What to do when you catch a "friend" cheating......

[Spartacus]

The more people who know about this cheat, the less who'll want to play with him.

Eventually, hopefully, nobody will play with him at all and he can cheat all he wants.

I can just seen him now, as a lonesome 1 ball, throwing his ball marker 4ft forward on the greens, improving his lie in the trees etc then going back home telling his wife he won!

Good riddance!

 

[link80]

A "friend" of mine you don't have to catch him cheating, you just have to watch him. Earlier this year I played my first ever proper round of golf though I have hit balls on a nearby field for a few years and caddied when I was younger so know a little about golf. I was with 2 friends who are members at the club we played and have both played for a few years and another friend who had played a bit in the past but not for a while. I'd tried not to think much about the opening shot on the first other than to hit it straight and if I didn't not to make a fuss about it infront of the clubhouse and just play on. When the time came I was surprised that both the members I was playing were hesitant to tee off first so I stepped up and thankfully hit a nice shot down the left hand of the fairway. After the other two it was the turn of the other guest to play and he proceeded to top his tee shot about twenty yards infront of him. He then went to pick his ball up and wanted to replay it off the tee at no penalty saying he wanted to start well in front of the clubhouse. Of course we didn't let him and he walked down the fairway shaking his head non too happy. Amongst other stuff we probably didn't notice, what we did quickly realise is he would try to take a shot off his score almost every other hole. Needless to say we now play as a threeball.

 

[Smiffy]

I have hit balls on a nearby field for a few years

Do you know Homer?
He's a member of Ascot too

 

[link80]

I have hit balls on a nearby field for a few years

Do you know Homer?
He's a member of Ascot too

That ones gone right by me mate, new here. Explain.

 

[Smiffy]

That ones gone right by me mate, new here. Explain.

Errr Homers course isn't exactly picturesque

 

[USER1999]

Bit of an in joke I'm afraid, but hang on here long enough, you'll catch up.

 

[link80]

I see, i'm the opposite I play on a hilly course with great views and moundy sloping fairways so you don't get many of them nice flat 'fieldy' lies unfortunately.

 

[Smiffy]

The other thing to take into account with all of this is the psychological effects on other players of course.
After round one, the cheat was sitting on 37 points. Best round of the day but not earnt honestly.
I myself came in with 28 points. Bearing in mind it was my first round and I'd had a couple of blobs I didn't think I had played too badly.
But on the "leader board" I am already 9 points behind the cheat. Knowing that he regularly scores mid thirties a round, I also knew that I was going to have my work cut out trying to catch him. I'd have to score 3 rounds at 36 points to even level with him, that's assuming he only scored 33 points on the next three himself. I haven't got one round of 36 points in me at the moment, let alone three!!
Now had he posted 31 points first round, I'm only 4 points behind and still in the hunt (as it were).
So my week-end (competition wise) was fecked before I'd even really started.

 

[USER1999]

You are mentally so strong, that's what I like about you.

 

[Smiffy]

You are mentally so strong, that's what I like about you.

Thanks Murph.
Glad you appreciate one of my strengths

 

[TriggerTech]

Oddjob, the perfect caddy!

 

[EZprophet]

I agree that the time to say something has probably now passed. You've gotta say something AS SOON as it happens imo. When you saw him throw his marker, you should have just said to him straight away that you saw him do it.

Similar situations have happened to me a couple of times and it can be a bit awkward but youve just gotta confront them straight up about it.

One time I was playing a grudge match against an old friend who was a way better junior golfer than me but I reckoned I could beat him now so challenged him to play straight up for a fair bit of money(even though he was a +1 and I was like a 5 or 6 at the time lol) It was very, very windy and on the first hole he slices his ball off the planet right, like I'm talking almost 100 yards O.B. Puts down a "provisional" and does the same thing but only like 30yards OB. I play two 80 yard punches to the middle of the green and tell him there is no point looking for them as it was genuinely impossible for him to find them. He popped down to have a look for them anyways....

As I get up to the green he shouts up claiming hes found his first ball, sitting like 5 yards into the trees with a playable lie. I though he was actually joking but he was deadly serious about it.

I didnt really know what to do... I knew that it was pretty much physically impossible for it to end up where it did, but calling him a liar and risking our friendship when I was not 100% sure (only 99.99%!) seemed kind of stupid over a golf match...

Anyways, even though I had a slight bit of doubt I just said he was full of [****] and refused to believe him. I said I refused to play him and cancelled the match. He denied cheating but when I said it, his brother, who was playing aswell, looked over at him with a look of "are you gonna tell him the truth" lol. I felt some relief as I thought I had got it right.

We played on anyways with no match and he denied it for the next couple of holes until eventually he admitted it and apologised. His brother guilt tripped him into admitting it I think lol ...I'm still mates with the guy kind of but I dont really trust him and certainly wont play him for money again!

Anyways the moral of my stupid story is don't read my long stupid stories... as theyre long.... and stupid! Oh and stand up to the cheater as soon as you see him cheat imo. If you dont say anything when it happens its a lot harder to bring it up later on.