Was I Too Honest?!?

[Brackenghyll6]

This evening I played in a final match play competition, after 9 holes I was two up against my opponent.
On the 10th hole par three I was on the green and my opponent went wild right. He played his shot and hit a telegraph pole, he then lined his third up and had a practice swing from behind the wall where the ball ended up. I mentioned he’d be allowed to retake the shot without penalty (local rule) he didn’t think of the rule and retook his shot scoring and 3 and long story short came back from behind to beat me overall. Was I too honest? Should I have stayed quiet? Is it up to him to know the rules?

 

[ScienceBoy]

No, you lost to the better player on the day and you wouldn’t feel right winning if you kept quiet.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

It’s up to him to know rules but personally I’d say to them every time. It isn’t the same winning when capitalising on someone’s bad bounce when you knew they could have played it again.

 

[Crow]

Hitting the pole is a free retake?

It's more often the wires and usually it's a compulsory retake.

 

[Mandofred]

Hitting the pole is a free retake?

It's more often the wires and usually it's a compulsory retake.

Yep, it's only the wires at our course. Hit the pole....tough luck.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

For me there is honest or dishonest - which rather suggests you can’t be tooo honest. Bit like being a little bit pregnant ?? There are however situations when the right and honest thing to do is not obvious. So I suppose there are times when you can honestly do the dishonest thing...?

 

[fundy]

This evening I played in a final match play competition, after 9 holes I was two up against my opponent.
On the 10th hole par three I was on the green and my opponent went wild right. He played his shot and hit a telegraph pole, he then lined his third up and had a practice swing from behind the wall where the ball ended up. I mentioned he’d be allowed to retake the shot without penalty (local rule) he didn’t think of the rule and retook his shot scoring and 3 and long story short came back from behind to beat me overall. Was I too honest? Should I have stayed quiet? Is it up to him to know the rules?

id have said something, its how i am, not everyone would i know and wouldnt expect an oppo to tell me, only you can decide ultimately

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It depends on how you want to play the game. Personally I would have done what you did.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Hitting the pole is a free retake?

It's more often the wires and usually it's a compulsory retake.

True, I didn’t consider the finer details here.

There are procedures to handle rulings but I would probably have done what you did if I didn’t know the rule in full at the time.

 

[robinthehood]

True, I didn’t consider the finer details here.

There are procedures to handle rulings but I would probably have done what you did if I didn’t know the rule in full at the time.

Yeah usually just the wires, but I think at a previous club the rule included the pylons too, depending how the local rule is worded.

fairly sure if the rule is in place then retake is mandatory.
As for the OP, id have told him he has to retake.

 

[ExRabbit]

This evening I played in a final match play competition, after 9 holes I was two up against my opponent.
On the 10th hole par three I was on the green and my opponent went wild right. He played his shot and hit a telegraph pole, he then lined his third up and had a practice swing from behind the wall where the ball ended up. I mentioned he’d be allowed to retake the shot without penalty (local rule) he didn’t think of the rule and retook his shot scoring and 3 and long story short came back from behind to beat me overall. Was I too honest? Should I have stayed quiet? Is it up to him to know the rules?

You probably know within yourself that you did the right thing.

It would have niggled at you more if you had taken advantage of his lack of knowledge of the rules.

Well played.

 

[Hoganman1]

You did the right thing. Unfortunately, golf is the only game where we "self police". Winning is and always will be important, but your honor is more important.

 

[KenL]

Hitting the pole is a free retake?

It's more often the wires and usually it's a compulsory retake.

At my old club there is a telegraph pole right in the middle of one fairway.
It is a compulsory re-take for hitting the pole or wires.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If the local rule includes a free reshot for hitting the pole then he's done the right thing. Its tough you went on to lose but clearly he played better on the back nine and no shame in that and you know that the match was played in the right way.

 

[LincolnShep]

You did the right thing. Having a reputation for integrity and fair play is more important than winning a match.
It wouldn't have been against the rules to keep quiet but you just don't. It's not nice.

 

[LincolnShep]

Some of these inferrals that not volunteering to a matchplay opponent that they have a drop equals playing unfairly, dishonourably or almost cheating, are bang out of order.

It is up to each player to know the rules, even more so at his home club, and if he/she doesn't know that they get a free drop there is absolutely no responsibility whatsoever on the opponent to help them.

Feel free to help your opponent beat you if you want, but anyone choosing not to step in and volunteer an advantage is well within their rights, in exactly the same way we are entitled to overlook one of their rules breaks in matchplay if we choose.

No issue whatsoever with what the OP did, but saying nothing is equally honest, fair, honourable, whatever you want to call it, and has zero negative reflection on "how you play".

You play how you want to play and I'll play how I want to play. We're both following the rules, so it's fine. There's no need to get defensive just because you're more competitive than me. You're allowed to be, it will probably give you an advantage. I'm comfortable with that.

 

[robinthehood]

You play how you want to play and I'll play how I want to play. We both following the rules, so it's fine. There's no need to get defensive just because you're more competitive than me. You're allowed to be, it will probably give you an advantage. I'm comfortable with that.

TBF its getting a bit gushing and a little OTT, just for pointing out a local rule.

The retake is compulsory for this local rule, but as it's a matchplay you could overlook him breaking it and carry on.

 

[Grant85]

This evening I played in a final match play competition, after 9 holes I was two up against my opponent.
On the 10th hole par three I was on the green and my opponent went wild right. He played his shot and hit a telegraph pole, he then lined his third up and had a practice swing from behind the wall where the ball ended up. I mentioned he’d be allowed to retake the shot without penalty (local rule) he didn’t think of the rule and retook his shot scoring and 3 and long story short came back from behind to beat me overall. Was I too honest? Should I have stayed quiet? Is it up to him to know the rules?

Personally feel you've 100% done the right thing and I'd do similar in that situation.

I've heard of guys accidentally teeing off from the yellow tees in medals and playing partners standing watching them and calling them out before their ball has landed.

 

[LincolnShep]

TBF its getting a bit gushing and a little OTT, just for pointing out a local rule.

The retake is compulsory for this local rule, but as it's a matchplay you could overlook him breaking it and carry on.

Sorry, I don't understand the "gushing" comment.
In this case there's probably a local rule about the pylon, or the wire, or both - although the OP hasn't confirmed either way.
The broader point is, if you know someone is about to disadvantage themselves, do you tell them or not (within the constraints of 10.2)?
I usually do - but there's no obligation to do so and I totally respect the decision of others who choose not to.

 

[robinthehood]

Personally feel you've 100% done the right thing and I'd do similar in that situation.

I've heard of guys accidentally teeing off from the yellow tees in medals and playing partners standing watching them and calling them out before their ball has landed.

Thats not really the same situation though, thats a medal and this is match play, so the options are different.