A question of etiquette

[Basher]

During the competition today a wayward shot from my playing partner landed on the next fairway and rolled like a good 'un into the long stuff quite close to a golfer playing that hole.

My partner walked towards where the ball had been played. The other fella played his shot then walked off. He didn't indicate where the ball was. My partner and i looked for his ball with no success (lost ball)

I did think it bad form for the fella not to indicate or tell my partner where the ball was.

What are your opinions?

 

[ColinR]

Generally bad form really, if you feel he would have seen where it went. Did you attempt to strike up a conversation with him to lighten the moment ? this often helps in these situations.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I would always try and indicate where the ball was in this situation, but depending on how close it came to him and at what pace it travelled past him he may have been a bit annoyed at the fact nobody shouted fore or something, hence his rapid disappearance.

 

[nomadpaul]

Can you be sure that the other player saw the ball in the first place? He may have been completely unaware of it. Saying that , if he did see it , a slight indication of its rough location wouldn't have gone amiss.

...as an aside , if it was a competition , can a fellow competitor actually help in this situation or is it down to the player only ?

 

[andiritchie]

i was playing last night and a ball came onto the green me and my partner was playing on,the guy came over with a wedge and was going to play the shot off the green i told him he would have to move it off the green but never,he took a divot but a quick phone call to the clubhouse got him escorted off the course

 

[HomerJSimpson]

andieritchie

Hope a good long ban was forthcoming too!

 

[TonyN]

What kind of idiot does that! I mean it would be bad enough with nobody about but when someone tells you you cant do it... thats taking the phish. I think I would of been tempted to take my own divot off him!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Going back to the origial point, if the guy did see where it came down then yes he is bang out of order. If all he heard though was it coming down in his vicinity then I don't think too much blame can be attached.

I always try and point out to fellow players where it has gone. I'm not sure of the official rules standpoint in club comps but at the end of the day if it was illegal spectators wouldn't be allowed to help players in the Open (you always get BBC showing every year at least one group of spectators scrabbling round in the gorse bushes looking for someones ball)

 

[Deleted member 1147]

If he did see the ball the right thing to do would be to point it out.

If he didn't see it then he clearly can't help.

The biggest etiquette failing is in not shouting fore if the ball went near to the other player.

PS - Happy B'day Homer

 

[viscount17]

doesn't it count as 'outside agency' if a player not in your group assists in finding your ball?

technically I would think that anyone using the help of the gallery (Tiger's rock) is infinging that rule, but I doubt that it would be possible to stop the gallery finding a ball - and improving the lie in the process.

 

[backwoodsman]

doesn't it count as 'outside agency' if a player not in your group assists in finding your ball?

technically I would think that anyone using the help of the gallery (Tiger's rock) is infinging that rule, but I doubt that it would be possible to stop the gallery finding a ball - and improving the lie in the process.

Correct - they are an outside agency. But it isn't against the rules the rules for them to help find a ball. (For the most part - it isn't against the rules for them to even move the ball. Unless it's deliberate)

 

[madandra]

I keep harping back to the fact that golf clubs are no longer strictly vetting their new members and inevitably the odd gob sh1te slips through. Etiquette is something that can't be forced on the riff raff. I believe it is in your marrow and if you were raised properly then you have respect.

Anybody can join a club nowadays but the clubs have a duty to member to only accept ladies and gentlemen into the fold.

 

[rgs]

If the palyer saw the ball it was bad form not to point out where the ball went.

In our interclub competition we help our opponents look for lost balls, as I would not like to win a hole in those circumstances.