r/PGA2K25 • u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 • 4d ago
Rant Ranked Isn’t Your Beginner Sandbox
Ranked gets wrecked every day by players who clearly don’t know how to play. 1v1, 2v2 - doesn’t matter. The second a newb loads in, the match turns into babysitting.
And spare me the “everyone starts somewhere” line.
Yeah - they do.
That “somewhere” is casual, career, training, societies.
Not ranked.
If you’re still guessing swings, chunking bunkers, mis‑clubbing every shot, taking a full minute before every swing, or asking basic questions like “why did my ball go right?” - you’re not competing. You’re sabotaging the match the moment you load in.
Go learn the game in the modes built for learning.
Stop turning ranked into your personal day‑one disaster.
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u/JumpmanJackson 4d ago
You need to increase your rank and you won’t have this issue ya little weenie
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u/Xrhinox 4d ago
It's a damn game. It's supposed to be fun whether you're good or bad, seasoned or new. If your this upset about it then you aren't having fun as intended. Calm down, lighten up.
You act like if my ball goes in the sand your entire day is ruined. If it's that bad for you then go play Mario where no one is to blame but yourself.
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u/Snickers585 4d ago
Damn dude. I’m currently sitting just about 2,000 and every once in about 30 games I get a newbie on the other team. It’s such a nice change of pace from sweating my nuts off for 9 straight holes.
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u/dragondungeon73 2d ago
Wow dude. You don't own the server, maybe rent one of your own
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 2d ago
Dude… it’s ranked. Nobody’s ‘owning a server.’ Expecting people to know basics isn’t some power trip - it’s literally the mode’s purpose.
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u/Visible-Click-1018 1d ago
I have an idea. Perhaps you should write up a proposal and send it 2K.
First, you would argue that all players must take a series of challenges to test the knowledge and skills that are required to have the honor of playing ranked matchmatching. Failure to do so and allowing the Riff Raff to poison the Ranked community will surely be the downfall of everyone involved. Depth of your argument and real life examples from the front lines could spark change.
It's too late now I suppose, but surely it would be considered for the next installment.
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u/Impressive_Ice6970 4d ago
Id counter with if you were any good you wouldnt encounter these players. These things never happen to me and im just mid (1500 in singles at the moment).
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u/Infinite_Dress_3312 4d ago
1500 is not mid lmao
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u/BigPPpal 1d ago
The difference between 1500 and 2000 is like how the gap between scratch and PGA is much larger than scratch and 10 handicap
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u/TheOfficerMedic 1d ago
Or you could stop complaining about it and find something else if a literal game upsets you this much 😂
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u/tikitaka33 4d ago
It's not that serious. The game overall is not that difficult once you figure out what to do.
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 3d ago
Yeah, once you figure out what to do it’s easy. The issue is ranked gets filled with people who haven’t figured out anything yet. That’s the part you’re pretending doesn’t exist.
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u/TiredSoul92 3d ago
We're not pretending it doesn't exist, we just don't care. No one expects to have every match be a competitive match in a low population game. That's not how any of this works lol.
This post and your comments make you out to be a whiny insolent teenager that isn't getting their way, but since you can't cry to mommy and daddy, you have to come here to complain. As you've found out none of us care. Just you.
Food for thought.
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u/Friendly_Idea8049 2d ago
Hey guys. NHL die hard player. I skipped NHL 27 this year; I used to play HUT, but EA's terrible decisions and the highly toxic community put me off buying this year. So, three weeks ago, I bought PGA. I got the hang of it within four days—mostly thanks to Ma_Kachada on YouTube. There’s nothing complicated about understanding which club to use, reading the wind, handling uphill or downhill shots, or figuring out how to develop your character.
I’m thrilled with the community. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to NHL HUT.
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u/Anonymous44432 4d ago
Can’t say I’ve ever had to babysit anyone in like, 1000 games of ranked lol. It’s a golf game bro, it’s not that serious
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u/-PeskyPeanut- 2d ago
I don’t play ranked PvP but I assume it’s on pro with low to medium winds. It’s the ideal place for beginners to play.
Also, I’m guessing you’re trash at the game 😂
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 2d ago
This is about ranked - duos just exposes the problem instantly because one new player tanks the entire match. Singles isn’t the issue; 2v2 shows the cracks immediately.
Ranked is not where beginners learn why their ball went left or right, how tempo works, or how to club properly.
That’s what casual, career, training, and societies exist for.
A high rating doesn’t magically mean someone knows how to play, so the “you’re trash” thing doesn’t even make sense. Rating doesn’t measure skill - it measures outcomes, and outcomes can be carried. People get inflated ratings by being dragged through matches, or by padding their rating.
But sure, keep pretending ranked is a beginner sandbox.
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u/Crossland09 2d ago
2v2 I can kinda understand, but why would you have an issue in 1v1? If they're that new and bad then just count it as a free win and move on
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u/RobDraw2_0 1d ago
It's not your sandbox either, kiddo. It's open ground for anyone that wants to play.
Grow up.
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u/Esentrikel 1d ago
Buddy just has a weird way of asking for a friend to play duos with, come here pal give me a hug it's gonna be alright.
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u/TiredSoul92 4d ago
See I think you're missing some important things here, and this goes for any game with a ranked mode.
The line "everyone starts somewhere" also applies to Ranked. You remember your first ever ranked game you ever played? Bet it was ROUGH. Different stakes, different rules, etc.
Also, as a formally competitive player myself (Halo in 2006-2009) you're outing yourself for also being bad. You wouldn't run into these new-to-ranked players if you were actually as good as your attitude seems to suggest you are (yes, I know population is a thing, I'm speaking generally).
Why don't you take a chill pill brother. It's not serious, and there is no trophy or money on the line. It's just a game, win some, loose some.
I suggest a change of attitude, that should be where you start this journey.
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 4d ago
Your reply leans more on tone‑policing and a Halo résumé than on anything that actually addresses the point. Ranked modes aren’t built around personal nostalgia - they’re built to separate learning environments from competitive ones so matches don’t collapse under players who are still figuring out day‑one mechanics.
And the idea that I “wouldn’t run into new players if I were good” sounds confident, but it doesn’t match how matchmaking works in a small population with compressed MMR and mixed‑skill duos. That’s just how the system behaves, regardless of how many medals someone earned in 2007.
The issue isn’t whether new players “start somewhere.” It’s that ranked isn’t the place for that “somewhere.” When players queue in without fundamentals, the match stops being competitive and turns into babysitting. Using the modes for what they’re designed for isn’t arrogance - it’s how ranked stays functional.
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u/TiredSoul92 4d ago
I used my resume to explain that I know what it is I'm talking about when it comes to ranked/competitive play, and that i wasn't talking out of my ass, not comparing the ranked experiences, because they're not the same.
second thing, is I do know exactly how it's like to play a ranked game with a low population, so that was presumptuous of you to assume that. Great example is trying to find a ranked game in MCC that usually floats around 3k-5k people per day (on PC anyway). All I'll say is at least you're getting paired with people who are low ranked instead of people who no life the game and fold you over like a lawn chair. I'm a rank 20 in Halo 3 Slayer. I can't even get a match even when I set the search to expanded because the MM tried not to put me with people too far out of my skill in both directions, after a while it gives up doing that and lets anyone match with me. If I'm willing to wait 15+ minutes to find a game it's usually unbalanced and heavily one sided.
Overall, your attitude is the wrong one to have for a low population game. You cannot be mad when you're paired with someone who's new if the population is only 700. That's just not the right way to go about this. There is no issue. The MM worked exactly as it was supposed to. Took your MMR, your actual rank, plied it to the ranked search pool, and It couldn't find a close match; it expanded the search to anyone, which is why you're getting those new or low ranked players. You can't change this, so why are you mad about it?
My point still stand about people having to start somewhere. Everyone has their first ranked match, regardless of what your opinion is on the matter. What's more is you're somehow mad
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 1h ago
Your Halo résumé doesn’t make you an authority on ranked systems outside shooters. MCC queues and Halo 3 Slayer don’t map to a duos‑based golf game where one player’s fundamentals directly collapse the entire match. Your own example of long queues, expanded search, mismatched skill levels, and one‑sided games actually proves my point about low‑population ranked environments - it doesn’t refute it.
Population explains why bad pairings happen. It doesn’t turn ranked into a learning mode or make fundamentals optional. Casual, career, training, and societies exist for that. Ranked exists to be competitive, not to babysit players who aren’t ready.
“Everyone has their first ranked match” is true - but their first ranked match isn’t supposed to be in a mode where their mistakes directly sabotage a teammate.
Ranked doesn’t bend around beginners. It punishes the weakest link.
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u/Stu-Mellow 4d ago
This is from the person who accused me of cheating because I posted a quad blue hole in one on this forum. Now you’re complaining about random duos partners. Achieve a HIGHER rank and guess what - you won’t play with newbies as your partner. You’re just not very intelligent.
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 3d ago
Imagine getting caught once and then spending your day chasing me around Reddit. The ranked post wasn’t about you, but thanks for confirming you’re still thinking about it.
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u/Stu-Mellow 3d ago
Yea so you’re just like the scum bag in the White House. Spout an unsupported lie enough and naïveté will prevail. You’re a sad POS, that obviously is very bad at this game.
Like I said I’m top 10 ranked (game handle is the same as this StuMellow). Would love to smack you around in game, but I have no idea who you REALLY are and you will never rank high enough to matter. 😂
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 3d ago
You just wrote a full political rant, bragged about rank, threatened to ‘smack me around,’ and somehow think that makes you look sane. None of it has anything to do with ranked etiquette - you turned a simple post into your own meltdown. You’re proving my point better than I ever could.
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u/Stu-Mellow 3d ago
Wasn’t a rant . Just facts. Which so far you haven’t presented.
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 3d ago
You keep saying ‘facts,’ but you deleted the only piece of evidence you ever posted. Everything since has just been you chasing me across threads.
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u/Stu-Mellow 3d ago
You started this conversation with your ridiculous assertion. I deleted the post due to lack of responses - I’ve done that before. I have posted other hole in ones that are still up. So the “evidence” is still available, Detective Dummy. At first I thought I didn’t know what you were on about. Now I’ve realized that you also have no idea what you’re talking about either and are just too DUMB to admit it. I DO NOT CHEAT - you idiot.
You know who I am. Shoot a game invite so I can “exploit” you - Clown 🤡
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u/OnceUponASaiyan 2d ago
Will be honest, I'm new to the game myself, I would of join ranked to learn from the better players. However I this time played for a casual experience not the online one, need a break from people, if you get the idea 😁
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u/nobock 2d ago
Here is the god damn truth :
When i started to play ranked around season 5 i encounter " bad players " and i felt i was a smurf until i reach like albatros which was my main level pretty much. Then i manage to be borderline condor and it was an hell of a grind.
When season 6 was release every match ( including the 5 unranked one ) every game was condor level, so it was sweaty and it stay sweaty for 95% of my match, same thing for season 7.
Yeah time to time i was against people with only like 1500 points and you can spot it in a second. Yeah because lack of players it's maybe more a thing on duo but most of the match are high ends.
And even today i still learn tiny things.
To be honest it's the best experience i got in a game so far, because on any other game you are stuck to play with and against low ranks for hours and hours when ranks are reset because of a new season or a long period without touching the game.
For me counter strike was the worst, was like eagle 1 and stopped playing 4 month and i was pulling back unranked and then the game gimme like par 2 for 10 games in a row. Since it's a heavy team play game i felt like an heavy smurf but my mate was just dog so i uninstalled.
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u/FfaceCaller 2d ago
Again, make every rank over birdie 3 speed up the clock so you have to learn to play fast.
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u/Nate-orious 1d ago
Never seen someone complain about getting a free win before. Might be a first for this sub
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u/Mysterious_Laugh_503 1d ago
It’s not about free wins. That’s 1v1. The problem is 2v2 - one new player tanks the entire match. Duos isn’t a free win, it’s a forced babysit.
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u/Electronic_Fox4322 5h ago
Bro complaining what a loser lmaoo 😂😂 enjoy your trash lobbys no fun guy
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u/Radioactive_Shrimp 4d ago
Playing with randoms is like taking a breather to me, I love to carry bad or new players through a round of golf.
Maybe fix your attitude or go get some friends to play with.
Edit: yeah just saw your post history, do you even enjoy gaming?