No Returns and Golf Club Standards

[mancity101]

I have recently re-joined a club in January after a 16 year break from golf, I had been a member of my previous club for 20 years.
Since getting a handicap and playing in a few competiotions, I have noticed the huge amount of NRs recorded, when I used to play I thinik in 20 yrs I posted about 2 NRs they were shameful to do!
Is this common at other clubs?
Also there is, I have notice, a huge increase in the lack of manners with golfs...Not at the club I have joined I hasten to add, But I live adjoining a course and hear constant obscenities yelled following a poor drive, If i am sat in the garden with my family it isnt pleasent, I have asked the culprits to moderate their language butusually get a mouthful in return, I have repoted to the club sec but nothing seems to happen
Is this also isolated to me?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think there is certainly less of a stigma attached to putting in an NR these days but it still isn't the done thing in my eye as it has an impact on the CSS and seems a cop out way of getting the 0.1 back.

I grant you there are times when its the easiest and probably best thing to do (speed of play etc) and I've done it when I've hit a drive that we've all seen just run to the edge of the fairway and when we got there the ball had vanished. Even if we'd let the group behind through, time I had walked back the next group would have been waiting and so rather than hold everything up and the fact that it was the 15th hole I decided not to worry.

Regarding the noise and bad language, I'm guessing that there must be some legislation somewhere that puts the onus on the club to ensure its members behave in an orderly manner. Failing that report it to environmental health if it really causes that much of a problem. I hope howver you aren't a member of the adjoining course as it may not make you many friends. Sadly I think the odd curse is inevitable with this infuriating game and I'm not sure what else can be done

 

[callawayjon]

I notice lately that our club has started 'awarding' us a 9 or even a 10 in place of the NR, especially in medal comps!
This leads to some hugely amusing/embarressing scores being recorded against the player!(especially if the player has NR'ed early in the round! 160-h/c= red face)!
Not a bad idea really?
Is this common at other clubs?

 

[Macster]

Apart from the effect on CSS, I dont see the issue ?

So I walk off with a NR, or I carry on with a useless card which shows a Nett 80, go up .1 with both, .........................whats the difference ?????

 

[simplyme]

I NR'd Tuesday, for the 2nd time ever. I was in the trees on the 3rd, hit a great shot but caught my wrist with a tree, cue shooting pains and unable to grip properly. carried on upto the 10th, had 16 points but the pain was unbearable and walked round the rest to sign one of the boys cards.

I always carry on and hand my card in, NR is looked down on at our club.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Injuries are surely an exception and I'm sure you would have battled on but not a lot of point if you can't actually hold the club. It seems to be somewhat of a pre-requisite for the game!! Actually 16 points in that much pain wasn't a bad return

 

[simplyme]

I would have carried on too if I had some painkillers in the bag but I had taken them out the night before as my toothache had gone, typical!!

It was a battle, considering I had 1 point on the 1st 2 holes. A birdie on the par 5 9th for 4 points helped!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I sometimes think though that we can be too proud for our own good. I've played with a bad back before and had to take painkillers during the round. I've finished (and did ok) but then couldn't move the next day and had to cancel a game.

I know in the old days certain clubs put a limit on the number of time a player put in an N/R and then put a ban in place (i.e. 3 N/R's equalled a one competition ban) and unless there are extenuating circumstances I can see some validity in that. The ones that really get me are those guys who are having a real old hack and are clearly going to shoot into near the hundred mark (medal) or mid-twenties or so (stableford) and just decide not to put the card in

 

[Whereditgo]

I played in my first ever comp a few weeks back and one of the guys N/R'd on the 3rd - I didn't think anything of it at the time - well I was new to it all

Wasn't until the next comp a week or so later that one of the lads was having a whinge that he had scored well enough to have had a cut but too many cards N/R'd that I realised it wasn't the done thing......

 

[StuartD]

Apart from the effect on CSS, I dont see the issue ?

So I walk off with a NR, or I carry on with a useless card which shows a Nett 80, go up .1 with both, .........................whats the difference ?????

In this case a NR makes no difference to the CSS. An NR counts as more than 2 above the SSS for the CSS calculation. If a NR was produced when a player was likely to shoot on or below the SSS I would expect the match sec to disregard the card and have a word and maybe cut the player on general play

 

[Chrimbo]

Excuse my ignorance but whats a non return?

At a guess I would say it's not handing in a card after a competition and therefore no handicap adjustment .....

 

[USER1999]

It is not handing the card in, but you do go up 0.1.

I can get n/r in a medal. As Homer has said, sometimes it isn't worth walking back from a lost ball, when you really thought you would find it.

However, I have played with guys this year who have n/r'ed stableford, and even bogey comps. How do you non return on a bogey?

They put these on the board as -18.

 

[julsk10]

Only time I have NR'd is if I have lost a ball in a medal, but I still put my card in as you can still get your h'cap cut if you have a good stableford score despite the lost ball or a 8/9 at a hole.

 

[viscount17]

I believe ours still uses competition bans for too many NR.
Not unusual to see 'Ineligibles' listed on a comp entry form.

Even simpler solution for persistent repeat offenders would be loss of handicap entirely and to require three new cards.

 

[clubchamp07]

NR - non return score,

but NR - not returning your card is totally different.

At my club if someone dosent return his score card into the computer he is banned from the next competition.

I think over here with our handicap system, when we enter a competition we get .1 back unless we shoot a score in the buffer zone or under our handicap.
I'm lead to beleive that NR's dont really make that much difference to the CSS, but to not put ur card into computer does.

 

[julsk10]

We have to swipe in before we play so at least everyone entered will lose there .1 if appropriate. Our club has only brought this in this year and i know a lot of people used to simply not put a score in, which gave them a false handicap, lower than it should be which I suppose is better than higher.

 

[janmolby]

A few weeks ago my club put up a notice in the locker room about the increasing number of NR's that are happening in competitions. It said that anyone not returning a card will be banned from entering competitions for the next week, barring a valid excuse. I have been watching competitions results & before this notice went up there were a few NR's, since it went up I don't think there have been any.

 

[MikeH]

In my book there are two types of NR
1. category 3 and above golfers...chopping it very badly, getting very dispirited with the round, hitting three consecutive shots OOB or into water, losing a ball when they didn't expect to and not wanting to hold up the whole field and NRing
2. category 1 and 2 players playing rubbish and not wanting everyone to see a score in the high 80s or 90s against there name so NRing to avoid the embarrassment
IMHO
1 is a bit understandable
2 is not but it happens a lot

as StuartD says it doesn't effect CSS but as a reflection of your ability to grit out some sort of score and not give up...

I have NR'd a number of of times (usualy when I have had an awful score going and then lose a ball when I thought I'd find it - should have hit a provisional I know) however the round I am most proud of was in the club silver medal at Royal North Devon when I started 7, 8, 8, 6 - 12 over after 4 (real NR material) - and then played the next 13 holes in 1 under so I had to birdie the 18th to get it in the buffer. nearly holed my approach and rolled in a 6 footer and allowed myself a minor Tiger woods fist pump.

 

[brendy]

NRs do sometimes happen, I had to mark a ding a fornight ago when a ball disappeared seemingly off the fairway on a dogleg par 4 (15th) was doing ok but the situation just didnt allow for me to go back, hit another (time restraints, weather looming, fourballs behind us would have either had to wait or be let through etc).
The card still went through the computer system and I received 0.1 back. I am not ashamed of any score I post, if anything it spurs me on the next week.

 

[mancity101]

I agree with most, we should where possible grit the teeth and make an effort to get the score back on track, I think perseverance and determination say more about a players character than the easy option of a NR...I may be old fashioned