Foursomes - Advice to partner

[barryo]

Hi

My son and I played in a foursomes competition today and when we finished one of our opponents politely pointed out tome that the advice I offered my son from time to time might be in breach of the rules.

For instance, on a couple of occasions I reminded him to keep his head still as he had thinned a couple of chips round the green.

Now it's no big deal but I think I am entitled to give advice to my playing partner under rule 8-1. However I guess this and comments like "remember to swing slowly" might be considered as coaching? In any event I think it might have irritated the other playing partner who barely spoke to us after the game. His loss, the chump.

Can anyone inform me if I was in breach of the rules or perfectly entitled to offer unsolicited advice to this extent?

By the way, my son is 16 and in many ways a superior golfer to me so goodness knows why I feel the need to offer him advice, which is invariably wide if the mark.

Thanks

 

[BTatHome]

No issue, he is your partner so rule has been broken.

 

[Foxholer]

As you are a team, advice or some other 'banned for singles' queries/info is fine. Anything a Caddy can do a partner can do.

However, some competitions (not this one I would presume) do have Conditions of Competition entries about parents (like not being able to caddy for/partner them).

 

[pbrown7582]

Seems as if your playing partner was forgetting it was a pairs comp so you were a team, some of your suggestions maybe deemed advice in singles playing alongside your son but in a foresomes no issue to answer.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

No rule broken and sour grapes in my opinion

 

[duncan mackie]

as others have highlighted there's no issue under the rules, and if you listen into tour caddies 'on the job' the coaching gets a lot more detailed than you indicate - still fine.

8-1 specifically exempts partners

you might find 8-1/15 amusing where "A player's caddie takes one of his clubs and swings it to show him how to play a certain shot. Is this permissible? " answer is "yes", as long as it doesn't breach delay of game etc

it does rather sound like sour grapes, but then again people do get very confused, muddled etc

 

[chrisd]

The usual poor advice from someone who is clueless about the rules, there really are too many out there who dispense rules that they make up as they go along!

 

[barryo]

Thank you to everyone who posted a response. There was no malicious intent here just confusion over the rules which was raised in a very considerate manner. Nevertheless it is good to be vindicated and your input is much appreciated.

 

[6inchcup]

don't you just love some people,i have played in a few away open comps and taken my friend as a caddy ( verified ok prior to doing so) only time i ever had a problem was at BIRKDALE comp sec had said caddies allowed but the other two playing kicked up a stink on the first tee calling me a cheat etc etc,after they were told it was ok to have a caddy they refused to talk to me for the full 18 holes,sometimes people should check the rules before opening their traps.

 

[Robobum]

..........

you might find 8-1/15 amusing where "A player's caddie takes one of his clubs and swings it to show him how to play a certain shot. Is this permissible? " answer is "yes", as long as it doesn't breach delay of game etc.......

Love this!!! Bit of an extension to the caddy remit........don't be late/ keep up & shut up!!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

don't you just love some people,i have played in a few away open comps and taken my friend as a caddy ( verified ok prior to doing so) only time i ever had a problem was at BIRKDALE comp sec had said caddies allowed but the other two playing kicked up a stink on the first tee calling me a cheat etc etc,after they were told it was ok to have a caddy they refused to talk to me for the full 18 holes,sometimes people should check the rules before opening their traps.

They called you a cheat??? For having a caddie? Pair of t***s if you ask me.