Playing partner signed for wrong score but I wasn't marking the card.... apologies for the long message

[LEOHALL]

Setting the scene - we were a three-ball in the monthly stableford qualifier so we swopped cards as usual. I was marking the card of a new(ish) golfer ( lets call her D) who still struggles to keep count of her own shots, never mind keeping track of her playing partners. My card was with the third player (M) and off we went. At each hole we were declaring our score and points out loud, however something changed at hole 12 and I could really do with some advice please...
M struggled in the mud on hole 12 (par 4), finally reaching the green with her fourth shot. Her first putt was very short, her next putt missed so she holed out for 7. I declared my score out loud - 5 for 2 - before pushing my trolley down to the next tee. I noticed her making a show of counting her shots, pointing out to the fairway etc, and I soon realised that I was alone on the next tee while the other two were stood close together talking quietly. They noticed me looking back at them and M asked me what my score was, so I repeated '5 for 2'.
For some reason things felt different and awkward, and I wanted to ask the other two what they had scored, but as I already knew, I felt I shouldn't ask M as I wasn't marking her card.
The incident bothered me all day so last evening I had a look on EG and noticed that she had entered a 6 on hole 12 - incidentally she won the qualifier but by more than one point so it wouldn't have affected the outcome.
Please advise what I could or should have differently, if anything? Is it any of my business that M put down the wrong score? D is very new (handicap 46) so would never challenge a playing partner's score.
I would really appreciated some feedback as this may happen again and I would like to know what to do.
Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 23270]

The player signed for a score lower than actually scored so it's a disqualification I'm afraid. Doesn't matter how many shots they won by and whether the correct score would have affected the result or not. Signing for a lower score = DQ.

 

[BubbaP]

(With hindsight) You missed the chance, on completion of hole 12 needed to say something like "what did we all score then?". And deal with any discrepancy then.
P.S. were they marking their cards by the green? ??

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

The way I see this is that a discussion should have taken place as you left the green. However, you were not M's scorer, so you are not involved really. Maybe you should have asked her scorer to verify M's score, but if D says is was "6", then I feel as though you have to put it down to experience........ However, if I had witnessed it as the non scorer I would have made a mental note to be extra vigilant with her scoring in future.
Years ago I can clearly remember a colleague of mine picking his ball out of the hole and shouting "5". I was scoring him, and said "well I'm putting you down for a 6, but you can put down what you like".
Scornful look from my colleague, a short pause, and then said "yes you're right, I'd forgotten the extra shot at the bottom of the hill". Problem sorted there and then. Once the moment has gone.....it's gone!!
Who agrees?

 

[jim8flog]

Any player in a competition is allowed to query the score of another player as recorded whether or not they are the marker (this would help to stop collusion).
You should report it to the committee who should investigate.

As per Dave R the penalty is a DQ so the outcome of the comp is affected.

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

I agree with that Jim8flog......except she wasn't the scorer. She would have to be absolutely certain that an incorrect score had been recorded, otherwise you're heading for a proper fallout.

 

[jim8flog]

I agree with that Jim8flog......except she wasn't the scorer. She would have to be absolutely certain that an incorrect score had been recorded, otherwise you're heading for a proper fallout.

She is responsible for checking the gross scores on the card and can compare with what she recorded in the markers column on the card she was the marker for. In the same way the committee should compare the two cards in their investigation.

One of the problems with a lot of players in a Stableford comp is that they get 'obsessed' with points (often just the total) and make sure they are correct when they should be obsessed with the gross score and making sure that is correct.

 

[LEOHALL]

The player signed for a score lower than actually scored so it's a disqualification I'm afraid. Doesn't matter how many shots they won by and whether the correct score would have affected the result or not. Signing for a lower score = DQ.

Thanks everyone - I am 100% certain that a 7 was scored but how on earth could I ever prove it. In future I will always ensure that all players declare their score out loud on every hole. 'Every day is a school day'.