sick of pro players looking for a free drop...

[dog377]

I'm getting sick of watching pro players waiting for the referee to come and give them a free drop because of a sprinkler head about half a mile away or spurious standing water. If they need to ask the ref then they should just get on and hit it...

 

[Imurg]

If they're entitled to a free drop then they should get one.
If there's any, and I mean ANY, doubt, they'll call a Ref.
There's so much at stake these days that a wrong drop and the resulting penalty could be the difference between winning and losing, keeping your card or going to Q-School.
We know the Rules are complicated. It's so easy to do the wrong thing.
Frustrating it may be but it's part of the Modern game

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Foxholer]

Yep. Winner at the PGA gets 750K euros, 2nd 500K, 3rd 281K, so a shot can be important!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Welcome onboard. Hopefully not all your posts will be so direct and ranty. Where do you play?

It has always been the same. Who can forget the famous Seve incident with the ref and that's going back 30 odd years. As Imurg says with a lot riding on it these days they'll always call the ref. Some might argue it is using the rules to your advantage at time if you can get a drop when the lie might not be too good.

 

[The_ACE]

yeah i mean its not like their incomes rely on it, or whether or not they retain their card or win the tournament. (sarcasm)

why does it annoy you? you dont have to watch as TV normally switches to another player/hole. Its not illegal? What would be the point of referees if they werent to be used?

 

[The_ACE]

sorry just repeated what has already been said

 

[dog377]

If they're entitled to a free drop then they should get one.
If there's any, and I mean ANY, doubt, they'll call a Ref.
There's so much at stake these days that a wrong drop and the resulting penalty could be the difference between winning and losing, keeping your card or going to Q-School.
We know the Rules are complicated. It's so easy to do the wrong thing.
Frustrating it may be but it's part of the Modern game

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum!

So at the weekend I saw a player wait for the ref due to standing water and then move his ball about 2 feet and play on...this guy is in no way going to Q school or losing his card so I just think it's a bit precious. Anyway thanks for the welcome and look forward to someinteresting golf chat.

 

[dog377]

yeah i mean its not like their incomes rely on it, or whether or not they retain their card or win the tournament. (sarcasm)

why does it annoy you? you dont have to watch as TV normally switches to another player/hole. Its not illegal? What would be the point of referees if they werent to be used?

Did not mean to rant, I was just watching some LPGA on sky and the commentator was saying that the girl should have called for the ref as she might have got a drop because there was a fuse box behind her but it was obvious that she was in no danger of hitting it. The guy was really saying if she changed her stance she could get into a position where she could claim it was in the way. She was miles off the fairway and in the mush...

 

[FairwayDodger]

So at the weekend I saw a player wait for the ref due to standing water and then move his ball about 2 feet and play on...this guy is in no way going to Q school or losing his card so I just think it's a bit precious. Anyway thanks for the welcome and look forward to someinteresting golf chat.

I think it was Gmac and, if it's the incident I saw, he was clearly entitled to relief and was just covering himself with the ref. He got no advantage other than not having to play out of the wet lie. I'd have taken relief from that spot myself.

 

[duncan mackie]

they call the rules official because that's what the tournament director will have told them to do before the tournament.

if they make a technical mistake at a televised tournament they will end up with an expensive penalty, if they do what the RO tells them they cannot be penalised.

yes there are situations where the player is looking to gain an advantage from a marginal situation, but these are few and far between - although they get disproportionate coverage in the media!

and yes, commentators should, in most cases, say a lot less in relation to rules issues and ruling than they do - but then again there's only so much you can actually try and appear knowledgeble about as a golf commentator nowadays; shame they usually mess up.

 

[williamalex1]

yeah i mean its not like their incomes rely on it, or whether or not they retain their card or win the tournament. (sarcasm)

why does it annoy you? you dont have to watch as TV normally switches to another player/hole. Its not illegal? What would be the point of referees if they werent to be used?

with the money that the pros are being paid these days, THEY ! should know all the rules without referees being required. in my trade, i can't call in someone every time i have a doubt.,if you are qualified .it's up to you to decide. make your choice. your only going to be penalised a couple of shots or if your wrong or disqualified at worsed. not start a fire and kill someone, i have to make the choice EVERY DAY for a pittance

 

[TheJezster]

I think it was Gmac and, if it's the incident I saw, he was clearly entitled to relief and was just covering himself with the ref. He got no advantage other than not having to play out of the wet lie. I'd have taken relief from that spot myself.

Yea it was GMac, I watched it too. To be fair, I thought it was ridiculous him calling the ref for that too. I was not impressed, I thought he should have hit the thing, there wasnt any standing water visible.

 

[garyinderry]

 

[JustOne]

John Daly was advised where to take a drop by his playing partner (Jimenez), it was wrong and he got DQ'd.

I'd wait for the ref.

 

[pbrown7582]

i can understand the players waiting for a referee if they make a wrong call sign there card and then somebody phones the tour after watching on HD tv reporting an infringement a Dq is probale and an early end to there hopes, whereas if the referee has agreed it there is no come back. If in doubt ask.

 

[chrisd]

So at the weekend I saw a player wait for the ref due to standing water and then move his ball about 2 feet and play on...this guy is in no way going to Q school or losing his card so I just think it's a bit precious. Anyway thanks for the welcome and look forward to someinteresting golf chat.

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I would certainly do the same if I were earning my living at the game. If that player had proceeded incorrectly he/she could have been dq'd and earned no money/ lost a ryder cup place/ missed out on an Open place/ lost their tour card/ etc at the end of the season tour cards are won and lost on just a few quid. It's standard practice to wait for a referee if a ruling is needed, after all, thats why they are there.

Even at our level, I played a knockout 4BBB final a couple of years ago and our club secretary, a rules official in his own right, walked with us and ruled on 2 matters during the game where none of the 4 players would have got the decision right!

 

[MadAdey]

with the money that the pros are being paid these days, THEY ! should know all the rules without referees being required. in my trade, i can't call in someone every time i have a doubt.,if you are qualified .it's up to you to decide. make your choice. your only going to be penalised a couple of shots or if your wrong or disqualified at worsed. not start a fire and kill someone, i have to make the choice EVERY DAY for a pittance

So what are you then an Electrician or Gas fitter? The rules that govern those trades are not so straight forward. I do not work as an Electrician but do have all the qualifications. Have you ever looked at the 17th edition book? no chance of ever remembering all the regulations that govern what to do for every type of installation, get it wrong and you are screwed. Just like Pro golfers, they need to have that second ruling at times. Like has been said get it wrong and they can get disqualified.

Ok people have said that they earn plenty of money anyway, but not all of them do. Some of then need every penny they can to keep their tour card.