Abandon round due to 'injury' - how many times can you do this?

[mikseymono]

Hi all!

Played yesterday in a stroke play comp. Tough windy conditions, with Mickey Mouse pins and concrete greens.....anyhow's.....playing in a four ball...after 4 holes my playing partner (pp1) was 7 over (his handicap is 3.9) and was not playing well. After 5 holes he started to complain about a leg injury......then he made a few pars but by the 9th green he was back on the slippery slope and was 12 over. Strangely my other pp was ALSO saying he was injured, and also not playing well, though him being a 55 year old fireman I know this to be true as he is the sort never to give up. So after the 9th hole pp1 and pp2 both abandon the round and duly sign their card 'abandon due to injury' and walk in. Leaving me and pp3

So, question is this.......how many times a year can one abandon a round claiming injury? PP2 was definately injured but rather unsure on PP1. It then struck me that if you do this regularly you can protect you handicap somewhat....the last time this happened was with the same player at a different club 8 years ago. Isn't this a form of cheating the system? I know injuries can happen....but the point is we all play good and bad golf which is all part of the 'golf package' we love...it just seems to me that this is a way to beat the system by keep your handicap artificially lower by not submitting your rubbish rounds owing to 'injury'. PP1 is a new member who was around an 8, 5 years ago, and has come waltzing in the mens team and displaced our 6th player because his handicap is 'better'......

To add to my day PP2 then came out and caddied, pushing his trolley around, for his son PP3, for the remainder of the 9 holes...jeez, couldn't make it up.

Just curious as to what peoples take on this is.

Thanks,
M

 

[clubchamp98]

It’s very hard to say someone is taking the pee with an injury.
You would have to take his word for it.
if it’s a regular thing the comittiee would be asking for some sort of explanation.
but even then unless there’s a doctor there it’s his word!
If he plays 9 holes that can go towards his h/cap scores.
It’s not good leaving a fourball into a two ball you will be waiting to play your shots a lot.
Just avoid playing with him.

pretty sure if you have competed in the comp you can’t then caddy for someone else.!
This might have changed but sure it was a rule once.

 

[mikseymono]

Thanks for reply......agree it's very hard to see if they are taking the pee...and if someone is injured then fair enough....but I think we are lurking into the shadows here.

And yes, we did have to wait to play our shots.
Can't avoid playing with him because I don't select the tee times/players..it's done generally by handicap....and as he is similar handicap to me its going to happen a few times this year I guess.

 

[NearHull]

It’s very hard to say someone is taking the pee with an injury.
You would have to take his word for it.
if it’s a regular thing the comittiee would be asking for some sort of explanation.
but even then unless there’s a doctor there it’s his word!
If he plays 9 holes that can go towards his h/cap scores.
It’s not good leaving a fourball into a two ball you will be waiting to play your shots a lot.
Just avoid playing with him.

pretty sure if you have competed in the comp you can’t then caddy for someone else.!
This might have changed but sure it was a rule once.

I think that you need 10 scores for the score to go to his handicap record,

 

[Steven Rules]

pretty sure if you have competed in the comp you can’t then caddy for someone else.!
This might have changed but sure it was a rule once.

Not so. This is permitted. It was also permitted pre-2019 so, if it was ever a Rule 'once', you might have to go back into the archives a long way to find out when.

Clarification 10.3a/2

Player May Caddie for Another Player When Not Playing a Round

A player in a competition may caddie for another player in the same competition, except when the player is playing their round or when a Local Rule restricts the player from being a caddie.

For example:

If two players are playing in the same competition but at different times on the same day, they are allowed to caddie for each other.

In stroke play, if one player in a group withdraws during a round, they may caddie for another player in the group.

 

[mikseymono]

Not so. This is permitted. It was also permitted pre-2019 so, if it was ever a Rule 'once', you might have to go back into the archives a long way to find out when.

Clarification 10.3a/2

Player May Caddie for Another Player When Not Playing a Round

A player in a competition may caddie for another player in the same competition, except when the player is playing their round or when a Local Rule restricts the player from being a caddie.

For example:

If two players are playing in the same competition but at different times on the same day, they are allowed to caddie for each other.

In stroke play, if one player in a group withdraws during a round, they may caddie for another player in the group.

nice clarification......however, this was the player who stopped after 9 holes due to injury...so a bit odd?! If it were me, I would slope off home......not saunter around the par course as a caddie......

 

[Steven Rules]

This becomes a question for the morals, ethics and philosophy forum, not the Rules of Golf forum. There is nothing in the Rules covering "how many times can you do this?" It is a matter for club management to determine based on their club policies, tolerance threshold and medical advice. Unless you bring it to their attention, nothing will be done. I suspect nothing would be done anyway but definitely nothing will be done if you don't try.

 

[chrisd]

nice clarification......however, this was the player who stopped after 9 holes due to injury...so a bit odd?! If it were me, I would slope off home......not saunter around the par course as a caddie......

Genuine or not, all he had to say was that the swinging of the club was what hurts him, carrying isn't an issue and you cant argue against him.

 

[rulefan]

So after the 9th hole pp1 and pp2 both abandon the round and duly sign their card 'abandon due to injury' and walk in. Leaving me and pp3

So, question is this.......how many times a year can one abandon a round claiming injury? PP2 was definately injured but rather unsure on PP1. It then struck me that if you do this regularly you can protect you handicap somewhat....the last time this happened was with the same player at a different club 8 years ago. Isn't this a form of cheating the system? I know injuries can happen....but the point is we all play good and bad golf which is all part of the 'golf package' we love...it just seems to me that this is a way to beat the system by keep your handicap artificially lower by not submitting your rubbish rounds owing to 'injury'. PP1 is a new member who was around an 8, 5 years ago, and has come waltzing in the mens team and displaced our 6th player because his handicap is 'better'......

To add to my day PP2 then came out and caddied, pushing his trolley around, for his son PP3, for the remainder of the 9 holes...jeez, couldn't make it up.

Just curious as to what peoples take on this is.

Thanks,
M

If this happens frequently the handicap committee should be taking note and warning and/or penalising the player. That is one of the reasons why they are there.

 

[clubchamp98]

Not so. This is permitted. It was also permitted pre-2019 so, if it was ever a Rule 'once', you might have to go back into the archives a long way to find out when.

Clarification 10.3a/2

Player May Caddie for Another Player When Not Playing a Round

A player in a competition may caddie for another player in the same competition, except when the player is playing their round or when a Local Rule restricts the player from being a caddie.

For example:

If two players are playing in the same competition but at different times on the same day, they are allowed to caddie for each other.

In stroke play, if one player in a group withdraws during a round, they may caddie for another player in the group.

Must have been a local rule then.?
It did come up at my old club !
Can’t remember the outcome.

 

[mikseymono]

done a bit more investigation on this player and last year he had a couple of withdrawals as well....don't suppose he was sub par when he threw in the towel........interesting dilemma.

 

[rulie]

Overthinking a situation?