Medal Walk Off.

[hovis]

at the end of the day if you are at the point where you want to walk off then why not? if i was in a two ball i would stay rather than leave a player on his own but i don't see the problem in leaving other players to it. especially if they're on for a good score.

i have walked off twice. both times i had severe shanks and must have lost 10 balls in 4 holes

 

[pokerjoke]

I cant see a problem at all with a player walking off if he is playing so bad its effecting the whole group.
Having the shanks on every shot would be a very valid reason.

I would say that a nice apology and a shake of hands would be my way to go.

Golf is a game of enjoyment[or should be] so if it becomes in-enjoyable then maybe it would be time to stop.
Life goes on,nobody got hurt.

 

[Captainron]

Golf takes itself far too seriously. Let the guy walk off. Being stuck in a round when you can't bear to be there is torture.

Personally, I just NR and play on without giving a damn about the score as I will be getting 0.1 back anyway.

 

[Nashy]

I have only done it twice, once as a junior when I had plan had enough.

The second time was a few years back when the round was horrendously slow, my playing partners weren't playing well at all and one had N/R at the turn. The pair of them were only playing on as I was doing alright. I looked at my watch on the 15th tee and we had been out over 4 hrs. I said listen lads I am bored to tears, my concentration has long since gone, should we just walk in and have a nice beer in the sun? That's what we did and I don't regret it.

 

[Foxholer]

Injury, sickness, emergencies etc. are good valid reasons to not finishing a round. Bad play isn't. Even if you pick up because you don't see a point in continuing to play, you do have a responsibility as a marker for another player and should walk the rest of the round with him. Walking off early without neccessity is really bad style, in my opinion.

+1!

 

[Cheifi0]

I have been playing with some people who are playing badly and walked in and to be honest it was a huge relief. He was moaning all the time and getting angrier and angrier and was beginning to effect the enjoyment of my round. I would never walk in but have no issue if other people want to.

 

[garyinderry]

I'd prefer some people to walk off rather than bringing down the mood of the group with moaning for the rest of the round.

Obviously don't leave someone without a marker. Thats common sense.

 

[Jamesbrown]

He's paid his money. You were a three ball, until he left. So you was able to get cards marked.
Don't see an issue.
I've never walked off myself, but have had others walk off due to bad rounds.
Doesn't affect or bother me in the slightest, and I can't see why it would bother others!?

 

[hovis]

He's paid his money. You were a three ball, until he left. So you was able to get cards marked.
Don't see an issue.
I've never walked off myself, but have had others walk off due to bad rounds.
Doesn't affect or bother me in the slightest, and I can't see why it would bother others!?

this

 

[Coffey]

No issue as long as the player is not leaving someone by themselves.

We are all playing for fun, when the fun stops, what is the point in staying?

I have walked off twice, both times because the round was taking far too long and it was frustrating waiting 5-10 mins for each shot.

Even when playing my worst I normally stay and just practice but had a good few playing partners leave and have no issue as long as someone else is with me to mark my card.

 

[Qwerty]

I don't have a problem with it. Weekend time is precious especially if you've been grafting all week, if someone isn't enjoying it then what's the point in them being there.
Maybe they're at a point where they need some time away from the game.

So long as they're polite about it and not making a habit of it..No problem.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks for all the thoughts - as noted, me and my buddy weren't that bothered - just a little taken aback - more because he seemed to deliberately lose a ball to give him the 'straw that broke the camel's back' excuse. He didn't need to do that. We had found his ball from his previous shot deep in the rough and then told us that he'd hoped we wouldn't find it so he could just walk off - he'd had enough.

He had been grumpy and uncommunicative from the 1st hole which he doubled - this is after taking a distance measurement for his 280yd second shot and then chunking it 75yds, then 30yds... As said by others - if he was in a difficult place he could just have said so - with as little explanation as he wished - that's OK - we understand - apologised and off. It was just the rather contrived manner about the whole thing.

As it happens - almost everyone in the medal really struggled with the wind. With only two players in a field of 117 playing under their handicap (and only by one shot), and only 4 players played to their handicap (me being one of them ). So he was not alone in having problems on the day.

And as far as not putting his card in - I know it'll be a N/R whatever - but as his scores on the 13 holes he completed get recorded for the hole-by-hole data analysis I would prefer every card to be returned. But that is a very secondary thing and not a concern for me.

 

[GreggerKBR]

I can see and sympathise with the points on both sides of this.

I was the last man standing in a 3-ball medal two weeks ago. One NR'd on 7th but kept playing (for his eclectic) the other NR'd on 13th and walked in. I played to my handicap and wasn't at all bothered by the others actions. I tried to keep it light hearted and fun but they were both miserable!
Incidentally actually both coached by the same pro and I know the pro and I know they are both suffering because of his "method-teaching".

On the one hand I find it sad and disappointing that when things go wrong a player can be so upset that they can't enjoy the final holes of a game they should love even if their prospects of winning are ruined. I mean it's a competition but once you beaten and you are out of it, surely you should still be able to enjoy the game?

I cannot imagine a mountain biker or windsurfer or surfer saying that's it, I'm done and go home when you can still play and conditions are good.
Of course I also get frustrated when playing badly but I've never left the course during a tournament because I actually deep down really just love hitting the ball around and making putts.

Also, if you were part of a team say football, rugby, hockey or any other sport, you wouldn't just walk off if you were playing badly.
Coming from that viewpoint you can see why people don't think it's right to abandon your game.
I mean, it's a game that lasts 18 holes or 80 or 90 minutes - play the game to the end is the thinking right?

How many games have switched in the final throws... I once won a tournament when I literally thought I was done, I was way over my handicap. But I kept playing and scrappily played the last 7 holes something like 4 under par - and won! It can happen and since then I've been of the attitude to try and play in that frame of mind.

On the other hand, I can see that if someone is that wrapped up in success/failure they are miserable and need to concede defeat and walk away.
You have to sympathise with that, if they aren't ready to sit back and enjoy the game, then maybe they do need some time out to work out that they are coming at it from the wrong perspective.
I wish it wasn't like that though, I feel for anyone that gets that upset.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I actually think his opinion of his ability significantly exceeded his actual ability - and he could not hack (well in one way he could) not playing well or scoring well.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

I felt like walking in on Saturday. Second round of the club champs and I had a banging headache (not self inflicted). Started double, double, double, quad and found it hard to even bend down to put a tee in the ground. Thought about going in but when one of the others NR'd on 8 and walked on 9 I stayed out there. Headache improved and so did the golf (marginally).

 

[Region3]

I played in a 36 hole open a couple of years ago.

Didn't have a good 1st round and when I lost a ball halfway through the second round I NR'd instead of walking back.

I carried on but the rest of the round but felt like they thought I shouldn't still be out there. I got next to no help looking for balls and had to ask to have my scores written down.

Not fun.

 

[Orikoru]

Injury, sickness, emergencies etc. are good valid reasons to not finishing a round. Bad play isn't. Even if you pick up because you don't see a point in continuing to play, you do have a responsibility as a marker for another player and should walk the rest of the round with him. Walking off early without neccessity is really bad style, in my opinion.

I agree with this. You're more than welcome to stop playing, but if you're in a competition I think you should walk round and continue to mark the card for the other player.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Devils advocate, golf being a solo sport it's too easy to get wrapped up in your own emotions, and forget others. If you're playing so bad why stay out there, an continue to spoil others rounds? Especially if playing well is the be all and end all.

Not nring may of been out of sheer frustration and forgetting to put the card in. I certainly wouldn't judge anyone by it, but maybe have a quiet word and remind him of what's expected.

We all have our moments, some more than most, but none more than me

Golf isn't a sport of just playing well (or shouldn't be to those that think it is).

In a typical 50 rounds, you may play 8-10 or more below handicap, lots around your handicap and many, many more over it. People should learn how to deal with the bad or average days, as it is the vast majority. Also, when it has an effect on fellow players or a competition's results its very bad form to just walk in or NR a lot. Most have done it the odd time, but regularly is poor form.We don't play "well" most of the time.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Golf isn't a sport of just playing well (or shouldn't be to those that think it is).

In a typical 50 rounds, you may play 8-10 or more below handicap, lots around your handicap and many, many more over it. People should learn how to deal with the bad or average days, as it is the vast majority. Also, when it has an effect on fellow players or a competition's results its very bad form to just walk in or NR a lot. Most have done it the odd time, but regularly is poor form.We don't play "well" most of the time.

^^This^^

Plus one of the reasons I prefer to be able to choose who I play in comps with rather than drawn comps, the group I play with wouldn't allow anyone to walk in (unless medical) or spoil the round being miserable, we get the banter going or gee each other up.

Why be forced to enjoy a hobby with miserable people.

 

[bobmac]

^^This^^

Plus one of the reasons I prefer to be able to choose who I play in comps with rather than drawn comps, the group I play with wouldn't allow anyone to walk in (unless medical) or spoil the round being miserable, we get the banter going or gee each other up.

Why be forced to enjoy a hobby with miserable people.

Really?