signed his extension, and the franchise is one of the teams getting ready to create cap space for the summer of 2027, when some of the best players could become free agents.

LeBron James comments on the possibility of retiring

Speaking to reporters before the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, LeBron James addressed the speculation about his future. James remains undecided if this will be his final season or if he moves forward this summer and joins a new team in free agency.

“When I know, you guys will know,” James said. “I don’t know. I have no idea.”

At 41 years old, James is still among the best players in the NBA. There are signs of slowing down, but it’s mainly due to dealing with sciatica at the start of the season.

Nevertheless, it’s going to be an interesting second half of the season for the LA Lakers. They did fix the shooting problem by adding Luke Kennard, but the defense and staying healthy are persistent issues.