Please can we use the correct terminology?

Colin L

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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 “opponent”, 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?
 
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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 “opponent”, 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?

Tell my 3 ex's that :D
 
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 “opponent”, 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?

A competitor is any player playing in a stroke play competition
A fellow-competitor is a competitor that you are playing with (same group) in a stroke play competition.
 
From Definitions in The Rules

Competitor

A "competitor" is a player in a stroke-play competition. A "fellow-competitor" is any person with whom the competitor plays. Neither is partner of the other.

In stroke play foursome and four-ball competitions, where the context so admits, the word "competitor" or "fellow-competitor" includes his partner.

Partner

A "partner" is a player associated with another player on the same side.

In threesome, foursome, best-ball or four-ball play, where the context so admits, the word "player" includes his partner or partners.

End of Definitions

As there is no actual definition of 'Playing Partner', then commentators, and others, are free to use the term as they wish - and the public best understands! However 'Fellow Competitor/s' would be more precise.
 
:rofl:

What a corker

PP - playing partner - the person who is in my team when playing in a team game , I think every single person must know who that is being referred even if it's not fully "defined" in the rules

FC - Fellow Competitor - someone you are playing against

Surely we all know the distinction between the two ?!
 
:rofl:

What a corker

PP - playing partner - the person who is in my team when playing in a team game , I think every single person must know who that is being referred even if it's not fully "defined" in the rules

FC - Fellow Competitor - someone you are playing against

Surely we all know the distinction between the two ?!

Unfortunately, the commentators regularly use "playing partner” in stroke play to mean a fellow competitor. I’ve never heard it used of a genuine partner before. But all the worse if we are going to have two different meanings for the same expression going around. That’s a recipe for the kind of misunderstanding I got into with your use of “PP".

Much better to use the correct terminology (i.e. the correctly corrected terminology :o)
 
Unfortunately, the commentators regularly use "playing partner” in stroke play to mean a fellow competitor. I’ve never heard it used of a genuine partner before. But all the worse if we are going to have two different meanings for the same expression going around. That’s a recipe for the kind of misunderstanding I got into with your use of “PP".

Much better to use the correct terminology (i.e. the correctly corrected terminology :o)

I have no idea what the commentators use but I think it's pretty clear what people use on here and when someone says it on here then I know exactly what they mean.
 
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