How pathetic some people can be on the course

[Paul_Stewart]

Played the club championships at my old club last weekend. Not eligible to win but always go back as an invited past champion.

Some muppet starts knocking his ball around on the 14th green when its his turn to putt until he reaches his marker. I knew it used to be a penalty but thought this had been changed so I advised him not to sign his card until he'd checked it.

It is no longer a penalty but it does say "this is not recommended" on the R&A site.

But the real cracker is this guy, who has bogeyed or doubled the previous seven holes in a row, then claims to everyone that it totally put him off his game.

I guess it put him off in the 2nd round when he shot a gross 92 off 15 as well!

His view, and I quote "I didn't intend to break any rule so why should it even be a problem".

I guess some people just don't have a clue!

 

[Alex1975]

So he is practice putting on the green between marking his ball and making his putt? I had no idea this was not against the rules now? Why did they relax it?

If he knew it was ok to do it then why would it spoil his game?

Strange!

 

[MarkHK]

Surely this is a penalty as he is testing the surface?

 

[Paul_Stewart]

That is what I always thought. But the decision on Rule 16-1 is pretty clear now. It just made me laugh about the "i didn't intend to do it". Perhaps he should go and talk to Corey Pavin who called a penalty on himself on the US Senior Open last week when no-one else even saw it.

 

[MarkHK]

So had he already holed out and practising before moving onto the next tee?

 

[Paul_Stewart]

No he had marked his ball and when it was his turn to putt, he walked towards his marker hitting his ball along the green until he got there!

Why would anyone even think of doing this, whether you were allowed to or not, is simply beyond me.

 

[DCB]

Decision 16-1d/3.

I'd be asking the committee to look at his actions. If he just rolled it along with the back of his putter he might be able to claim this decision. If he took what was in effect a stroke ie stance /address,stroke then I'd query it and get them (the committee) to decide.

 

[duncan mackie]

Played the club championships at my old club last weekend. Not eligible to win but always go back as an invited past champion.

Some muppet starts knocking his ball around on the 14th green when its his turn to putt until he reaches his marker. I knew it used to be a penalty but thought this had been changed so I advised him not to sign his card until he'd checked it.

It is no longer a penalty but it does say "this is not recommended" on the R&A site.

But the real cracker is this guy, who has bogeyed or doubled the previous seven holes in a row, then claims to everyone that it totally put him off his game.

I guess it put him off in the 2nd round when he shot a gross 92 off 15 as well!

His view, and I quote "I didn't intend to break any rule so why should it even be a problem".

I guess some people just don't have a clue!

I guess my question would have to be 'what do you mean by 'knocking his ball around' - if putting it with his putter anywhere on the hole between teeing off and holing out then it's a penalty under 7-2.........on the other hand if he is replacing it by guiding it into position with his putter then, as you say, the rules relating to the putting green do not penalise this process. I wouldn't want to see the ball actually rolling 'free' in the vicinity though. Whilst there are specific actions that are illustrated in the rules as not necessarily testing the surface of the putting green by rolling a ball (16-1d) they are specific - rolling the ball back to it's marked position with the putter and returning a ball to an opponent or FC. Generally rolling a ball around whilst waiting to putt would not, IMO, be sensible and I would expect a committee to determine that it breached 16-1d if a player did it.

 

[MarkHK]

I don't see how this is not a penalty as he was rolling the ball on the green. I don't think I will be trying it though.

 

[Paul_Stewart]

This was Sunbury Golf Club - most of the committee there wouldn't know a fracking rules infraction from their elbow. It's not known as "MCC - Muppets, Chavs and Cheats" for nothing at a county level!

 

[JustOne]

I thought knobbing your ball along the green with your putter was a penalty (unless you're playing matchplay in which case you can practice putt AFTER the hole is finished)?

 

[chrisd]

I may not be looking correctly but I couldn't see on Rule 16/1 anything that covered what he did - any chance of clarifying?

 

[bobmac]

I thought knobbing your ball along the green with your putter was a penalty (unless you're playing matchplay in which case you can practice putt AFTER the hole is finished)?

Can't you do that in stroke play as well?

Back to the OP, I guess the guy was just having a bad day and was looking for something/someone to blame.
I'd of thought "Pathetic" was a bit strong though

 

[Paul_Stewart]

I may not be looking correctly but I couldn't see on Rule 16/1 anything that covered what he did - any chance of clarifying?

Sure here you are Chris.

16-1d/3 Player Returns Ball to Spot from Which It Was Lifted by Rolling It with Putter

A player marks the position of his ball on the putting green, lifts the ball and sets it aside. When it is his turn to putt, he rolls the ball with his putter back to the spot from which it was lifted. Was the player in breach of Rule 16-1d (Testing Surface)?

No, provided the action of rolling the ball was not for the purpose of testing the surface of the green. This method of replacing a ball is not recommended, but it is not a breach of the Rules.

 

[6inchcup]

That is what I always thought. But the decision on Rule 16-1 is pretty clear now. It just made me laugh about the "i didn't intend to do it". Perhaps he should go and talk to Corey Pavin who called a penalty on himself on the US Senior Open last week when no-one else even saw it.

WRONG!!! PAVIN spent 20 mins in the rules tent watching a frame by frame video of his ball moving BEFORE calling a 2 shot penalty,he never called it on himself it was done by the ref.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Careful Paul.

 

[Paul_Stewart]

WRONG!!! PAVIN spent 20 mins in the rules tent watching a frame by frame video of his ball moving BEFORE calling a 2 shot penalty,he never called it on himself it was done by the ref.

OK fair play - I was going on what an American media report had said. Didn't see it myself.