# "Etiquette" of roll up, swindles, fiddles...



## wookie (Nov 9, 2011)

Hi all - new here and am also just about to join my first club - The Army in Aldershot, Hants.

I played a round yesterday with the outgoing chairman and vice-captain as part of a roll up and was invited to play with them again (as long as I reduced my handicap - I'd put myself off 24 and then proceeded to have just about my best round ever which was met with cries of bandit in the clubhouse )

Anyway I thought that roll ups were just that but the fact that he kind of formally invited me to play again made me think that maybe you cant just turn up and be included.  Whats normally the case at your place?

I'm a bit nervy about playing with folk I dont know anyway but would be even worse if I felt I was intruding on a group

Cheers

Simon


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## Junior (Nov 9, 2011)

At our course roll-ups are an informal way of getting a game and playing with new people / meeting new members.  There are a few each week and everyone of them is welcoming, although you have to brace yourself for a bit of good natured p1ss taking  !


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## richart (Nov 9, 2011)

Hi there and welcome. You are just up the road from me. I play at another army town Bordon. Roll ups at our place are open to everyone, although originally some of them were formed by a few mates that then just grew in size. Think they were just being polite to a new boy who may not have realised. Also if you took the money off them, they will want their chance to get revenge asap.


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## rosecott (Nov 9, 2011)

I think you are under scrutiny.


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## wookie (Nov 9, 2011)

Don't understand rosescot. From having plaphyed with the vc, being called a bandit or roll UPS in general?


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## HomerJSimpson (Nov 9, 2011)

Our roll ups usually meet at a set time and then pull the names out to decide partners. With the exceptions of the old guys on a Tuesday and Thursday who are very very cliquey and won't let anyone join and the "claw" who tend to be protective of their own circle all the others will allow anyone to join. In our Saturday you play off club handicap. If you win you lose 2 shots for the next 4 weeks and then go up 1 shot for another week and then back to your handicap. Come second and you lose a shot for 4 weeks


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## Scratch_in_my_head (Nov 9, 2011)

Unfortunately my experience of swindles is that they can be extremely "clicky" and can be off putting for new members or guys trying to play more!


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## SocketRocket (Nov 9, 2011)

We have Fiddles / Roll Ups every day at my club, some days there are more than one.   I think they are good as they have a draw for partners which takes away the 'Clickyness'.  You dont have to book anything, just turn up if you want a game.  It is great way for new members to get to know others and the vast majority of people are very friendly.


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## rosecott (Nov 9, 2011)

wookie said:



			Don't understand rosescot. From having plaphyed with the vc, being called a bandit or roll UPS in general?
		
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If I'd taken someone to the cleaners on the first date, I'd be highly suspicious of a second invitation - maybe that's just me.


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## wookie (Nov 10, 2011)

rosecott said:



			If I'd taken someone to the cleaners on the first date, I'd be highly suspicious of a second invitation - maybe that's just me.
		
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Right got you.  Dont think it was that.  I didnt actually take the money as it was a team stableford.  It was more along the lines of your welcome to come again but you can play off 18! (I normally shoot around 100 and pb at that place 96 so may be a bit harsh but that was just after a hatrick of "text book" pars so can see his point.)

Sounds from others like the majority of them should be friendly enough - I'll just have to try and suss out from the couple of people I vaguely know there which arent cliquey and then hope I dont have a howler when I play them.

Richart - I played Blackmoor about 4 months ago.  You've got to be straight there eh?  Unfortunately I definitely wasnt.  When we played we thought the heather etc was bad enough but according to a mates dad whose a member it was just after there 5 yearly cutback!

We played as visitors after 4 on a Sunday for Â£30 I think.  Do they do a similar deal over the winter.  Like to have another go now that the slice is tamed - mostly.


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## Smiffy (Nov 10, 2011)

rosecott said:



			If I'd taken someone to the cleaners on the first date, I'd be highly suspicious of a second invitation - maybe that's just me.
		
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Maybe he scored 36 points and the next closest was 30???? Hardly "taken to the cleaners"


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## Doc (Nov 10, 2011)

We have four tees booked every Sunday for the roll-up.

Anyone is welcome to join, even members guests.

Ball in the hat and drawn at random.

Pound, pound, pound, front, back and overall, stableford, full handicap.

Worst overall gets to sign the pink bowler hat and gets to wear it for the next roll up.


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## Hooker (Nov 10, 2011)

Doc said:



			Worst overall gets to sign the pink bowler hat and gets to wear it for the next roll up.
		
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I like this idea as it will give me incentive to keep going and try my best.


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## Monty_Brown (Nov 10, 2011)

I first played in or Saturday roll up after the club pro introduced me to a few of them and asked them if I could turn up the next week.

A guy recently asked me "who I knew" his reason being that originally, you did have to be invited to join it, but I think that's passed by. If roll-ups are going to block book the prime teetimes every weekend, then they have a moral duty to let anyone join in, IMO.

And as for winning first time out... you can't win the money in your first one at ours, so problem solved.


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## trevor (Nov 10, 2011)

I've just joined a new club last week and I know they have roll ups every Tuesday and I know I've got to go and join them to get my handicap cards in but the thought of turning up and playing with strangers quite honestly terrifies me! I know there is no easy way to do it, has anyone else been in this situation? Deep down I know when I go it will be better than expected, I think it's the thought of playing with strangers and then having the worst round or your life.


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## rosecott (Nov 10, 2011)

We have an open roll up on Sundays if there's no comp. Around 6 tees booked and we throw Â£2.50 into the pot and draw for groups - full handicap stableford. If 24 turn up, we pay Â£16/12/10/6/4 with Â£12 for the 2s pool. If there are no 2s, the money goes to the Captain's charity.


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## rosecott (Nov 10, 2011)

trevor said:



			I've just joined a new club last week and I know they have roll ups every Tuesday and I know I've got to go and join them to get my handicap cards in but the thought of turning up and playing with strangers quite honestly terrifies me! I know there is no easy way to do it, has anyone else been in this situation? Deep down I know when I go it will be better than expected, I think it's the thought of playing with strangers and then having the worst round or your life.
		
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There's no such thing as the worst round of your life - there's always worse waiting to bite you. Get out there and do it - it's better than thinking about it.


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## USER1999 (Nov 10, 2011)

Saturday swindle is open to all. Â£5 in the pot. Winner gets the privilege of spending all the cash on beer. Often this is Â£180 odd. Bad form to take the cash and run off with it.
Best of all, he then gets cut 1 shot per shot under handicap, plus 1 for winning. 42 points should see a cut of 7 shots. Get them back at 1 per week.
We don't get many repeat winners.

Sunday swindle is just odd. Very odd. I don't play in it anymore.


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## HomerJSimpson (Nov 10, 2011)

trevor said:



			I've just joined a new club last week and I know they have roll ups every Tuesday and I know I've got to go and join them to get my handicap cards in but the thought of turning up and playing with strangers quite honestly terrifies me! I know there is no easy way to do it, has anyone else been in this situation? Deep down I know when I go it will be better than expected, I think it's the thought of playing with strangers and then having the worst round or your life.
		
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Trevor

Remind me where you play. I think you are over complicating this. it isn't taken overly seriously and its only a few quid at stake. Most of the guys, vertainly in our swindles are there for a laugh and if the golf goes well its a bonus. It isn't a medal and so won't be played the same way. Relax, have some banter and hit the ball in between. It's a good way to get your face known and to brutally honest I doubt too many will be too fussed about how well or badly you play (unless you nick the cash first time out of course)


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## Jaymosafehands (Nov 10, 2011)

confession time. I played in the fiddle last Saturday as part of the Winter League as I got let down by my usual crowd. Fortunately I know most of them from being around and about. 

I managed to score 42 points and took the pot. I felt a right twat for running straight off, but I've been invited back anytime and one of the regulars has even asked me to pair up with him this weekend in the winter better ball comp. 

Don't stress about any of it, just have a crack, enjoy it and play your game.


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## wookie (Nov 11, 2011)

trevor said:



			I've just joined a new club last week and I know they have roll ups every Tuesday and I know I've got to go and join them to get my handicap cards in but the thought of turning up and playing with strangers quite honestly terrifies me! I know there is no easy way to do it, has anyone else been in this situation? Deep down I know when I go it will be better than expected, I think it's the thought of playing with strangers and then having the worst round or your life.
		
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I'm a bit of a nervous nelly with new situations Trevor and am definitely capable of having a bad round.  It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. 

I turned up, shook everybodys hand and had a quick laugh about someone / something and then got on with it.  It did help though that I was in the last group to go off.

I went in yesterday to hand in my application form and photo and was told that I should play off 22 for now.  If I can get an official handicap of that then I'll be pleased.


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## trevor (Nov 11, 2011)

HomerJSimpson said:



			Trevor

Remind me where you play. I think you are over complicating this. it isn't taken overly seriously and its only a few quid at stake. Most of the guys, vertainly in our swindles are there for a laugh and if the golf goes well its a bonus. It isn't a medal and so won't be played the same way. Relax, have some banter and hit the ball in between. It's a good way to get your face known and to brutally honest I doubt too many will be too fussed about how well or badly you play (unless you nick the cash first time out of course)
		
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I have just joined Tylney park near Hook. I am fully aware that I will be fine once I start playing, it's one of those situations where the thought is worse than the event. I work shifts so the first roll up I can do will be the start of December. Just off now to get some practice in!


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## wookie (Nov 11, 2011)

I was pretty close to joining there rather than the Army Trevor but decided the drive was a little bit too far (20 mins rather than 10 to the Army).


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## richart (Nov 11, 2011)

wookie said:



			Richart - I played Blackmoor about 4 months ago.  You've got to be straight there eh?  Unfortunately I definitely wasnt.  When we played we thought the heather etc was bad enough but according to a mates dad whose a member it was just after there 5 yearly cutback!

We played as visitors after 4 on a Sunday for Â£30 I think.  Do they do a similar deal over the winter.  Like to have another go now that the slice is tamed - mostly.
		
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Must admit the heather this year was particularily thick, and when it flowered in September it was almost iimpossible to find your ball.

Don't think there are any cheap golf deals at the weekend over the winter. Unless you tee off by 12.00 it is a struggle to get round now, so members get priority.  During the week I am sure there will be some deals, so worth giving the club a ring if you can get the time off. Sunday afternoon in the summer is a great time to play, as the course is very quiet.

Will look into a mini forum meet for next year, which you will be welcome to play in.


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## wookie (Nov 11, 2011)

richart said:



			Must admit the heather this year was particularily thick, and when it flowered in September it was almost iimpossible to find your ball.

Don't think there are any cheap golf deals at the weekend over the winter. Unless you tee off by 12.00 it is a struggle to get round now, so members get priority.  During the week I am sure there will be some deals, so worth giving the club a ring if you can get the time off. Sunday afternoon in the summer is a great time to play, as the course is very quiet.

Will look into a mini forum meet for next year, which you will be welcome to play in.
		
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OK cheers.


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