Have you ever reported someone for cheating?

[duncan mackie]

So in the instance i described where a stand bag was placed down would this be considered testing the conditions as in my view you would learn more by walking on it,

no - it would be fine in both a bunker or a WH providing you didn't intend to test the hazard conditions or improve your line of play etc

 

[Rory130911]

I reported a pair of golfers who used illegal smartphones apps against the new rules and eventually won the pairs comp at my club.
I checked with the the Golf union beforehand on the rules about this to make sure I was right.
The club refused to do anything about it.
It seemed a bit like its not what you know but who you know.

 

[Yrrah09]

Brilliant thread guys. In my first junior competition I was nervous and was playing with a guy i already kind of knew, nice guy but definitely suspected him. Every time he would find the heather a bit of club tweaking would always manage to find him a good enough lye. I was young and naive at the time and just thought he was sorting out his ailingment but in hindsight should of reported him.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

I've never understood why anyone would risk teeing up on front of the markets for the sake of a few inches? I always tee up at least a foot behind the markers to make sure it's never an issue.

 

[dufferman]

It does make you see why golf is losing it's popularity - I'm a young guy who plays weekly with family and friends. Rarely do I play in competitions. So yeah, I don't know all the rules and certainly am not going to read the rule book cover to cover, but when people SEE your mistake BEFORE you make it and keep hush until you've played your ball... it just adds another reason not to take up the sport!

 

[ScienceBoy]

Got you, I now know what you mean, I had not actually branded it as cheating , I just was not sure if another rule was there that I did not know about, that stated you could be so far in front of the tee, just like you can be so far behind the tee.

Won't matter too much in our matchplay tomorrow as you can just ask to replay in that format

 

[Davey S2]

Not cheating per se, but I was at a Volvo Tour event last year, and was standing at the first tee watching the group ahead hit off. One bloke stuffed his tee shot over the trees on the right, and then said "Damn, I'd better reload" and pulled a second ball out of his pocket and hit it. then he headed off and found and played the first ball. So i said to the organiser who was acting as starter "That bloke did not properly declare a provisionals, therefore his first ball is out of play" Bloke said he would look into it. I asked him later and he said he had asked the playing partners and they agreed bloke had declared a provisional. I asked him what they said he had said, but he didn't know. The playing partners either did not understand the rules or were lying. Fortunately the guy had a score which didn't matter much.

I really cant see what the issue is here.

If someone hits a tee shot that looks like it may have gone out of bounds and says something along the lines of 'I'd better reload' I would take that as a pretty clear indication that they were taking a provisional. There is nothing in the rules which says you have to use the word 'provisional'

 

[Foxholer]

I really cant see what the issue is here.

If someone hits a tee shot that looks like it may have gone out of bounds and says something along the lines of 'I'd better reload' I would take that as a pretty clear indication that they were taking a provisional. There is nothing in the rules which says you have to use the word 'provisional'

Oh yes there is!

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=27&subRuleNum=2

If it's not announced that it's a provisional, then it's 3 off the tee (a Reload).

 

[rosecott]

I really cant see what the issue is here.

If someone hits a tee shot that looks like it may have gone out of bounds and says something along the lines of 'I'd better reload' I would take that as a pretty clear indication that they were taking a provisional. There is nothing in the rules which says you have to use the word 'provisional'

The whole point of rule 27-2a requiring the player to inform his opponent or fellow-competitors using the specific word "provisional" is to remove the option of the player then saying, if the situation is to his advantage, I said I was reloading and didn't mention provisional. The Decisions on the Rules of Golf say quite specifically:

27-2a/1
Announcement of Provisional Ball
Q.A player hits his ball into an area where it may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds. The player then drops another ball and plays it. The player intends the dropped ball to be a provisional ball, but he does not inform his opponent, marker or fellow-competitor that he is "playing a provisional ball." In such a situation, can a player's actions constitute announcement that he is playing a provisional ball?
A.No. Rule 27-2a specifically provides that the player must inform his opponent, marker or a fellow-competitor that he intends to play a provisional ball.
The player's statement must specifically mention the words "provisional ball" or must make it clear that he is proceeding under Rule 27-2a. Therefore, a player who says nothing has put another ball into play.
The following are examples of statements that do not satisfy the requirement of announcing a provisional ball:
(a) "That might be lost. I am going to re-load."
(b) "That might be out of here."
(c) "I'd better hit another one."
(d) "I will never find that one. I'll play another."

 

[daymond]

Question. What is a leather wedge? It's a new one for me.
On subject. Cheating is a deliberate premeditated act to gain an advantage in contravention of the rules. Teeing up in front of a tee marker even if a yard could never be considered an advantage. Dinner has arrived, signing off.

 

[Yrrah09]

Question. What is a leather wedge? It's a new one for me.
On subject. Cheating is a deliberate premeditated act to gain an advantage in contravention of the rules. Teeing up in front of a tee marker even if a yard could never be considered an advantage. Dinner has arrived, signing off.

I believe it's kicking your ball to get a better lie/approach.

 

[Davey S2]

The whole point of rule 27-2a requiring the player to inform his opponent or fellow-competitors using the specific word "provisional" is to remove the option of the player then saying, if the situation is to his advantage, I said I was reloading and didn't mention provisional. The Decisions on the Rules of Golf say quite specifically:

27-2a/1
Announcement of Provisional Ball
Q.A player hits his ball into an area where it may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds. The player then drops another ball and plays it. The player intends the dropped ball to be a provisional ball, but he does not inform his opponent, marker or fellow-competitor that he is "playing a provisional ball." In such a situation, can a player's actions constitute announcement that he is playing a provisional ball?
A.No. Rule 27-2a specifically provides that the player must inform his opponent, marker or a fellow-competitor that he intends to play a provisional ball.
The player's statement must specifically mention the words "provisional ball" or must make it clear that he is proceeding under Rule 27-2a. Therefore, a player who says nothing has put another ball into play.
The following are examples of statements that do not satisfy the requirement of announcing a provisional ball:
(a) "That might be lost. I am going to re-load."
(b) "That might be out of here."
(c) "I'd better hit another one."
(d) "I will never find that one. I'll play another."

I stand corrected but frankly I find that absurd.

 

[backwoodsman]

I stand corrected but frankly I find that absurd.

Not absurd at all. A player at all times has the option of playing under stroke and distance. Therefore there must be a clear way of differentiating between a provisional ball and putting a new ball into play. "Reload", "play another" etc don't make the difference clear.

 

[Foxholer]

I stand corrected but frankly I find that absurd.

Golf is actually touted a game of high morality, where you call penalties on yourself. The announcement of what you are about to do - provisional ball, marking/lifting/checking/replacing etc - while possibly a touch 'fusty'. can be considered to contribute to this as there is no doubt as to what is going on.

 

[rosecott]

I stand corrected but frankly I find that absurd.

I have to say you must have led a sheltered life if you have never played with someone who has said "I'll just reload" and hopes to keep open the option of calling that ball either a provisional or the ball in play.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One of my partners marked a ball for me on the green as I was fiddling around trying to get out of a bunke, raking it, moving my bag to the correct exit point etc. I insisted he remarked it first before I then marked it myself. He called me a pedant but I wanted to be sure I wasn't infringing by putting my ball down directly. It may or many not have been the correct way to go but it was the club champs and I wanted to try and make sure it was done properly. In my mind it is observing these little details and making sure we aren't arbitery with the rules that sets the game apart from others

 

[Colin L]

One of my partners marked a ball for me on the green as I was fiddling around trying to get out of a bunke, raking it, moving my bag to the correct exit point etc. I insisted he remarked it first before I then marked it myself. He called me a pedant but I wanted to be sure I wasn't infringing by putting my ball down directly. It may or many not have been the correct way to go but it was the club champs and I wanted to try and make sure it was done properly. In my mind it is observing these little details and making sure we aren't arbitery with the rules that sets the game apart from others

It was ok for your partner to mark and lift your ball (Rule 20-1). It would also have been ok for your partner to replace it (Rule 20-3a).