questionable behavior (cheating)

[clubchamp98]

I'm happy to be corrected but I can't remember relief from a seeded divot.

Yes it was a local rule option open to the club.
We had a use your club head to roll the ball out of the divot.,no cleaning.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Where there is gambling and money involved there will always be cheating.
Simple answer is to stop sweeps.

Great idea! I have no issue paying a little to enter a competition to cover fees etc but does competitive golf really need a gambling element?

What other sports operate like golf? I would guess other individual sports possibly?

 

[Golfnut1957]

I will be in this position later this year. Played only social golf so far, generally with other social nomad golfers so we take a generous approach to play to keep the pace up.

Just joined a club and so now am playing with more experienced players and I’m making an effort to make sure I learn the rules properly - including checking things that happened when I get home.

I’ll get a handicap later in the year and enter my first comps. I hope that my fellow competitors (see, I’m learning!) will stop me from doing something that breaks a rule, and help teach me what I should be doing.

I hope they will be patient with me, but also I don’t want them to turn a blind eye. Part of the fun of this game is learning the intricacies. It’s not just about hitting a ball.

I used to make a point of refreshing my knowledge of the rule every year just before the season started by re reading them back to front. I even bought a copy of the Decisions...sad.
This however can be both a blessing and a burden. Knowledge of the rules allows you to take full advantage of them when the opportunity arises. On the other hand you can quickly become to go to "expert" for your golfing buddies and of course sometimes they don't like the responces you give, plus you get to witness a lot more infractions than those people who can't recognise when an infraction is taking place.
From this perspective my belief is that over 99% of infractions are from lack of knoweldge rather than a deliberate attempt to gain an advantage.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I will be in this position later this year. Played only social golf so far, generally with other social nomad golfers so we take a generous approach to play to keep the pace up.

Just joined a club and so now am playing with more experienced players and I’m making an effort to make sure I learn the rules properly - including checking things that happened when I get home.

I’ll get a handicap later in the year and enter my first comps. I hope that my fellow competitors (see, I’m learning!) will stop me from doing something that breaks a rule, and help teach me what I should be doing.

I hope they will be patient with me, but also I don’t want them to turn a blind eye. Part of the fun of this game is learning the intricacies. It’s not just about hitting a ball.

I would suggest getting a copy of the players version of the rules and keep it in the bag. There are also plenty of learning aids with the scaled down examples (dropping from lateral penalty areas, staked trees, etc). Always interesting to have a read through. Also, and actually a good learning tool, the R&A have an online rules quiz on their site at different levels from beginner up to expert which is quite fun to do and it gives the answers if you get it wrong

 

[Mandofred]

If nothing else, my starting this thread has clued me in to the fact that cheating is happening MORE than I thought it was. Golfers hold themselves up as a beacon of honesty........ain't true.

 

[Mandofred]

You mean a handful of examples spread over a few years from all the hundreds of thousands of golfers just in this country?

And....after talking more with the people I play with. It's more prevalent than you think it is.....a bit of a turn your head and ignore because.......

 

[clubchamp98]

Great idea! I have no issue paying a little to enter a competition to cover fees etc but does competitive golf really need a gambling element?

What other sports operate like golf? I would guess other individual sports possibly?

I think most sports actually ban you from betting on yourself.
That’s basically what a two sweep is.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

And....after talking more with the people I play with. It's more prevalent than you think it is.....a bit of a turn your head and ignore because.......

Maybe you need to find other playing partners, in over 20 years of playing I’ve personally known 1 example of blatant cheating, I have lost count the number of times a playing partner has held up their hand for a possible or definite breach of the rules.

 

[clubchamp98]

I have seen a handful over the years .
I think most golfers are honest and like life in general there are bad eggs.
Can’t think of anything worse than looking at a trophy knowing you cheated to win it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Maybe you need to find other playing partners, in over 20 years of playing I’ve personally known 1 example of blatant cheating, I have lost count the number of times a playing partner has held up their hand for a possible or definite breach of the rules.

This. For those that are blatantly cheating there are far more that are admitting a ball moving etc and calling a penalty on themselves. I still the vast majority hold the integrity of the game close

 

[ScienceBoy]

I think most sports actually ban you from betting on yourself.
That’s basically what a two sweep is.

What will it take to end 2s sweeps and even competition prizes for club golf? Will it have an impact on cheating? Is it worth it or will it have a negative impact?

Like most here the number of times I have seen penalties called vastly outweighs the times I have seen cheating (never seen it in a competition).

 

[clubchamp98]

What will it take to end 2s sweeps and even competition prizes for club golf? Will it have an impact on cheating? Is it worth it or will it have a negative impact?

Like most here the number of times I have seen penalties called vastly outweighs the times I have seen cheating (never seen it in a competition).

It’s more what it does for your reputation !
It’s a stigma you never lose.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

What will it take to end 2s sweeps and even competition prizes for club golf? Will it have an impact on cheating? Is it worth it or will it have a negative impact?

Like most here the number of times I have seen penalties called vastly outweighs the times I have seen cheating (never seen it in a competition).

Why would you want to get rid of 2's and especially competition prizes? Just because there are a few out there that cheat, most are honest and nothing better than having bragging rights with your golfing mates if you win a club comp, more so if you can scoop a club major

 

[Mandofred]

Oh, so a few hearsay cases spread over a few years, plus a couple of other things you've heard.

Not what I said or meant, and you are taking it in the worst possible way. Not a Trump relative are you?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I have played hundreds of rounds in the last 13 years, (as a member, society player and forum member) I have seen a few players unintentionally break rules they were unaware of, but I have only witnessed 1 episode of cheating when a clear air shot wasn’t declared as such despite a challenge with a witness

As he wasn’t in for any prizes I let it go, but I won’t play with that person again.

Cheating is not the norm , it does happen, but it isn’t as prevalent as some think.

 

[Old Skier]

I find that people seem to be good about talking about cheating but not so great at putting their money were their mouth is. If someone’s cheating, don’t moan about it, report it.

 

[Mandofred]

https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/2020/05/23/the-honest-truth-about-dishonesty/

I AM NOT saying that people are out there cheating like crazy.....but.....it happens more than people want to accept. In MY OPINION, golfers want to think they are more honest than other people.....but I think they are just people, with all the usual faults. I've got plenty myself.

 

[Mandofred]

You're basically just making it up in your head.

If it makes you feel better to think so....I can live with that.

 

[chrisd]

https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/2020/05/23/the-honest-truth-about-dishonesty/

I AM NOT saying that people are out there cheating like crazy.....but.....it happens more than people want to accept. In MY OPINION, golfers want to think they are more honest than other people.....but I think they are just people, with all the usual faults. I've got plenty myself.

I've played for about 20 years, only seen one attempt at cheating, and even then I wasn't certain so didnt call it. I've played with loads of guys who didn't know the rules as well as I do but they were NOT cheating and when I correct any they are generally appreciative, I even did today when a FC wanted to take relief for a greenside sprinkler when he couldn't. I've seen 4 people leave my Club over the last 20 years when they've been seen cheating and called on it. Yes I've made mistakes, miss counted shots on holes occasionally, got rules wrong but I've penalised myself whenever I've done something to infringe the rules - I think my story matches most golfers!

 

[fundy]

I have played hundreds of rounds in the last 13 years, (as a member, society player and forum member) I have seen a few players unintentionally break rules they were unaware of, but I have only witnessed 1 episode of cheating when a clear air shot wasn’t declared as such despite a challenge with a witness

As he wasn’t in for any prizes I let it go, but I won’t play with that person again.

Cheating is not the norm , it does happen, but it isn’t as prevalent as some think.

bit harsh calling your brother on it though