Playing partner falsifying scores

[bradleywedge]

What would you do if your playing partner put down the wrong score on his card after a hole in a friendly game, not once but on a number of occasions would you say anything?

 

[Sats]

I'd definitely speak with them, even if it's a question when they announce their score. I say this as unfortunately I had this very situation a few months ago. I was in a four ball with friends, one of which I had suspicions of but not for scores, but for dropping balls instead of taking penalties - I didn't see him do it, but there were some times I felt it was a miracle he found those balls.
However, another friend call him on a score he put himself down for a 5 when it was a 6. It was a weary affair, and ended up with those two not speaking to each other, to be fair it went proper south (with myself stepping in to avoid a childish fight.) Problem was there was not a shred of diplomacy for the accusing side, not that it justifies the offence.

My other friend and I had a chat with the offender and basically said mistakes can be made, but if there's cheating involved it can ruin ones reputation in a club or future clubs.

Honestly I felt that friend - whom couldn't strike a match constantly felt out the game (OB, Lost balls, Blobs whatever) and just wanted to compete even at a social level. Not his words, but just my own haunch.

Since then no issues save the two not speaking - but that's their problem, not mine.

 

[fat80b]

....It's tricky - If it is just a friendly game and they are not submitting a card, then the only person they are really cheating is themselves.... The danger comes if it happens with a card in hand or even just with other people present. I personally would not want to be tarred with the same brush if word gets around.

Personally, I think golf is a game of honesty and acceptance and if it was someone I had played with more than once, I'd probably try and say something in as nice a way as possible. Position it as trying to help them gain an understanding rather than a confrontational 'you are cheating' convo in the first instance.

 

[HowlingGale]

Never attribute to malice that which can be easily explained by stupidity.
I have a mate who frequently miscounts his shots. He'll say, 'I got a 5 there' and I'll ask, 'did you?'. He counts his shots and he'll apologise as he got a 6.
He doesn't mean it it's just he's thinking too much about his game he forgets some shots.

I once had a psychologist explain why lower handicap players tend to know every shot of every hole that was played and he said it's cognitive ease. They need to think less about their shots etc so can focus on what everyone else is doing where as higher handicappers have so many things going on in their heads they are more insular when playing. I know that won't fit everyone but it seems to be the way for most people I know.

 

[RichA]

I used to play with a colleague from time to time, who always gave a lower number than we thought was right.
After a while we would make sure we counted his shots on each hole then as soon as he holed out one of us would have a card ready, "6 for you, yes?" He knew we knew and it didn't happen again. Drama averted.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I would start to ask each person, to seem neutral, their score after each hole. Do it in a way that sounds inquisitive, perhaps offer to mark a card for everyone as it is a friendly knock. When he gives an incorrect score you can do the old 'I thought you had an X there' and go through the shots taken there and then, whilst it is fresh in the minds. Hopefully the person would feel obliged to give the correct score or start to feel uncomfortable being shown repeatedly to be asking for a lower score. Ideally, the thought of doing this would reduce after a round or two.

Checking back a few holes later on is nigh on impossible, it needs to be done almost as you leave the green and you need to stand your ground a little.

Horrible situation, I hate confrontation and feeling uncomforatable, but this would be my approach.

Edit - I think RichA has just done a shorter and better version of my post

 

[Curls]

Agree with the above. If it doesn’t ruin your enjoyment just say after a hole “not a bad 5 there considering” or whatever, you may even find he says “that was a 4?” and when you talk him through the penny drops. If he’s doing it on purpose it’s probably out of pride. If it’s not for handicap or a comp then he’ll learn, would be different if it counted for something

 

[RichA]

On the other side, it really grates when I've made a rare par, for a playing partner to ask, "5 for you, yes?"
"Er no. I got a 4."
"Really? Oh. Well done." [shakes head while writing score on card]

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

If it's a friendly and the card isn't being submitted then it doesn't matter what he writes on it, could be his lottery numbers for all I care. If you are playing a match then again, doesn't matter what he writes down you just need to confirm verbally what each player scored to keep track of the game. So to answer your question, no I wouldn't say anything.

How do you know what he is writing down anyway?

 

[Slab]

If its just friendly or who buys 1st round then, as said, its not relevant what he writes down. A money game, then more fool me for not writing the other bloke's score down. A comp, shout out and agree all scores you're responsible for as you leave the green (none of this waiting till you reach the next tee, get it done with the fairway/green still in sight)

 

[Robster59]

I struggle once I get past 10 as I have to take my shoes and socks off.
I would say that what was said by RichA and LT is about right.

 

[drdel]

We usually chat about our score on the green prior to putting out.

 

[IanM]

Friendly game - smile, laugh and make a pull his leg about it!

Comp - refuse to sign it (or whatever the Covid compliant version of this is now at your club) and politely explain why.

 

[hovis]

I never know what my friend has shot until we put our clubs in the car anyway. Even that's not a given

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Never attribute to malice that which can be easily explained by stupidity.
I have a mate who frequently miscounts his shots. He'll say, 'I got a 5 there' and I'll ask, 'did you?'. He counts his shots and he'll apologise as he got a 6.
He doesn't mean it it's just he's thinking too much about his game he forgets some shots.

I once had a psychologist explain why lower handicap players tend to know every shot of every hole that was played and he said it's cognitive ease. They need to think less about their shots etc so can focus on what everyone else is doing where as higher handicappers have so many things going on in their heads they are more insular when playing. I know that won't fit everyone but it seems to be the way for most people I know.

That is a good , thankfully, explanation of why I'm ok at knowing what I've scored, but there have been times when I think I'm not sure what the rest have scored. Wouldn't be happy contesting what he/ they say they scored.?

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

In a comp a few weeks ago I had to correct another players score twice in the first five holes. I wasn't marking his card but knew how many shots he had taken. Not saying he did it deliberately as everyone can make a mistake now and again but it did make me feel a bit uneasy.

 

[clubchamp98]

You cheating So and So !
Usually works.
Seriously I had this in the Club Champs once with a 5 capper.
I wouldn’t sign his card.
Wasn’t very pleasant but he left the club a month later.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Many many years ago my brother couldn't count past five and owned a leather wedge. He was coming on a golfing trip with some people I knew, so I just told him straight. "When we are playing together cheat all you want, but on this trip it's a no no". Probably still can't count now.
Draft thing is years later one of the other two became a member at my club, and it was generally recognised that he was one of the biggest cheaters in the club, ironic.

 

[MarkT]

This is interesting, I pretty much write off anyone who gives the wrong score as a bit of a cheat. I'm not sure I would even consider that it might be an honest mistake which says more about me than them. Generally a quick recap of the hole does the business though there's always that awkward moment when they have to agree with you given that you've spent the last three minutes making 100 per cent sure that you've got it right before muttering anything. I hate any form of confrontation and the only person who I know for sure cheats (he's always teeing his ball up in the rough plus a bit of scorecard juggling) I don't play with any more as I spend the whole round wondering what he's up to rather than just having a laugh. The hilarious thing is that a cheat normally thinks that he's invisible while everybody in the whole club knows who they are and what they're up to.

 

[Tashyboy]

Years ago I played Retford, it opens with 2 par fives. A PP put 2 balls OOB in the allotments. There were 2 four balls behind on the tee so we said play a drop up the fairway Where the balls went OOB. He did exactly the same on the next hole. He lost 2 balls. He played another drop Where he lost the balls. When he putted out on the second hole, he said “ I cannot believe I have opened with two snowmen/ 8s. No neither could we. He opened with 2 elevens. He cheated all the way around. On the last hole, a par 5 he said “ am only 2 shots behind Tash a good drive and al put him under pressure”. He smashed his drive into a field full of 3 ft rapeseed. he announced to the world “ Al find that”. Another Pp who had seen enough said you might well do but it’s effing OOB so play three off the tee and now your five behind Tash”.
He went straight home and we went to the 19th. I had been marking the cards and put in pencil his correct score against his stated score. The difference was 14 shots ? never played with him again.
The strange thing is when ever he put a ball in the rough, it was him that found it never anyone else, and he always had a shot. A month or so earlier I played with him at Newark. He found his ball twice, a PP/ Newark member suspected he was dropping balls. On the last hole he said he was again a shot behind. He put two in the trees, fellow PP followed him everywhere to make sure nothing naughty happened. After five minutes, PP said times up. Quite frankly it was purgatory playing with him.