Colin L
Tour Winner
When golf commentators talk of “playing partners†to mean "fellow competitors" it isn’t mere pedantry to wish they would use the correct terminology. The problem is that “partner" has a precise meaning in the Rules which is the very opposite of a competitor. The potential for confusion is great, and there was a good lllustration in a recent thread where “playing partner†[PP] was used to mean “opponentâ€, which completely misled me, if no-one else. I think I even heard a commentator use “playing opponent†in match play (as if you could have a non-playing opponent!).
It would be really helpful if, in this forum, we all kept to the right terminology to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
Fellow competitor - any player in a stroke play competition you are playing against, whose score or points tally you are trying to beat.
Opponent - the player or players against you in matchplay whom you are trying to beat.
Partner - a player you are teamed up with, who is on your side in match play or stroke play.
It’s really that simple: three distinct terms with precise meanings. Well, what else would you expect from the Rules of Golf?
It would be really helpful if, in this forum, we all kept to the right terminology to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
Fellow competitor - any player in a stroke play competition you are playing against, whose score or points tally you are trying to beat.
Opponent - the player or players against you in matchplay whom you are trying to beat.
Partner - a player you are teamed up with, who is on your side in match play or stroke play.
It’s really that simple: three distinct terms with precise meanings. Well, what else would you expect from the Rules of Golf?
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