Playing out of turn - Strokeplay

[mikseymono]

Getting back into comps now and getting more familiar with all the fun and games with our rules of golf.

I know that in strokeplay there is no penalty in putting out of turn or indeed playing a shot out of turn.
However, here's my familiar scenario.......we play by index for our comps, our group always has the lowest indexes, and because we are the lowest by a fair distance.in our club...one of us is generally in contention for the gross/brut score. So, as we approach the final few holes it is almost like a Matchplay scenario...as in, if I beat the other three ...I have won.
With me so far?!
One of our group consistently will, after a poor shot has put him in an awkward place to chip/putt onto the green will walk up to his ball and play it first. Even though there were another two balls to try and find in the woods who were some distance longer than his from the green. He'll play his ball...and then walk back to the others to try and find their ball.

Here's the thing....when you play out of turn and you do not know the outcome of the other players shots because you are playing first, even though your are a lot nearer, there is no sense of jeopardy and the stress is far less because all the other players are nowhere near you, to watch you, build up the pressure and see if you can make it or not......like in Matchplay.

Just walking up to a ball casually, seeing the line and hitting it is of course what we can all do with our eyes shut...certainly on the range........but towards the end of a comp when we are all level and all eyes are on you I am not sure this is fair.

What you think?!

M

 

[patricks148]

No, its stroke play.... ready golf

 

[Maninblack4612]

I think he does entirely the right thing by not breaking his concentration. I remember that Montgomerie probably lost a U. S. Open because he waited for Vijay Singh to find his ball then missed the green with an easy 7 iron. It's what I'd do under the circumstances you describe.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Unless hes walking on massive amounts I dont see it as anything other than ready golf.

 

[mikseymono]

OK...ready golf it is then!

 

[Slab]

Not what you asked my my irony meter peaked when out of three low handicappers the familiar scenario is, a couple punted it in the trees and the other one dumped it into a poor position

 

[mikseymono]

Not what you asked my my irony meter peaked when out of three low handicappers the familiar scenario is, a couple punted it in the trees and the other one dumped it into a poor position

ho ho........it happens..that is the beauty of golf! Even the pro's do it as well...but very rarely will they hit two pants shots in a row......

I am not convinced this is right on the ready golf thing..........to play your ball just off the fringe of the green and then go and help find your other players balls some 50m back. This is on a difficult hole No.17 par 3......elevated tee, 160 m long....very tall trees lined both sides...quite easy to clip the top and drop down. This also follows another difficult par 5 dog leg. Where even good drive will leave you having to shape it around the corner so normally a 9 iron then a wedge. Quite often we end up playing our third shots into the green with our various wedges from a similar position as it is just too risky to attack the elevated green with the second shot as it quite often gets stuck in the uphill rough section before the green. So a difficult closing hole stretch.

There must be others who have a similar situation in their clubs......not talking about rollups just on proper competitions. Just seems wrong to play out of turn.

Just my thoughts,

M

 

[patricks148]

its up to him at the end of the day, the R&A new rules changes included adoption of Ready Golf.

And as for all 3 of you missing the green on a 175 yard par 3, are you sure you are low handicappers???

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Ready Golf states hit your ball and then go and help search for pp golf balls. I appreciate this guy may be stretching it at 50m in front but as long as he comes back to search that is the end of it.

Remember, you are treating it as match play but it isn't.

 

[mikseymono]

Ready Golf states hit your ball and then go and help search for pp golf balls. I appreciate this guy may be stretching it at 50m in front but as long as he comes back to search that is the end of it.

Remember, you are treating it as match play but it isn't.

No, he didn't come back to search........just went up to his green side ball...and hit it on...marked ball and waited for the rest of us to catch up. My ball was just on the green...but I was helping the others find their ball.

I know it is not Matchplay....but is certainly feels like it when all you have to do is better the other 3 around you....especially towards the end of the round when just basic maths based on probability can get you over the line.....

Was it different last year...before the rule change?

 

[patricks148]

No, he didn't come back to search........just went up to his green side ball...and hit it on...marked ball and waited for the rest of us to catch up. My ball was just on the green...but I was helping the others find their ball.

I know it is not Matchplay....but is certainly feels like it when all you have to do is better the other 3 around you....especially towards the end of the round when just basic maths based on probability can get you over the line.....

Was it different last year...before the rule change?

in you Op you said he walked back and helped, now you are saying he doesn't.... if he doesn't its poor manners

 

[mikseymono]

in you Op you said he walked back and helped, now you are saying he doesn't.... if he doesn't its poor manners

I did say that yes....generally...he will start to trundle back, but with the 3 min rule it's generally curtains by then or we have found it without his help.....but on this specific hole, no he didn't. He just stood up by the green.

So, last year rules....much different? And do the Pro's play ready golf?

 

[patricks148]

I did say that yes....generally...he will start to trundle back, but with the 3 min rule it's generally curtains by then or we have found it without his help.....but on this specific hole, no he didn't. He just stood up by the green.

So, last year rules....much different? And do the Pro's play ready golf?

pro's do things differently so not really relevant TBH

easy enough solution if he never helps look for a ball, just do the same as him if he loses one or say something

 

[mikseymono]

yes...had thought about that...not really in my nature...it is a new club for me this year, don't want to upset people early doors and he and I have the lowest indexes 5 each with the others starting at the 8 index mark...so on balance we will be in it most weeks on the Gross/Brut. I am fairly competitive to say the least, at my old club there was a group of about 6 who generally shared out the wins but here I can forsee just the two of us.........turn a senior next year so qualify for the senior team which will be great fun if we can both play in it.

It was just a general observation, one I was aware of last year which has brought it more into focus this year.


Thats me done.........I'll keep you updated!

(next thread will be on the subject of others never seeing where your slightly errant shot went....!)

 

[Orikoru]

One of our group consistently will, after a poor shot has put him in an awkward place to chip/putt onto the green will walk up to his ball and play it first. Even though there were another two balls to try and find in the woods who were some distance longer than his from the green. He'll play his ball...and then walk back to the others to try and find their ball.

This is good practise in my opinion, with regards to ready golf and pace of play. I try and do this myself, if two players are already looking for a ball and I can play my ball first before helping them look, it speeds things up a little.

 

[jim8flog]

Playing out of turn is allowable so long as t it not being done to gain an advantage.

I can see no adavantage being gained in this scenario unless of course he were to sink the chip which might put added mental pressure on the other players.

 

[Jamesbrown]

This is good practise in my opinion, with regards to ready golf and pace of play. I try and do this myself, if two players are already looking for a ball and I can play my ball first before helping them look, it speeds things up a little.

Not only is it good practice, it’s in the R&A etiquette guide. Everybody should be doing it!

 

[mikseymono]

Playing out of turn is allowable so long as t it not being done to gain an advantage.

I can see no adavantage being gained in this scenario unless of course he were to sink the chip which might put added mental pressure on the other players.

playing devils advocate.....says that playing out of turn quickly with none of your competitors watching you and creating that mental pressure that would be there if there were all watching you IS and advantage in my book. I agree that normally you are playing the course but in my instance it is the other 2/3 ...especially if you are all level coming down the last 3 holes.......just saying....

M

 

[duncan mackie]

playing devils advocate.....says that playing out of turn quickly with none of your competitors watching you and creating that mental pressure that would be there if there were all watching you IS and advantage in my book. I agree that normally you are playing the course but in my instance it is the other 2/3 ...especially if you are all level coming down the last 3 holes.......just saying....

M

One player can't play out of turn and gain an advantage - it's that simple from the rules perspective.

 

[mikseymono]

from mine..it is not.......you gain a clear advantage with no pressure on you...... Simple as that.