Is cheating in golf a common thing?

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keithc33

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I recently put my name down to play with two guys who have been members at our course for some years, before the round I had never met them but I was used to playing with people I don't know as I have to book competitions last minute due to work commitments.
I don't normally get wound up when playing golf but there were a few things that got my back up:

1) On the 5th hole one of the guys missed a short put, in anger he hit his ball away and didnt finish the hole (we were in a medal)

2) Further into the round the same guy ground his club in every bunker before his shot, understandable for new players but this guy was off 11 handicap

3) On the 10th hole I hit my drive into the woods, as I wasn't having a great round I decided to chance it and try to find it without hitting a provisional,. When we got down there and couldn't find it the other chap told me to throw a ball on the fairway and count it as my 4th shot, I refused and ended up posing a N/R

Maybe I am just being petty but the first guy who didn't putt on the 5th ended up going on to win his category.

I just wondered what everyone elses thoughts were on this, should I have reported them or just kept quite as I chose to do?
 
It is your duty to report this. I know that some people will let small things go from time to time (not condoning but we all know it happens) however what has happened here is blatant cheating. You need to report these things when you play in any competition.

I would have refused to sign the card as I knew it was incorrect or marked down the correct score (NR when he hit it away and adding one for every touch of the sand).
 
I've never encountered those things but that sounds right off.

He didn't finish the hole, so should have NR'd. You should have mentioned something at the time (however uncomfortable you felt) and the person signing his card should have been D/Qd also I think?

I think you have a duty to say something, by not saying anything someone lost out on winning.
 
Ring him up and tell him you've seen the comp results and ask him did he forget he'd not finished the 5th hole. Suggest to him that he does the right thing and he should ring the comp secretary and explain his mistake. In other words give him an out. If he refuses, you ring the comp sec.
 
Yes , its common , very common ..

Yes you should report it , in reality you are obliged to ... but a lot don't so don't think you are the only 1 to be in this position & not to ..


OH & Yes be ready for the onslaught your just about to get here now ;)
 
Yes, I had the feeling that this would be the response, at my old club I would not have thought twice about saying something but as I have only been a member here for a short amount of time I didn't feel I had the right to question two long term members, golf clubs can be very click click and it wouldn't have been a great start to my membership. I have made friends with a couple of the board members so maybe I will have a quite word with them to let them know what is going on?
 
You are not being petty at all.

Who signed his card? I've never heard of this before. Almost unbelievable that he thought it OK and that his marker was complicit in the cheating and fraud. Because fraudulent behaviour is what it is. So blatant and unacceptable that they should both be asked to explain themselves to the competition secretary - in person.

Being a new member you don't know if they have a history of this sort of thing, and with you a new member they have taken advantage of you. You never know - the club might just be desperately waiting for the smoking gun to do them - and you are it.

Do the right thing.
 
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In thirty years I've played with one person try to cheat blatantly - I refused to sign his card unless he gave me a believable number for one of the holes - he said it was a six when it was more like a ten.

Only other incident I've seen was one of the guys I played with regularly when I lived in England - we had a mates matchplay comp and having got a new video camera I went out to film him and another mate playing a tie - it was only when we watched the footage back that we noticed he marked the ball in front of it and then replaced the ball other side of the coin all the time - gaining himself a couple of inches on each putt - we couldn't believe it and even when watching it he denied what he was doing.

Seen a few people break rules through ignorance but that's different and they've corrected themselves when pointed out
 
keithc33 said:
His friend marked his card, they play together every week, as you can imagine I haven't played with them since!!
Click to expand...

Being a new member you don't know if they have a history of this sort of thing, and with you a new member they have taken advantage of you. You never know - the club might just be desperately waiting for the smoking gun to do them - and you are it.

Do the right thing.
 
What is the point in playing if you don't play by the rules. Even worse if you win and don't play by the rules - people who placed behind him and played by the book could probably have won if it wasn't for the cheating.

You have to report it i think. If you had placed 2nd in the comp, 1 shot behind him would you have let it slip still? you wouldn't, but there is probably someone who did place 2nd, a shot or 2 behind him, and is unaware of what happened...
 
I would definitely of reported this. Ive seen people cheat in comps before with the classic "that was a 6" so you say
"well you have had 3 putts and were on the green for 4 so how does that make 6?" comment. But to this extent and if its happening every week i would have no hesitation saying to your comp sec/committee that these 2 lads are cheating regularly and get someone to catch them out.
 
Jates12 said:
I would definitely of reported this. Ive seen people cheat in comps before with the classic "that was a 6" so you say
"well you have had 3 putts and were on the green for 4 so how does that make 6?" comment. But to this extent and if its happening every week i would have no hesitation saying to your comp sec/committee that these 2 lads are cheating regularly and get someone to catch them out.
Click to expand...

People do make genuine mistakes when counting their shots. It doesn't always make them a cheat.
 
I think cheating is split into two categories. intentional and unintentional.

Durring our club champs this year a guy in my group found his ball up against a oob stake. He bent down to remove it and i stopped him by shouting across the fairway. The group infront were walking down the next fairway and said collectively that oob stake can be removed. So thats 5 golfers that probably sign a incorrect card every week ( we have no local oob stake rule)
 
keithc33 said:
His friend marked his card, they play together every week, as you can imagine I haven't played with them since!!
Click to expand...

If I read it correctly you put your name down with them, so it wasn't a drawn comp? This is the the sole reason why I'm against playing with those who play during the week as a knock about then play in a comp together cos they don't separate the knock around with a comp. you get that 'oh yeah just chuck one down there' attitude, I see you won last week, well played mate!!!

You damned if you don't then your damned if you do, a difficult situation for you to be in, I think most have been in similar situations. In hind site you should of said when he hit is ball away, are you not completing the hole? That will be an NR. The bunker you should of pulled him up on it straight away. Maybe it's a lesson learned and don't be afraid to speak up as we are all referees to the rest of the field.

Whatever you decide, wish you well.
 
3565 said:
If I read it correctly you put your name down with them, so it wasn't a drawn comp? This is the the sole reason why I'm against playing with those who play during the week as a knock about then play in a comp together cos they don't separate the knock around with a comp. you get that 'oh yeah just chuck one down there' attitude, I see you won last week, well played mate!!!

You damned if you don't then your damned if you do, a difficult situation for you to be in, I think most have been in similar situations. In hind site you should of said when he hit is ball away, are you not completing the hole? That will be an NR. The bunker you should of pulled him up on it straight away. Maybe it's a lesson learned and don't be afraid to speak up as we are all referees to the rest of the field.

Whatever you decide, wish you well.
Click to expand...
I take your point, but I play with the same guys every week known them for 20 years and there is not chance in hell we'd allow this to happen, I've seen the opposite were people playing with strangers are a bit concerned about speaking up, much like the op.
 
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