Golfers and the rules

[Smiffy]

Played today with an old chap (well, older than me) who plays of 33, and he was killing it on the day, 34 points after 14 holes. He proceeds to hit his ball into a penalty area marked very clearly with red stakes. He walks up to it and declares that he's taking his free relief and goes to drop it out on the fairway. We point out to him that this is not the rule and after some argument, he complies and does the right thing, but it's adamant we were wrong and "we've done it this way for years". Makes you wonder how many people get away with similar "mistakes" for so long..... No wonder he appears on the leader boards quite often....jeez.

I played with a 14 handicapper once who did exactly the same thing. A yellow stake was a penalty, a red stake was a free drop, (according to him). I soon put him right, but it makes me wonder how he ever got down to 14 handicap without knowing the basics.

 

[Swango1980]

I played with a 14 handicapper once who did exactly the same thing. A yellow stake was a penalty, a red stake was a free drop, (according to him). I soon put him right, but it makes me wonder how he ever got down to 14 handicap without knowing the basics.

You could have had fun with him and turned things round on its head. Tell him yellow is penalty, red is instant disqualification

 

[tobybarker]

I've played lots of golf over many years and in matches, and stroke play, hardly anyone has failed to say they are playing a provisional ball.




His 2nd ball hit trees and was very short so he marched up and played it which still would have been ok if he'd called a provisional. It was a knockout pairs match and I dont see its right to get knocked out by not applying a basic rule that everyone playing golf should know. Also there were another 3 rules issues in the match and the pair we played barely knew any rules, and to be fair to them they thanked us for helping them through it - and they won it on the 18th

"Reloading" is a pretty common alternative around here

 

[tobybarker]

I played with a 14 handicapper once who did exactly the same thing. A yellow stake was a penalty, a red stake was a free drop, (according to him). I soon put him right, but it makes me wonder how he ever got down to 14 handicap without knowing the basics.

Makes me wonder how my chap DIDN'T get down to 14!

 

[chrisd]

"Reloading" is a pretty common alternative around here

At least you have the opportunity to ask if it's a provisional or not when he says "reloading" as that word could certainly be construed two ways. In my case the guy walked on to the tee after we had all put our clubs away and just started to walk, he didn't say anything so, in effect, giving himself two options of play.

 

[Orikoru]

I know what you mean. It takes a brave person to say "no, I know you found your original, but you can't play it, you never made it clear you were playing a provisional so you automatically hit 3 off the tee". I imagine 95%+ of people who play in the local club competition either do not know the rule to question it, or do not question it for the reason you give, and it just takes away potential bad blood.

Yeah, and just to add, if someone was teeing up again and hadn't said anything yet, I'd be quite likely to ask "so is that a provisional yeah?" just to avoid any issue afterwards. I think not saying anything then trying to argue afterwards that they didn't say "provisional" is a bit sly to be honest. Just like those people who would let you hit when you'd accidentally teed up in front of the markers and then give you a penalty, rather than just letting you know beforehand. Not the sort of folk I'd want to play with!

 

[Orikoru]

I played with a 14 handicapper once who did exactly the same thing. A yellow stake was a penalty, a red stake was a free drop, (according to him). I soon put him right, but it makes me wonder how he ever got down to 14 handicap without knowing the basics.

Sounds like we know exactly how he got down to 14 handicap..

 

[chrisd]

Yeah, and just to add, if someone was teeing up again and hadn't said anything yet, I'd be quite likely to ask "so is that a provisional yeah?" just to avoid any issue afterwards. I think not saying anything then trying to argue afterwards that they didn't say "provisional" is a bit sly to be honest. Just like those people who would let you hit when you'd accidentally teed up in front of the markers and then give you a penalty, rather than just letting you know beforehand. Not the sort of folk I'd want to play with!

So would I normally ask if it was a provisional but the circumstances were different.
Its always funny on here that you seem to criticise the person who knows the rules over the person breaking them. You dont have to say "provisional" but equally you can't not make it clear what status the 2nd ball you're putting in to play is, as it will potentially affect the play of the other team and gives the offenders potentially 2 options and an therfore a possible advantage.

This was a competitive knockout match and none of the 4 players know all of the rules of golf but I would expect people who enter competitions to have, at least, a basic understanding of them and calling someone for a rule break is not sly.

In this case we did not do anything but advise the player as to his options (as we saw them) so that he did not incur a potential penalty and he made it clear that we would assume it was a provisional

 

[Orikoru]

So would I normally ask if it was a provisional but the circumstances were different.
Its always funny on here that you seem to criticise the person who knows the rules over the person breaking them. You dont have to say "provisional" but equally you can't not make it clear what status the 2nd ball you're putting in to play is, as it will potentially affect the play of the other team and gives the offenders potentially 2 options and an therfore a possible advantage.

This was a competitive knockout match and none of the 4 players know all of the rules of golf but I would expect people who enter competitions to have, at least, a basic understanding of them and calling someone for a rule break is not sly.

In this case we did not do anything but advise the player as to his options (as we saw them) so that he did not incur a potential penalty and he made it clear that we would assume it was a provisional

Didn't criticise you or anyone, I was speaking generally. I also didn't criticise anyone for pointing out a rule break, I just said if you have you opportunity to prevent the rule break from even occurring ahead of time, then you should really take that option. If someone chooses to witness a rule break and then call them on it when they could have prevented it beforehand, then that is not someone I'd want to spend any time with, that's all. (Again, I didn't say that you or anyone else has done that.)

 

[Ross61]

I’ve pulled people up in the past for not declaring their second ball off the tee as a provisional and I’ve also made it very clear on several occasions that I was playing three off the tee and NOT a provisional when my first ball has gone so deep into the trees that even if I found it I knew I’d have no option but to go back and play three off the tee anyway

One day I made it clear that I was putting another ball into play on the tee as I knew I would be worse off if I found my first ball. Despite making it clear a PP insisted that if he looked for it and found it I would be forced to play it.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Playing nothing but social, recreational golf and entering none of my club's formal events, rules are what people choose to make them, and in the end,
people have lower indexes than they should because they're turning in inaccurate cards.
My gang is generally pretty straight with the playing rules.

Equipment rules get bent routinely. Most modern cart bags [do you call them "buggy bags ?] have fourteen full length dividers plus a putter well.
If one has fifteen slots, one fills fifteen slots.

Also, groove rules are almost instantly set aside when people sharpen their own wedges. Some predate 2009 and are non-conforming as is.
I've even seen putters with close to 90° lie angles in violation of the rules. If you've never tried one, do if you get the chance. They're fun.
But the playing rules are pretty well adhered to in my circle of miscreants.

 

[NearHull]

One day I made it clear that I was putting another ball into play on the tee as I knew I would be worse off if I found my first ball. Despite making it clear a PP insisted that if he looked for it and found it I would be forced to play it.

Aren’t they entitled to do so?

 

[nickjdavis]

Aren’t they entitled to do so?

They can look for it if they like...but the moment Ross61 puts another ball into play, without declaring it a provisional, the original becomes a lost ball and therefore he cannot play it.

 

[chrisd]

Aren’t they entitled to do so?

I hope they do, and I hope they find it, so I can pop it in my pocket and use it later ??

 

[Backsticks]

Bottom line, knowing the rules of golf can be very costly to your score !

 

[rulie]

Bottom line, knowing the rules of golf can be very costly to your score !

But, if you don't play by the Rules, what does a "score" really mean?

 

[rulefan]

Bottom line, knowing the rules of golf can be very costly to your score !

As can not knowing.

 

[jim8flog]

Bottom line, knowing the rules of golf can be very costly to your score !

On the whole I would say knowing most rules well can be to ones advantage- stops you from breaking them in the first place and knowing how to apply simple rules rules like allowable free relief can save an extra shot in may cases. I know a lot of players who do not use it fully, simply dropping at the nearest point of relief rather than taking the 'extra' one club length.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

On the whole I would say knowing most rules well can be to ones advantage- stops you from breaking them in the first place and knowing how to apply simple rules rules like allowable free relief can save an extra shot in may cases. I know a lot of players who do not use it fully, simply dropping at the nearest point of relief rather than taking the 'extra' one club length.

Quick one on this as it was me on Saturday. I should know but I’m having a brain fade.

Taking my stance I was standing full on a fairway sprinkler head. For my NPR I could move my stance either…away from my ball position (toe of shoe almost touching sprinkler head) or towards my ball position (heel of shoe almost touching) - same distance in both cases as I’m simply moving my stance off the sprinkler head and both options for NPR are not nearer the hole. So how do I know which is my unique NPR? I’d prefer to not be swinging over the sprinkler head but as far as rules are concerned in respect of NPR my preference is not usually relevant.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Playing nothing but social, recreational golf and entering none of my club's formal events, rules are what people choose to make them, and in the end,
people have lower indexes than they should because they're turning in inaccurate cards.
My gang is generally pretty straight with the playing rules.

Equipment rules get bent routinely. Most modern cart bags [do you call them "buggy bags ?] have fourteen full length dividers plus a putter well.
If one has fifteen slots, one fills fifteen slots.

Also, groove rules are almost instantly set aside when people sharpen their own wedges. Some predate 2009 and are non-conforming as is.
I've even seen putters with close to 90° lie angles in violation of the rules. If you've never tried one, do if you get the chance. They're fun.
But the playing rules are pretty well adhered to in my circle of miscreants.

I have never seen that be the case ever.