How to play with guests of different skill levels

Sharing a round with players of different abilities is part of the social side of golf, but it can also raise a few questions: which tees should each person use, how can the group keep a good pace, and how can everyone enjoy the round without feeling that they are holding the others back?

A few simple adjustments can make a round between golfers with different levels of experience comfortable for everyone. The aim is not to make everyone play in the same way, but to find a format that allows each person to enjoy the course and the company.

Agree on the format before you start

When there is a significant difference between the players, it is worth discussing the format before reaching the first tee. A casual round does not have to become a strict competition, and there are several ways to keep a competitive element without making the result depend entirely on each person’s experience.

If everyone wants to compete, handicaps provide a more balanced way of comparing results. In a purely social round, each player can focus on their own score or set small challenges throughout the course. Playing in teams can also work particularly well when there is a wide gap between the players.

The important thing is that everyone knows what kind of round they are going to play. The experience is quite different when the goal is to improve a personal score, compete with friends or simply spend a few hours on the course together.

Choose the right tees for each player

Sharing a round does not mean that everyone has to play from the same tee. In fact, when there is a significant difference in experience, using different tees can make the course much more enjoyable.

A golfer who is still learning may face second shots that are unnecessarily long when playing from a distance intended for more experienced players. For a low-handicap golfer, the same distance may be perfectly manageable.

Each person can choose the tee that best suits their game. Everyone still plays the same holes, but from a distance and with challenges that are more appropriate to their abilities.

At Alcanada, this choice also allows each golfer to approach the course in a different way. The experience is shared, even though the strategy can vary from one player to another.

Keep a comfortable pace for everyone

Differences between players tend to have more impact on the pace of play than on the final score. An experienced golfer may need only a few shots to complete a hole, while someone who is still learning may need more time to reach the green.

The group can adapt without turning this difference into a problem. Preparing for the next shot while another player is playing, taking the right club to the next area of the hole and avoiding unnecessarily long searches for lost balls are simple habits that help the round move along.

It is also useful for more experienced golfers to keep things in perspective. If someone needs several shots to complete a hole, the round should not become a race to finish first. Pace matters, but so does the comfort of everyone playing together.

If a ball is clearly out of position or someone prefers to pick it up, that can be a reasonable option during a social round, provided the group has agreed to allow it.

Give advice without turning the round into a lesson

Playing with someone who has less experience can be a good opportunity to help them discover parts of the game they have not yet mastered. A brief suggestion about how to approach a hole, where to leave the ball or which option might be safer can be genuinely useful.

The situation changes when every shot comes with a correction. Even when the intention is good, constant instructions can make someone who is still learning more focused on getting everything right than on enjoying the round.

If someone asks for help, the advice will usually be more welcome. Sometimes it is enough to share personal experience and let each golfer make their own decisions. A round with friends can be a chance to learn, but it should also give everyone the freedom to play and find their own rhythm.

Find ways to compete that work for everyone

When the difference between the players is considerable, comparing only the number of shots can leave some people out of the competition from the first few holes. Handicaps provide one way of balancing the result, but they are not the only option for making a social round more enjoyable.

Small challenges can work particularly well. The group could compete for the best approach on a par 3, see who leaves the ball closest to the hole on a particular shot or form teams that combine golfers with different abilities.

These formats shift the focus away from the overall leaderboard and give different parts of the game a chance to matter. Someone who is still developing their long game may excel with an approach shot, while a more experienced golfer can contribute consistency throughout the round.

Set realistic expectations for each golfer

One of the best ways to avoid tension is to accept from the start that each person may have a different goal for the round. For an experienced golfer, a good day might mean lowering their handicap. For someone who has only played a few rounds, getting through a difficult hole without losing a ball can be an excellent result.

There is little value in comparing those goals directly. Each golfer can set their own objective for the day and then share the experience with the rest of the group.

This also helps more experienced players avoid feeling that they have to take charge of the round. Someone who is learning needs room to make decisions, make mistakes and discover what works for their game.

Enjoy the round together, whatever the skill level

A shared round has a dimension that does not appear on the scorecard. Conversations between holes, the landscape, particular shots and the feeling of completing the course together all form part of the experience.

That is why playing golf with different skill levels can work so well when everyone has enough freedom to play according to their own abilities. Choosing suitable tees, agreeing on a simple format and keeping a comfortable pace are often enough to make the difference in ability less important.

On a course like Alcanada, with the Mediterranean forming part of the experience, each golfer can approach the course in their own way while still sharing the same holes, the same views and the same round.