Match play etiquette

[super hans]

A bit of back story..

I've played non-competitive golf for almost 30 years. Last year I started playing medals after joining a club, and this year I've started playing in match play comps.



in last years medals when a FC had a potential lost ball I naturally went over and helped looked for it. I just played in my first knock out comp at the weekend, and my opponent slice one wide off the first tee. As we walked up the 1st fairway I naturally walked with him over to where I thought his ball would be and helped him look for it. After a couple of minutes we found it and played on

We're all square at the 13th (short par 3), I pull my 7 iron into the trees on the left and he hits his tee shot to 5 feet. I spend a few minutes looking for my ball whilst he waits patiently on the green. At one point I look over at him with a " give me a hand" look which he ignores as he lines up his putt.

My question is, should he at least have come over and had a quick look for my ball, no matter how much he wanted to win the hole?

As a social golfer of 30 years, I'm somewhat unaware of the competitive element of club golf, so am unsure if this was the norm, or whether it's "Everyman for himself" in official comps

 

[Blue in Munich]

Depends on the man, but most decent golfers would come over & help you is my experience and is the way I was taught to do it. Unfortunately there are some who won't help you look for your ball.

 

[pbrown7582]

depends how important the W is to your oppo in this case it sounds very high poor form IMO. I think he should of made the effort to have a look with you. Many will some wont.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Guess it depends on the person you are playing against and how he sees the game

For msot its just about enjoyment and and being out playing with those more than willing to help their FC look for lost balls.

Bu t you do have some that will be desperate to win and will not help in the hope you have lost your ball so they have a better chance of winning - it appears you played against one of those.

I would hope they would be in the minority

 

[Doh]

Just bad form Id say, I would want FC to help look for mine as I would look for theirs'. I would say this is not the norm and that if it's his norm then he will be unpopular with most golfers.

 

[chrisd]

Most golfers will IMO always help look for a ball. The only time I don't is when the guy who hit it has absolutely no idea where it went. Anyone who'll just wait on the green while you look is a jerk as far as I'm concerned!

 

[Oddsocks]

He should have without doubt helped you look, if nothing else it's general manners, BUT........

If your in the trees and he's five foot from the pin, unless there are shots involved why didn't you conceed the hole?

If your ball is that bad that it's potentially lost, at atleast 1 out, then an up and down to save a bogey...... At 5 foot he has a great chance on canning that put but at worse a par, I would have conceeded, walked to the next tee and striped a bomber down the middle!

 

[john0]

I hope you got the satisfaction of winning the match?

 

[pbrown7582]

He should have without doubt helped you look, if nothing else it's general manners, BUT........

If your in the trees and he's five foot from the pin, unless there are shots involved why didn't you conceed the hole?

If your ball is that bad that it's potentially lost, at atleast 1 out, then an up and down to save a bogey...... At 5 foot he has a great chance on canning that put but at worse a par, I would have conceeded, walked to the next tee and striped a bomber down the middle!

I have to disagree im afraid in matchplay anything can happen, in this scenario you find ball in trees Hack out get a lucky bounce and wnd up on green, hole a monster putt for par the FC stood on green thinking he won the hole then has a tricky decision to make over his 5 foot putt go for it and the W he has been stood contemplating or lag and walk off annoyed with a half....
He races 5 footer past 3ft then has a tricky mind muddling half putt?

 

[super hans]

I ended up conceding the hole as I couldn't find my ball. He putted out for his birdie but missed.

It was competitive but I wouldn't say there was an edge to the match or anything niggly. He did annoy me at the 13th but I managed to brush it off, even helped him look for his ball at the 17th.

eventually won the match at the first extra hole, but managed to keep the grin off my face til after the post match drink, when I went into the clubhouse toilets and let out a huge scream of delight

 

[Swinger]

I ended up conceding the hole as I couldn't find my ball. He putted out for his birdie but missed.

It was competitive but I wouldn't say there was an edge to the match or anything niggly. He did annoy me at the 13th but I managed to brush it off, even helped him look for his ball at the 17th.

eventually won the match at the first extra hole, but managed to keep the grin off my face til after the post match drink, when I went into the clubhouse toilets and let out a huge scream of delight

Good work but not sure the toilets are the place to be letting off screams of delight!

 

[bladeplayer]

A bit of back story..

in last years medals when a FC had a potential lost ball I naturally went over and helped looked for it. I just played in my first knock out comp at the weekend, and my opponent slice one wide off the first tee. As we walked up the 1st fairway I naturally walked with him over to where I thought his ball would be and helped him look for it. After a couple of minutes we found it and played on

We're all square at the 13th (short par 3), I pull my 7 iron into the trees on the left and he hits his tee shot to 5 feet. I spend a few minutes looking for my ball whilst he waits patiently on the green. At one point I look over at him with a " give me a hand" look which he ignores as he lines up his putt.

My question is, should he at least have come over and had a quick look for my ball, no matter how much he wanted to win the hole?

IMO Yes unless something previous has set the tone for the match , id still be inclined to say yes tho

Most golfers will IMO always help look for a ball. The only time I don't is when the guy who hit it has absolutely no idea where it went. Anyone who'll just wait on the green while you look is a jerk as far as I'm concerned!

I agree

He should have without doubt helped you look, if nothing else it's general manners, BUT........

If your in the trees and he's five foot from the pin, unless there are shots involved why didn't you conceed the hole?

If your ball is that bad that it's potentially lost, at atleast 1 out, then an up and down to save a bogey...... At 5 foot he has a great chance on canning that put but at worse a par, I would have conceeded, walked to the next tee and striped a bomber down the middle!

No chance until there is no doubt or search time has passed , have played too many matches now to know anything can happen

 

[Twire]

Good work but not sure the toilets are the place to be letting off screams of delight!

Cheers Steve, need to clean the coffee of my keyboard now.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I have to disagree im afraid in matchplay anything can happen, in this scenario you find ball in trees Hack out get a lucky bounce and wnd up on green, hole a monster putt for par the FC stood on green thinking he won the hole then has a tricky decision to make over his 5 foot putt go for it and the W he has been stood contemplating or lag and walk off annoyed with a half....
He races 5 footer past 3ft then has a tricky mind muddling half putt?

I agree, just look at Dubuissoon(sp?) the other week.

 

[guest100718]

A bit of back story..

I've played non-competitive golf for almost 30 years. Last year I started playing medals after joining a club, and this year I've started playing in match play comps.



in last years medals when a FC had a potential lost ball I naturally went over and helped looked for it. I just played in my first knock out comp at the weekend, and my opponent slice one wide off the first tee. As we walked up the 1st fairway I naturally walked with him over to where I thought his ball would be and helped him look for it. After a couple of minutes we found it and played on

We're all square at the 13th (short par 3), I pull my 7 iron into the trees on the left and he hits his tee shot to 5 feet. I spend a few minutes looking for my ball whilst he waits patiently on the green. At one point I look over at him with a " give me a hand" look which he ignores as he lines up his putt.

My question is, should he at least have come over and had a quick look for my ball, no matter how much he wanted to win the hole?

As a social golfer of 30 years, I'm somewhat unaware of the competitive element of club golf, so am unsure if this was the norm, or whether it's "Everyman for himself" in official comps

I'd always go and have a look, even he didnt want to.....

 

[Robobum]

Absolutely 100% he should have been having a look.

I may have gone to the green and marked my ball first, but then would have come straight over. That's a real bad show and not one that I've encountered before, even in county matches and league deciders - it's just not done!

 

[Foxholer]

I always help.

I remember my very first Matchplay match thinking 'do I' and thinking 'of course' and even finding it for them too - a 'dilemma' I smiled about! Learnt a lot that day - at Royal Burgess - including don't take a 5W from a fairway bunker when you are 1 up on 16!

 

[williamalex1]

Bad form and bad manners from him , well done to you. Karma !!!

 

[dougieb]

I agree, very poor form from your opponent. Good on you for putting it behind you and helping him look for his ball at the 17th. The better man won.

 

[srixon 1]

Just because some people will go in the rough/trees to "help" you look for a ball does not mean that they are looking too hard. I have had this happen to me a few times before, some are "looking" but are nowhere near the area where the ball ought to be.

To answer the OP's question though, most other golfers will help to look for a FC's lost ball.