Is this acceptable?

[KenL]

If someone's chunking it into the rough every other shot then helping to look does get mighty tedious.

Yes, but go and help willingly. Might take less than 3 minutes and good sports deserve to win.

 

[Crazyface]

Playing in a doubles knockout match this morning. All very amicable to start with. We eventually get our noses in front and are 2 up after 5. On the 6th, I slice my drive way over a bunch of trees, heading towards the 7th fairway.

Me and my pp go to look for it. One of the other pair starts coming over to help, his mate stands still in the middle of the 6th fairway. His pp notices this, and does an about turn and joins his mate watching us. They then call the pair behind us through, but still don't make any attempt to help look for my ball.

I eventually have to give up and declare it lost. We are both pretty annoyed by the lack of help and it gets worse on the green. My pp is about 18 inches away for a half, but they don't give us it, despite us having given them a few longer ones earlier. My mate missus the putt to lose the hole. From there on, they don't concede anything which is more than a couple of inches from the hole. There must have been 4 or 5 putts from a foot or less which we had to hole.

Funnily enough, on the next hole, they both put their drives in the cabbage. I initially think "sod them, I'm not going to help look", but then think "come on, don't sink to their level", and help them find both. Of course, they then won the hole to get back to all square!

Fortunately we ended up winning, but it did leave a bit of a sour taste for me.

I totally get there is no obligation to concede short putts, but refusing to help look for a lost ball seemed pretty poor form. Maybe I'm over-reacting - I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts on this.

Someone once asked on here regarding looking for opponents golf balls in match play, and one reply, which was given advice from a scratch player, yes help look for it, but for God's sake don't find it!

 

[Crazyface]

Also, regarding giving putts, unless it's inside 20cm, they will be putting. My first round opponent flicked at a simple tap in missed the putt and tapped in leaving me a two foot putt for the hole which I didn't deserve or expect but Jesus H I took ages over it....still missed but got an unexpected half. Never ever concede a putt unless you could putt it in with your eyes closed and flames licking your rear end.

 

[Deleted member 25575]

Not helping look for your ball is an utter disgrace, I will always go help a PP look for his ball. What are you actually playing for £30 worth of shop credit??? Imagine being so desparate to win £30 that you sell out ypur reputation for it.
For the putts, in a bounce game give anything you think will go in. In a match different, but again don't get stupid about it, 3ft? Go putt it, 1 ft? Pick it up

 

[garyinderry]

The situation described is not an automatic run to help scenario.

As stated, the ball is going over a bunch of trees heading for a nearby fairway. Its looks like it will be found fairly easily. Likely sitting in the fairway or rough either side of this.

The other pair would normally walk up to their ball to assess what they have ahead of them.

There is two guys heading looking for their ball. That seems like plenty for ball that 9/10 is found where expected.

It would probably take a little time for the other team to realise this isnt the case and this is when they can wander over and help. Its likely they weren't even watching the flight with the same intensity as the other guys.

Had team one clipped it up the middle and the other team hit it directly into the trees, it would be bad form for them not to immediately help in the search.

 

[GG26]

I’ve yet to come across any gamesmanship when playing in match play. I always help look for the ball. As regards the concession of putts, never expect one to be conceded and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

I hate slow play, hanging around waiting to play my shot. Why would you stand in the fairway getting frustrated while your opponent looks for his ball? At least if you help him you're not standing around getting wound up.

 

[Orikoru]

The situation described is not an automatic run to help scenario.

As stated, the ball is going over a bunch of trees heading for a nearby fairway. Its looks like it will be found fairly easily. Likely sitting in the fairway or rough either side of this.

The other pair would normally walk up to their ball to assess what they have ahead of them.

There is two guys heading looking for their ball. That seems like plenty for ball that 9/10 is found where expected.

It would probably take a little time for the other team to realise this isnt the case and this is when they can wander over and help. Its likely they weren't even watching the flight with the same intensity as the other guys.

Had team one clipped it up the middle and the other team hit it directly into the trees, it would be bad form for them not to immediately help in the search.

This is what I was suggesting earlier. If someone knocks a ball onto the adjacent fairway, you don't really expect them to lose it, so you probably wouldn't walk over straight away anyway.

 

[garyinderry]

This is what I was suggesting earlier. If someone knocks a ball onto the adjacent fairway, you don't really expect them to lose it, so you probably wouldn't walk over straight away anyway.

I'm playing a pairs match tomorrow away. I'll not be one bit bothered if the other team doesnt help looking if we hit an errand shot. If they are near by I'd like a hand. Otherwise it's on my and my partner to keep an eye on it and try to find it.

Completely different scenario when playing in a 3 or 4 ball singles. It's good etiquette to keep an eye on someone who may be in trouble and assist in a search as soon as it becomes apparent they can't find it and you know where your ball is.

 

[4LEX]

Never known anyone who wouldn't help look for a ball, regardless of comp or level. I'd rather lose and help find the opps ball than win standing around watching them search for it.

The putts are part of matchplay, never expect a putt to be given..

 

[rudebhoy]

This is what I was suggesting earlier. If someone knocks a ball onto the adjacent fairway, you don't really expect them to lose it, so you probably wouldn't walk over straight away anyway.

It was heading in the direction of the next fairway, but it's a blind shot, no one saw it land, it disappeared over some tall trees. The course is running very fast at the moment, my assumption was it would have pitched on the next fairway, and run off into the rough on the far side.

 

[sweaty sock]

When I turn up on the first, I want my opponent to bring their absolute best. I want to walk of at the 15th having won 4 and 3 with my opponent thinking

"Theres nothing more I could have done, thats as good as I can play"

No better feeling than winning a match like that.

In my opinion, if its gamesmanship ahoy, then you'll never know what winning a match feels like....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Like I said earlier, I'm not bothered about not conceding short putts, but it did get farcical, they were making us putt from inside a foot. I would normally give anything within 3 feet, but we stopped doing so, and quite ironically, they missed two very short putts late on which swung the match

You are a very generous person indeed if you give 2-3ftrs in a match..?

That you were having to hole putts of less than a foot is, in most circumstances, a little bit unnecessary, but if it had happened to me I’d not be overly fussed or bothered just tapping them in.

 

[tobybarker]

One of our mob assumes his FCs will look to see the flight if his ball ... He never tries to watch it. I last precisely 2 holes before not bothering to watch it for him. His problem. Sorry, but if he can't be arsed to try....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’d help looking for a ball, never thought otherwise. As for gimmies, its part and parcel of match play. Give some, then don’t give some. You’re testing their mettle as well as their playing ability. Pretty certain there’s been articles on match play in the magazines which suggest giving some putts then not giving some putts. Never bothers me if a putt isn’t given, nor if I don’t give them.

In general I give the shorter putts of up to around 18” on our first four holes because I know that a 18-24 incher on 5 can be very tricky.?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes, but go and help willingly. Might take less than 3 minutes and good sports deserve to win.

Indeed. Plus if I am joining in the hunt for his ball, as the 3min time gets close or is up, it is much easier for me to say in a friendly and apologetically way ‘well that’s about it I’m afraid’ or words to that effect. I’m not a ‘pedant‘ on the search time but I would want my opponent aware that I know he cant just keep searching - that he has to accept when 3mins are probably up.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

When I turn up on the first, I want my opponent to bring their absolute best. I want to walk of at the 15th having won 4 and 3 with my opponent thinking

"Theres nothing more I could have done, thats as good as I can play"

No better feeling than winning a match like that.

In my opinion, if its gamesmanship ahoy, then you'll never know what winning a match feels like....

In my match, reported on elsewhere, in which my opponent missed a putt on the last of about 18” to win the match, as we walked up 19th having teed off we shook hands, commented on a great almost unbelievable match, and wished each other good luck. That said, and after a few more shared thoughts, we both then totally focussed on the matter in hand, winning the match. No more chit chat until we shook on 19th green.

 

[sweaty sock]

In my match, reported on elsewhere, in which my opponent missed a putt on the last of about 18” to win the match, as we walked up 19th having teed off we shook hands, commented on a great almost unbelievable match, and wished each other good luck.

Gimmies or not I've got no issue with unless its spiteful, as mentioned before, its only a gimmie if the result is near certain, I cant really get annoyed about having a stressful putt of any distance, if its stressful its not a gimmie by definition....

 

[rudebhoy]

You are a very generous person indeed if you give 2-3ftrs in a match..?

That you were having to hole putts of less than a foot is, in most circumstances, a little bit unnecessary, but if it had happened to me I’d not be overly fussed or bothered just tapping them in.

This is my first year of playing matches, maybe I've been too influenced by what constitutes a gimmie in the Ryder Cup. Either that, or the general rule of thumb we have in our unofficial winter comps where you give it if it's less than the length of your putter.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This is my first year of playing matches, maybe I've been too influenced by what constitutes a gimmie in the Ryder Cup. Either that, or the general rule of thumb we have in our unofficial winter comps where you give it if it's less than the length of your putter.

Certainly gimmes can be a bit longer in winter when greens can be a bit ropey or on temp greens - and putter handle length is fairly common at my place with some players though not all. Rest of year during the main competition ‘season’ and when on greens I will almost never be giving much over 2ft - they can be very tricky for a player and I don’t know what’s going on in the mind of an opponent.

Ryder Cup is a different kettle of fish. I suspect, though don’t know, that pros will give putts where the pressure is lower (though in RC it is likely always high) in such as four ball matches, saving the holing out for when the pressure in the match is very high - especially in foursomes or singles.