The point of 'No Returns'...

[RGDave]

There are some people on here claiming never, never, never. On the surface, I agree.
However, in reality N/R-ing in a medal should be acceptable in the most extreme circumstances.
My poor playing partner (in Oct medal) hit 3 balls off one tee, we found none. To cut a long story short, our 4-ball let the 4-ball behind through and our chap hit another off the tee. He then lost his next shot (his 8th or something?) and as a group we decided he should N/R the medal and accept the consequences.
If something has gone drastically wrong and continuing to make a score knocks on to everyone else in the group or on the course, an N/R is the kindest way to end the misery.

 

[Yerman]

NR is to prevent people who struggle in bunkers opening a new coal seam or chipping out in Christchurch.

 

[Parmo]

Once ended with a 12 on a par 4, the worst part of it was the competition was stableford and I didn't know I could pick up!!

 

[SammmeBee]

When you've missed that 3ft putt for the fifth time in the round on about the 14th and you've then played some 'hockey' round the hole it's time for an NR.....

 

[USER1999]

I have been playing for over 20 years, and have never seen anyone throw a round deliberately. I don't know anyone whose handicap is manipulated in any way. Guess I am just lucky, I only seem to know honest players. Well, maybe I know the odd cheat, but stangely, they must be bad at it because they never win.

 

[TonyN]

I dont care either way with NR's. I had to play with a chap who took 3 9's on our first 3 holes so was glad when he NR'd because it was destroying my game.

I dont think i'd NR unless i was physically unable to play!

 

[Farneyman]

I NR on a few occasions but NEVER because I am worried about my partners game and how my game is affecting them. This has never crossed my mind. I will still not worry about it in the future either. If I NR I am usually out of any chance of making the buffer. I am often out in the first nine in over my complete handicap. I will only NR individual holes and continue to try as hard as I can no matter what.

It dissapoints me that some people can allow and suggest NR to someone else because of how its affecting thier game. Very poor in my opinion and something I would never do or let afeect me.

My tupence worth.

 

[USER1999]

What if one of your partners is running out of clubs? Would you suggest it then? Would it affect your game?

One of my mates spent 2 hours with a metal detector looking for the head of his 8i in the woods, post medal. The pieces of his 3i and 4i were in already in his bag, but the 8i remained elusive. Probably still out there.

 

[Farneyman]

What if one of your partners is running out of clubs? Would you suggest it then? Would it affect your game?

If he has to pull out of a medal/competition because he doesnt have enough clubs,the rules decide this not me so (a) not my fault and (b) still wouldn't affect me.

 

[Society_Fan]

Nothing wrong with an NR apart from it means that you have played rubbish. Nothing to do with anyone else!

 

[hopeful]

AN ODE TO N.R. by DOC17


Twas on the great GM Forum debate,
that many described their ill gotten fate.
To be or not to be N.R?
This will ramble on and on by far.
........
MacGonagle lives!!

 

[didsbury_duffer]

As the handicap convenor at my club, I do not have a problem with someone NR'ing on a particularly bad hole, where for example they knock it OOB having already taken too many shots. What I do have a problem with is those players who NR on, say, the 7th, and then just use the rest of the round as practice and place NR on the card for all of the remaining holes. These players should continue to play properly for the remaining holes, and mark their card accordingly. Failure to do this affects the CSS and therefore can also, if quite a few do it, affect the handicap adjustments of those players under par or in the respective buffer zones. It is also poor etiquette in my opinion. I intend to monitor this situation very closely at my club over the coming year.

 

[Farneyman]

What I do have a problem with is those players who NR on, say, the 7th, and then just use the rest of the round as practice and place NR on the card for all of the remaining holes.

Could not agree more. I have handed in a card with 4 NRs bt will always play every hole and continue to mark my card.

 

[RGDave]

What I do have a problem with is those players who NR on, say, the 7th, and then just use the rest of the round as practice and place NR on the card for all of the remaining holes. These players should continue to play properly for the remaining holes, and mark their card accordingly.

I could not agree more. Blobbing a hole in a medal to save time and trouble should be OK. Failing to return scores from that moment on should be frowned upon.

I made one 9 last year towards the end of a good round. I bogeyed home and put my card in the box. Counted as a 6 (double), I was 1 under my h'cap.....I didn't get cut, but if I had, I'd have accepted it. If I'd N/Rd and given up on the rest, I'd have got 0.1.....

 

[JustOne]

AN ODE TO N.R. by DOC17


Twas on the great GM Forum debate,
that many described their ill gotten fate.
To be or not to be N.R?
This will ramble on and on by far.

Whilst stood on the 18th tee,
I wasn’t aware that it went O.B.
Now if I had been a traditional,
I would have declared and hit a provisional.

It wasn’t Stableford so I couldn’t blob,
this is for pleasure and not my day job.
Home is in sight with the call of the bar,
or do I pack my bags and get straight in the car?

Am I worried about spoiling everyone else’s fun?
The rules say I will be going up by 0.1!
Much ado about nothing? Bah
After all it’s only a N.R.!!!

Enjoy your golf everyone.

Crikey!, some people will try anything to get into Golf Monthly magazine!

I only NR'd once... it lasted 7 years.
I shanked my way round the entire front 9, apologised to my playing partners who AGREED that it wasn't worth me continuing, went home and hid my clubs in the 'naughty shed' alongside the lawnmower.

 

[Macster]

I cant understand the depth of feeling against a NR - it baffles me.

Those of you that say its a form of Handicap manipulation - dont you think people can manipulate that anyway, if they are determined to do so ?

What is the point of 'soldiering on', grinding 'a score' out, etc etc, if I am stood on the 12th Tee 15 over Gross on a bad day, ie 5 over my H/C already, and knowing full well that I arent gonna play the last 6 in -4 to have a chance of being in the buffer alone. It aint gonna happen.
So what's the point in worrying, I'm going up .1 anyway.

 

[USER1999]

Surely only scores up to the n/r should count for standard scratch? Scores after that are no longer under competition conditions, and so are in a different category. Not fair to compare scores in these circumstances. A huge part of competitive golf is in the head. Once you have torn up the card you can relax, where others can't.

 

[haplesshacker]

Some interesting points.

I must admit (call me what you will!) but after the whole Golf Monthly pace of play experiment at Crowborough a year or two ago which I took part in. I am all to aware of how much continuing to play when there is no chance of scoring on that hole in a stableford and slow the whole game down for everyone else. Consequently I do pick up (score NR if you like) if there is no chance of picking up any points on that hole. Maybe I'm over sensitive to it because of the Crowborough thing. After all I was having a shocker of a day!

In a medal I would often finish the hole, but occasinally I will NR and just put that hole behind me. The h'cap is going to go up anyway! Though if I was having a good round generally I would finish said hole. Just to see if I can beat my PB for the course.

 

[backwoodsman]

Not sure I see why there's the great antipathy to N/R-ing. After all, in matchplay you can concede a hole or match (ie give up) at any time you choose without any stigma. Surely N/R is just the equivalent of conceding a round in stroke play? But my view is that you should only give up on scoring - not on playing. Very poor form to abandon your playing companions just because you're having a bad round.

 

[rickg]

Acceptable to N/R in exceptional circumstances eg losing a few balls and as a result holding the rest of the 4-ball up while you wave 3 groups behind you through while you search.

Not acceptable to ever to walk off the course and leave playing partners out there except due to illness, injury, off course emergency, etc. Poor etiquette and shows a lack of respect. Don't care how bad you're playing, If you enter a medal, you should finish it and hand a card in, even if it has an NR on it.