Golf dilemna

[Basher]

Last year there were 3 of us at work that went for an "after work" fun round a few times during the summer. No pressure, no big competition.

However, what we did find was that one of the guys was an out and out bloody cheat!
Knocking balls into the trees, taking 4 & 5 shots to get out then claiming he'd holed out in 6. Taking free drops from unstaked saplings.
On one occasion he knobbed his tee shot which rolled off the teeing area about 5 yards away. He then picked up the ball declaring he would play it again. Strange indeed considering he never played 3 off the tee on his second shot!

I know I said it was a fun round with no real competition but my other partner agreed when I said he should at least abide by the rules to some extent.

Sure enough, the subject of playing after work cropped up again at work. My non cheating colleague was adamant he would not be playing with the cheating so and so. Trouble is, the cheating one keeps nagging me to go for a round with him every Friday. So far I've been successful in fending off his requests with various excuses. I don't really wish to play with him either. How the hell do I let him know that I don't subscribe to his methods of playing without upsetting him?
Or should it be a case of sod him, he's a blody cheat and get him told!

 

[nomadpaul]

I'd say that if there's no money involved , let him get on with it as long as it doesn't affect you . Concentrate on your own game and don't even bother marking his score down. If he asks why , say that it's really not worth it as its not a true score.

 

[madandra]

Hand him a copy of the rules of golf and show him the back cover :::


Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair. But to do what is fair, you need to know the Rules of Golf.


Then if he agrees to DO WHAT IS FAIR let him play.

 

[RGDave]

Grim....I haven't come across this in a while.
If I was unlucky enough to wind up with someone like this, I'd make a mental note to never play with them again.
I'd probably mention it to the h'cap sec if I thought he was out n about in comps.

 

[Basher]

As it happens, I gave him the latest R&A rulebook when they came out, purely as a gesture of goodwill but also as a gentle reminder that the rules are there to be abided by.

Unfortunately the book still resides in his desk drawer! I have seen him refer to it a few times but somehow think he's not taking the rules seriously.
Trouble is, he's an occasional golfer who probably thinks the rules should be strictly followed during serious competitions!

 

[CliveW]

He's probably nagging you for a game because no-one else will play with him!
If he doesn't know the rules, tell him groups of three are not allowed on the course after 5pm. He'll never know unless he reads the rules.

 

[backwoodsman]

As its hard to broach this kind of thing, could not the two of you together say to "the cheat" that you're only willing to play again provided he sticks to the accepted rules - that you feel there's no point to the game if not everyone sticks to them. (Which is true, there <u>is</u> no point to golf without the rules - its just hitting a ball with a stick).

If you feel you can't, then you'll just have to continue fudging the issue - I expect that you'll be busy "washing your hair" quite a lot...

 

[Leftie]

Seems to me that he is "cheating" because he is getting away with it. That way, he will never learn.

I would have thought that 2 or 3 reminders of how many he had actually taken would soon cure him - or teach him how to score .

Before he declares his score on a hole, why don't you say to him something like "eight for you there?" (or whatever). When he disagrees then point out maybe "duffed shot off the tee - one, picked up and re-teed - two, 2nd shot off the tee for three, two more to get to the green, three putts. Yes, that's eight".

If he does know how to properly score, then he is taking the proverbial and will continue to do so as long as you let him. If he doesn't, then he needs gently educating.

 

[Handycap]

Basher,
I've found the best way to deal with a serial rule breaker is to mark the card for everyone. If you warn your other playing partners that you intend to keep the correct scores and ask if they will assist you in keeping score.
The first time he makes a "mistake" pull him up immediately and count the shots taken with him, correcting him if he misses any out:
"So that was three off the tee, four in the bunker, five still in the bunker, six in the rough, two more to the green and three putts". This example was obviously taken from the SI 18 par 3 hole.

This will either make him an honest and possibly even enjoyable person to play with or he will never ask you to play with him again; everyone's a winner!

 

[Handycap]

Leftie beat me to it, but great minds think alike!

 

[CrapHacker]

Leftie beat me to it, but great minds think alike!

And not so great minds, too.

It gets to be a right pain trying to avoid him, or put him off. Biting the bullet once gets all the pain over and done with, one way or the other, in one go.

Have a swift half with him after work one day, and be quite open about it ( but in a nice way ). Don't call him a cheating rascal, but say the rest of you want to score properly this year, so you can see how your handicaps are getting on.

You're not sure if he's willing to take the game that seriously, as an occaisional player, and you other three need to make the 4th up with someone who's in a position to take it more seriously. If this guy wants to learn to score properly, then brilliant, of course he can join in, but maybe he'd be happier setting up another game with less serious players of a similar standard.

Then if he agrees he wants to play within the rules, say how fantastic it is, and that you'll be willing to help him by pointing out any obvious errors he makes.

The balls in his court then.

 

[Adrena1in]

I went out for some games with some mates last year, just for fun, no money involved, and while I did my best to play by the rules, they all "cheated" to some extent, be it picking the ball up and trying again if they hit a duff tee shot, lifting the ball out of the rough and into the semi-rough without dropping a shot, moving the ball sideways if a non-moveable obstruction was in the way, leaving the pin in on the green while putting - lots of silly things like that, but it didn't bother me that much...I still beat them!

 

[EchtLoon]

Seems to me that he is "cheating" because he is getting away with it. That way, he will never learn.

I would have thought that 2 or 3 reminders of how many he had actually taken would soon cure him - or teach him how to score .

Before he declares his score on a hole, why don't you say to him something like "eight for you there?" (or whatever). When he disagrees then point out maybe "duffed shot off the tee - one, picked up and re-teed - two, 2nd shot off the tee for three, two more to get to the green, three putts. Yes, that's eight".

If he does know how to properly score, then he is taking the proverbial and will continue to do so as long as you let him. If he doesn't, then he needs gently educating.

This is the best way to deal with it.

I have to ask though, if it's just a bounce game after work, and he's not a serious golfer, then why bother, you're not playing for anything, and you're not marking a card. Let him do what he likes and play your own game.

However, if he ever played a comp, then you just pull him every time, that is a different matter entirely.

 

[justhitthething]

Reminds me of a three ball I played in once. I knew 1 of the players but not the other. We agreed to pay £ £ £. On the first tee my mate warned me the other guy was a dreadful cheat and that I should watch him like a hawk.

About six holes in this guy smacked his ball into the rough and we all went to look for it. After a while he shouted 'Iv got it'
My mate imediately said to me, I told you so, he never loses a ball.
I said hang on thats not fair, you dont know thats not his ball. I do he said, Ive got his ball in my pocket.

Ive never played with either again.

 

[freddielong]

I think you need to point out to him that although its for fun you are playing to the rules, and count through any times you think he may have "forgot to adhere".

Maybe he didn't realise that when you said you were playing for fun you were also taking it seriously aswell.