Match play gamesmanship

[rosie]

Afternoon, not sure if this comes under the heading of gamesmanship or normal matchplay strategy. Our ladies play other clubs in our county in a singles matchplay league, winning Club gets a trophy and a bit of prestige/ bragging rights etc. Usually played in the right spirit, chatting to your opponent on the way round, talking about your grandchildren and mutual friends etc, but we’ve had a couple of instances where an opponent has deliberately stood right next to our lady’s ball, thus encouraging our player to hit the wrong ball, then immediately declaring penalty, wrong ball, loss of hole.
I know it’s up to all players to check they’re playing the right ball and I remind them all before each match, but I’m beginning to wonder if I should mention it to the county or the opposing team Captain or just to mark it down to ‘what people do to win a match’

 

[Orikoru]

Doesn't sound like any rules were broken so not much to report. I mean you can report them for being an ***, but I doubt there would be any comeback for that.

 

[doublebogey7]

Afternoon, not sure if this comes under the heading of gamesmanship or normal matchplay strategy. Our ladies play other clubs in our county in a singles matchplay league, winning Club gets a trophy and a bit of prestige/ bragging rights etc. Usually played in the right spirit, chatting to your opponent on the way round, talking about your grandchildren and mutual friends etc, but we’ve had a couple of instances where an opponent has deliberately stood right next to our lady’s ball, thus encouraging our player to hit the wrong ball, then immediately declaring penalty, wrong ball, loss of hole.
I know it’s up to all players to check they’re playing the right ball and I remind them all before each match, but I’m beginning to wonder if I should mention it to the county or the opposing team Captain or just to mark it down to ‘what people do to win a match’

How do you know it was a deliberate ploy? In any case no rules have been broken, so just ensure going forward that your players always enure they are always play the correct ball.

 

[rosie]

How do you know it was a deliberate ploy? In any case no rules have been broken, so just ensure going forward that your players always enure they are always play the correct ball.

Because as soon as our lady taken their shot, the opponent said straightaway that they had hit the wrong ball, without looking at the ball they were stood next to.
I know it’s not breaking any rules, it just makes me wonder why some people can be such a£2oles…

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Afternoon, not sure if this comes under the heading of gamesmanship or normal matchplay strategy. Our ladies play other clubs in our county in a singles matchplay league, winning Club gets a trophy and a bit of prestige/ bragging rights etc. Usually played in the right spirit, chatting to your opponent on the way round, talking about your grandchildren and mutual friends etc, but we’ve had a couple of instances where an opponent has deliberately stood right next to our lady’s ball, thus encouraging our player to hit the wrong ball, then immediately declaring penalty, wrong ball, loss of hole.
I know it’s up to all players to check they’re playing the right ball and I remind them all before each match, but I’m beginning to wonder if I should mention it to the county or the opposing team Captain or just to mark it down to ‘what people do to win a match’

I would say drum it into your team they should check a ball is theirs. And then if the ball pointed out is not theirs, question the opposing player as to why they thought it was. Get into your opponents mind you think they might be playing tricks.

 

[Billysboots]

I’m a little curious as to how standing next to a ball can be interpreted as “encouraging” someone to play the wrong ball. It’s neither gamesmanship nor is it strategy. If your player plays the wrong ball I’m afraid there’s only one person to blame.

 

[Jason.H]

Mark you ball so you know it’s yours.
Last year in our singles knockout the scratch golfer started to stand behind me on puts and was rattling his tees in his pocket . To be honest I never rose to it and if anything it made me more determined to win and I did.

 

[rosie]

I’m a little curious as to how standing next to a ball can be interpreted as “encouraging” someone to play the wrong ball. It’s neither gamesmanship nor is it strategy. If your player plays the wrong ball I’m afraid there’s only one person to blame.

When you park your trolley next to furthest ball, look at it and start taking out a club …..

yes, agreed it’s up to our ladies to ensure they hit their own ball, as a club we are inexperienced to the ‘tricks of the trade’

 

[Billysboots]

When you park your trolley next to furthest ball, look at it and start taking out a club …..

yes, agreed it’s up to our ladies to ensure they hit their own ball, as a club we are inexperienced to the ‘tricks of the trade’

Maybe the opponent walked to the wrong ball and only realised when your lady played their shot?

I’ve been playing club matches for more years than I care to count and never come across this as a tactic. I think you’re reading too much into it.

 

[Jason.H]

When you park your trolley next to furthest ball, look at it and start taking out a club …..

yes, agreed it’s up to our ladies to ensure they hit their own ball, as a club we are inexperienced to the ‘tricks of the trade’

I’ve not heard of this “tactic” but if done on purpose then that person would get a bad reputation in the club as people talk. But it is careless to play the wrong ball

 

[Crow]

It's not against the rules but if they're doing it deliberately then it's extremely bad etiquette. If it's a repeat occurrence then I'd certainly bring it to the attention of the competition organisers.

 

[Jason.H]

Some golfers don’t mark their ball so this could easily happen. Buy a sharpie and ID your ball before every shot.

 

[rosie]

Maybe the opponent walked to the wrong ball and only realised when your lady played their shot?

I’ve been playing club matches for more years than I care to count and never come across this as a tactic. I think you’re reading too much into it.

Each time, the opponent watches our lady hit the ball then immediately says that the wrong ball has been hit, without looking at the ball they’re stood next to.

 

[Jason.H]

1st thing I do when I get to what i think is my ball is check that it is in fact my ball. I do this every single time in comps and general play with mates.

 

[Golfnut1957]

When you park your trolley next to furthest ball, look at it and start taking out a club …..

yes, agreed it’s up to our ladies to ensure they hit their own ball, as a club we are inexperienced to the ‘tricks of the trade’

It sounds like a deliberate ploy to me. If your opponent gets to the balls first and stands next to the wrong one making it look as if they are going to play it, it would be reasonable to assume they have checked it, and it is theirs, making the other one yours and taking you off your guard regarding checking it.
If they get away with it then jackpot for them, they'll only get to do it once. If they don't get away with it then they can keep on trying with nothing to lose.
I dislike gamesmanship. Some people think that it is an acceptable way to approach a match and presumably life. It just makes them look weak in my eyes, life's losers.
As for what can be done about it, nothing I suspect. If deliberate then it's not in the spirit of the game but no rules were broken, so it's just lessons to be learnt.

 

[Billysboots]

Bottom line, without an admission you haven’t a chance of proving this is a deliberate ploy. As others have said, it’s just plain common sense to make sure you’re playing the correct ball, especially if you haven’t seen where the previous shot finished, and regardless of whether a playing partner is standing next to the only other ball in view.

Do your players mark their golf balls? I still know far too many who don’t.

 

[doublebogey7]

Because as soon as our lady taken their shot, the opponent said straightaway that they had hit the wrong ball, without looking at the ball they were stood next to.
I know it’s not breaking any rules, it just makes me wonder why some people can be such a£2oles…

If this is aprt of their strategy then you are right, and it is one I have never heard of. If you ever come across this team again, I would advice your whole team to adopt the same strategy, but just before they take their shot point out they are about to play a wrong ball. It probably won't get to that point as I would expect them to be more than aware but it will hopefully make them realise the error of their ways if this happens a number of occasions during their round. You could also advice their next opponents.

 

[GB72]

Doesn't sound like any rules were broken so not much to report. I mean you can report them for being an ***, but I doubt there would be any comeback for that.

If yiou started reporting and punihsing people for that, half the golf clubs I know would be empty (probably would exclude me as well)

 

[HampshireHog]

Each time, the opponent watches our lady hit the ball then immediately says that the wrong ball has been hit, without looking at the ball they’re stood next to.

Fool me once …

 

[Billysboots]

Each time, the opponent watches our lady hit the ball then immediately says that the wrong ball has been hit, without looking at the ball they’re stood next to.

How do you know they haven’t looked at the ball they’re standing next to? Who watches them?

My apologies if I’m misreading this, but as this thread progresses it sounds to me as though you are trying really hard to legitimise your suggestion that some funny business is going on. When I’m preparing to play and then playing a shot I have no clue whether my opponent/partner has looked at a ball they are standing near or not.

So I can’t imagine for a moment anyone has actually watched what these ladies are doing. And if it’s as obvious as you suggest, they should have been called out on it there and then.