Unsporting behaviour in matchplay

[HomerJSimpson]

If he other team deliberately played first to put pressure on then I'd definitely be asking for the shot to be replayed. I think I'm right in saying Sorenstam holed or stiffed her bunker shot when playing out of turn which is why the US kicked off and asked for it to be replayed. If she'd duffed it I'm sure there wouldn't have been so much hassle.

I think the dividing line is whether the action was unintentional as appeared to be the case in the OP or whether in Ethan's case a side were deliberately trying to use a perceived lack of rule knowledge as an advantage.

 

[backwoodsman]

Another rule that is broken alot is when putting out. In stroke play you may putt out and finish the hole, in match play you must mark your ball unless the putt in conseeded. The number of times i`ve stopped people putting out when they`ve putted up to the hole and left a 2/3 footer.
"I`ll finish that".
"no you won`t, mark it please."
"i can finish if i want to!"
"No you can`t, you have to mark it!"

Not sure where this "you have to mark it" comes from? Rule 10 makes no differential between the green & the rest of the hole through the green. They can put out - if you let them. You may call back the shot but you don't have to.

So, if they say "I'll finish" you can say, "sorry, but I'd like you to mark it and play in turn" or you can say "fine" and let them put out. There's no can't - they can if you let them. And by letting them, it's not conceding the shot either.

 

[Ethan]

If he other team deliberately played first to put pressure on then I'd definitely be asking for the shot to be replayed. I think I'm right in saying Sorenstam holed or stiffed her bunker shot when playing out of turn which is why the US kicked off and asked for it to be replayed. If she'd duffed it I'm sure there wouldn't have been so much hassle.

I think the dividing line is whether the action was unintentional as appeared to be the case in the OP or whether in Ethan's case a side were deliberately trying to use a perceived lack of rule knowledge as an advantage.

I have no idea which one of those scenarios, if either, applied, just that there are different ways of viewing an incident, and depending how it is presented, often different responses too.

 

[justhitthething]

A chap I know was pulled up in a club match for grounding his club in a bunker. He was actually using his club to lift the rake handle up to save walking in the bunker to get it!!
A correct call,ofcourse, but was it really necessary? I do think sometimes the game is taken too seriously!!

Not sure I agree that it is a correct call
Direct from rule book 13-4


before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that, having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not:
a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard;
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club; or
c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.
Exceptions:
1. Provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there is no penalty if the player (a) touches the ground or loose impediments in any hazard or water in a water hazard as a result of or to prevent falling, in removing an obstruction, in measuring or in marking the position of, retrieving, lifting, placing or replacing a ball under any Rule or (b) places his clubs in a hazard.

IMO As long as he was in no way testing the condition of the hazard, merely using his club to lift the rake and cause minimum disturbance to the sand, there was no penalty.
I was in a huge bunker last week and took my bag in so that I could select the correct club next to my ball. My partner was adamant it was a penalty, I was adamant it wasnt.What we often take for granted to be a rule is not always correct.

 

[bernix]

I cannot think of a situation where playing the rules is unsporting behaviour. That's why we have a set of rules. Unsporting is deliberatly violating the rules to gain an advantage over your opponent. Violating a rule accidently and getting penalised is about the same as hitting the ball OOB or has anybody ever hit a ball OOB by purpose.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Thanks everyone, very interesting opinions. I knew it would split people a bit. My own view is like an earlier post the sporting thing to do is to stop the shot being played in the first place. He wasn't playing out of turn deliberately and to stand by and watch knowing you are going to be able to call him back (and obviously "get inside his head") should he play a good shot isn't really "cricket" but is of course perfectly legal.
I wouldn't have walked off though, it was his mistake at the end of the day and the rules are all there for a reason no matter how much they seem unfair.
I'll tell you one thing though, he hasn't played out of turn since !!

 

[Herbie]

Thanks everyone, very interesting opinions. I knew it would split people a bit. My own view is like an earlier post the sporting thing to do is to stop the shot being played in the first place. He wasn't playing out of turn deliberately and to stand by and watch knowing you are going to be able to call him back (and obviously "get inside his head") should he play a good shot isn't really "cricket" but is of course perfectly legal.
I wouldn't have walked off though, it was his mistake at the end of the day and the rules are all there for a reason no matter how much they seem unfair.
I'll tell you one thing though, he hasn't played out of turn since !!

Surely the true sporting thing to do would be to let the shot stand, not interfere with the players mental state and only point it out at the end of the round, as stopping a player can interfere with their game as much as any other interference. After all its only a big deal if you make it so in match play. Sporting thing and right thing are not always partners.

 

[jammydodger]

Thanks everyone, very interesting opinions. I knew it would split people a bit. My own view is like an earlier post the sporting thing to do is to stop the shot being played in the first place. He wasn't playing out of turn deliberately and to stand by and watch knowing you are going to be able to call him back (and obviously "get inside his head") should he play a good shot isn't really "cricket" but is of course perfectly legal.
I wouldn't have walked off though, it was his mistake at the end of the day and the rules are all there for a reason no matter how much they seem unfair.
I'll tell you one thing though, he hasn't played out of turn since !!

Surely the true sporting thing to do would be to let the shot stand, not interfere with the players mental state and only point it out at the end of the round, as stopping a player can interfere with their game as much as any other interference. After all its only a big deal if you make it so in match play. Sporting thing and right thing are not always partners.

Well said Herbie , nice to see some other forumers still hold sportmanship high on the agenda

 

[viscount17]

Thanks everyone, very interesting opinions. I knew it would split people a bit. My own view is like an earlier post the sporting thing to do is to stop the shot being played in the first place. He wasn't playing out of turn deliberately and to stand by and watch knowing you are going to be able to call him back (and obviously "get inside his head") should he play a good shot isn't really "cricket" but is of course perfectly legal.
I wouldn't have walked off though, it was his mistake at the end of the day and the rules are all there for a reason no matter how much they seem unfair.
I'll tell you one thing though, he hasn't played out of turn since !!

Surely the true sporting thing to do would be to let the shot stand, not interfere with the players mental state and only point it out at the end of the round, as stopping a player can interfere with their game as much as any other interference. After all its only a big deal if you make it so in match play. Sporting thing and right thing are not always partners.

Well said Herbie , nice to see some other forumers still hold sportmanship high on the agenda

Winning is important, else why enter a competition?
The sporting action would have been to stop the shot being played, which may also interfere with the player's mental state but don't you try to do that throughout a matchplay round by applying pressure (ie trying to make every putt a pressure putt for the opponent)?

The other side of this is that if you allow your opponent to play out of turn, <u>knowing that they are doing so</u>, you are condoning the action. Perhaps you should have to call the 'foul' while the ball is in the air, not wait until you see the result of the shot.