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guest100718
Guest
If you see a fellow competitor break the rules, most likely through now knowing the rule. Do you pull them up an try and penalise them? Let it go? Or have a quiet word?
nemicu
Head Pro
If you see a FC break the rules you call them on it - what they do afterwards is up to them, but at least they cannot claim ignorance and you cannot say you did nothing. If nothing else, the aim is to enlighten and educate, but ultimately the onus lies with the player in question who made the breach.
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
This.
Couple of weeks ago we were waiting for our 8:40 tee time in the Medal . The 8:30 three ball was just two people so they teed off on time. Another guy swanned up thinking he had signed up with us. He hadn't and was with the 8:30 group. Lots of arm waving etc and he teed off at 8:34. As he set off to join his FPs we just said "Don't forget you teed off late. Remember to add your 2 shot penalty". Did he? No idea. But we'd done our bit.
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guest100718
Guest
Fc hits a great chip that roles up and into the hole. But it wedges between hole and flag and is not holed out. Before can say anything he leans down, picks it up. Do you make him replace it or let it go?
atticusfinch
Challenge Tour Pro
You cannot penalize a fellow player. Tell him what you saw. If you are his marker and he does not add the penalty refuse to sign the card until it is correct. If you are not and he turns it in with the wrong score, tell the committee.
If it is not a serious competition you have to decide whether adherence to the rules or group tranquility is more important.
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HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
If it's a roll up game then I'd take the opportunity to educate them. In a comp you have no option as a marker or FC but to inform them of the breach, allow them a chance to rectify the situation and adjust the score. If not, don't sing the card or report them to the comp secretary
hovis
Tour Winner
I'd let it go and tell him for next time
Ads749r
Head Pro
Let it go and then key CHEAT into his car bonnet.
Franco
Assistant Pro
I started a similar thread a few weeks ago. Since then, I make a point of pointing out the transgressions. They occur infrequently and I believe, are seldom due to ignorance. Last week, in a roll up two from three, I saw one of our team slyly drop a ball when he could not find his own. I simply asked him to pick it up. These roll ups have (small) cash prizes. If I was playing cards with friends no-one would ignore cheating. It should be the same when paying golf.
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guest100718
Guest
i am not talking about blatent cheating, rather inadvertantly breaking the rules. Today for example FCs ball landed on a path and he took a free drop but he was still stood on the path.
Blimey, I didn't know that was wrong. It is a judgement call on that one for me. If it was done in ignorance, like me, and no benefit was gained then have a quiet word. That seems to be one of golf pedantic rules rather than an earth shattering one. Some of the other examples given are blatant cheating, this doesn't sound like it so it is a chance to educate rather than penalise and ruin someones day.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I hope you told him that cheating is absolutely unacceptable in golf and made clear your utter dismay at what he had done
Franco
Assistant Pro
Indeed I did, but I left it until the game was over and we were back in the clubhouse. I was left with the impression that in the future, he will make sure no one is watching.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
such an example is the easiest to deal with all round.
until he's made a stroke at the ball there is no penalty, either direct or indirect, in explaining that he would need to re-drop and why.
phrasing such discussions as a soft question will normally create the right environment - " I think you have to drop again so that you are clear of the path you took relief from?" being an example.
raising it later in a competition environment is fraught with dangers -
doing so before he returns his card would mean he gets a penalty that could have been avoided
after returning the card this will be DQ for returning a wrong score by not including that penalty - double whammy
after the competition closed would result in no penalty to him but you would be DQ
Not trying to suggest that it's always simple - I know this one's an easy one, and that most seem extremely difficult at the time.
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guest100718
Guest
Yep I get what you are saying and this was just another example of the things I see during comp rounds. Its not alwasy that easy though to get the persons attention before the error is made. The drop one for example, I was quite a way away and would have had to shout over and the chap in question doesnt hang about, i would probably have shouted during his backswing and who know what would have happened from there! its the same bloke from the OP.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
If I ever saw anyone cheating again I would pull them up on it there and then.
I saw a "mate" cheat a couple of years ago on a week-end trip to Cornwall and wanted to say something, but the other friends I was playing with hadn't seen it and asked me not to say anything for fear of ruining the week-end.
It's bugged me ever since.
Cheating git.
I saw a "mate" cheat a couple of years ago on a week-end trip to Cornwall and wanted to say something, but the other friends I was playing with hadn't seen it and asked me not to say anything for fear of ruining the week-end.
It's bugged me ever since.
Cheating git.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Friendly/Bounce game I would either say it jokingly or casually as per Duncan's 'soft question'. Happened to me when I had a brain fart (actually 2!) about relief from a tree - that I wasn't entitled to!
In a Competition I'd act before the possibility of (further) penalty could arise. So pull up, again with a 'soft question', for a re-drop situation, a 'not so soft' statement for a ball jammed betwixt sealer and flag and again if the balled had been picked from hole before it was 'holed'.
In a Competition I'd act before the possibility of (further) penalty could arise. So pull up, again with a 'soft question', for a re-drop situation, a 'not so soft' statement for a ball jammed betwixt sealer and flag and again if the balled had been picked from hole before it was 'holed'.
Sid Rixon IV
Head Pro
Id be very reluctant to play with someone who "dropped" a ball even if it was just in a roll up.
In fact, I'd expect to be cold shouldered if I was caught doing it.
I once played with a guy who, when looking for his lost ball, regularly said "Ok lads, you go take your shots and I'll look whilst you're playing them".
He always found it.
In fact, I'd expect to be cold shouldered if I was caught doing it.
I once played with a guy who, when looking for his lost ball, regularly said "Ok lads, you go take your shots and I'll look whilst you're playing them".
He always found it.
North Mimms
Tour Winner
How you react depends on the infringement.
Breaking a rule inadvertently either through ignorance or "brain fart" is not cheating, but it's still breaking a rule and penalty shot(s) should be applied. Strangely the very best way to learn a rule is to break it! Once you've been penalised for a transgression, you tend to remember that one.
Dropping a ball on the sly to replace a lost one IS cheating. No-one does that by mistake or in ignorance.
If I was postive I saw someone do that, I would call them on it immediately.
Would I play with them again? hmm possibly yes, I would expect they wouldn't dare try it with me again, but might with someone else.
However that would depend if they remained members of the club!
Breaking a rule inadvertently either through ignorance or "brain fart" is not cheating, but it's still breaking a rule and penalty shot(s) should be applied. Strangely the very best way to learn a rule is to break it! Once you've been penalised for a transgression, you tend to remember that one.
Dropping a ball on the sly to replace a lost one IS cheating. No-one does that by mistake or in ignorance.
If I was postive I saw someone do that, I would call them on it immediately.
Would I play with them again? hmm possibly yes, I would expect they wouldn't dare try it with me again, but might with someone else.
However that would depend if they remained members of the club!
Sid Rixon IV
Head Pro
When I first started to play I was advised not to carry several similar balls with the same marking, as I did then, to avoid situations like that.
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