does ANYONE play STRICTEST rules?

**Stacey_E** · July 13, 2008

One simple question here. It might start a huge debate. I feel alone in the golfing world, more specifically at my golf club. Maybe I am a masochist for studying and following the rules to the letter. I don't mean to sound preachy, I just know that you don't play baseball with 4 strikes.

Does ANYONE play strictest rules golf? I mean no ifs, ands or buts strictest rules from tee to cup?

**Harry Longshanks** · July 13, 2008

I do, except where it might affect the play of others. (See the thread on "

Lost Ball, What do you do? ") Obviously, tournament rounds would be "strictly by the book."

Last edited by Stacey_E; 1 Minute Ago at 06:55 pm. Reason: grammer

No disrespect intended, I just found this ^^^ funny.

**bIGwIRE** · July 13, 2008

For handicap rounds and league play I do, of course. I love the competition, esspecially with my previous rounds.

But alot of times I don't even keep score, just having fun, caught up in the shot I'm on. I leave the spikes in the Jeep and play barefoot, with a flask tuked in the scorecard pocket on my bag. Its fun that way, not being afraid to fire at a buried pin, no stress.

I thoroughly enjoy both modes.

**Fourputt** · July 13, 2008

One simple question here. It might start a huge debate. I feel alone in the golfing world, more specifically at my golf club. Maybe I am a masochist for studying and following the rules to the letter. I don't mean to sound preachy, I just know that you don't play baseball with 4 strikes.

IMO there is no such thing. You either play by the rules or you don't. If you play by the rules then by definition it is the "strictest". If you ignore even one rule or procedure, then you aren't playing by the rules. You can't get away with just "sorta" playing by the rules... not in my book anyway.

That said, I don't really care what others do as long as I'm not in competition with them, but I do play by the rules.

**srjorion** · July 13, 2008

No disrespect intended, I just found this ^^^ funny.

That IS funny! Like Harry Longshanks, no disrespect intended. Gotta laugh though!!!!!

**Stacey_E** · July 13, 2008

Amen Fourputt. I often wonder how those guys feel when they lay their head down at night. "I shot a 79. But I fluffed the ball 8 times, and that OB I just dropped one out and took a stroke, and I did have 15 clubs with me but I only hit 12 of them, etc. etc. Who am I to re-write the USGA or R&A; rule book?

**NM Golf** · July 13, 2008

Any round that I play to get a score, whether it be in a tournament, a money game, or just for handicap purposes is strictly by the rules. Practice rounds are the only time I don't follow the rules because I am hitting two balls or rehitting putts or working on my game.

**Ben** · July 13, 2008

IMO there is no such thing. You either play by the rules or you don't. If you play by the rules then by definition it is the "strictest". If you ignore even one rule or procedure, then you aren't playing by the rules. You can't get away with just "sorta" playing by the rules... not in my book anyway.

My sentiments as well.

**Harry Longshanks** · July 13, 2008

IMO there is no such thing. You either play by the rules or you don't. If you play by the rules then by definition it is the "strictest". If you ignore even one rule or procedure, then you aren't playing by the rules. You can't get away with just "sorta" playing by the rules... not in my book anyway.

Well, I sort of disagree with that. For example, the "

Lost Ball " thread I cited above. If you unknowingly hit a ball OB or lost, strictly you should go back to the tee and hit another ball. But on a crowded day, that's neither practical nor advisable. However, the rules (at least for purposes of handicapping) do allow you to record the score that you "most likely would have received" had you finished the hole. So you take 2 strokes (instead of 1; one for stroke, one for distance), and play it like a lateral hazard. Not strictly by the rules, but well within the spirit of them and certainly more in line with the very first section of the USGA Rules - "Etiquette" (Of course, the best option would be to hit a provisional from the tee while you are still there. I'm talking about a situation where you don't realize there is a problem until you've already left the tee box and probably spent 5 minutes looking for your ball.)

**Shindig** · July 13, 2008

The way I see it, you can either play golf or you can make up some other game and go out there and play that instead.

I hit provisionals if I'm not sure where the first one went. This is happening more and more rarely nowadays - the need, not the happening when it is needed. My first few chances to break 100 were - literally! - offset by O.B. penalties. I said "hitting 3" (and in one sad case, "hitting 5") when, had I said 'mulligan,' my score at the end would've been double digits.

Ditto for last week - I hit one O.B. on the second tee, "hit 3", and returned a 90 (for the course, not the hole) from the blues. Today I broke 90 from the blues - legitimately.

And similar for practice strokes in the sand - the first round where I felt I could've broken 90 was offset by a 2-stroke penalty for grounding my club in a bunker. Second hole, approach into bunker. Tried to blast out, ball stays in bunker. I take a "practice swing" - my usual response to a bad shot. Oops! Ball's still in bunker. Up and down for a triple, turn in a 91.

So yes, to the best of my knowledge, I'm playing the strictest of rules. Now, if someone I'm not playing against wants to take gimmes or treat O.B. as a lateral hazard, I'm fine with that.

**JYB** · July 13, 2008

i try to play by the book. it's the only way to improve.

**Fourputt** · July 13, 2008

i try to play by the book. it's the only way to improve.

And it's the only way to measure your progress. If you fudge one here and there, how do you actually know how you're doing? When you play every round by the same rules, then you know the status of your overall game. When you tell someone you shot an 88, you know it's a legitimate score.

Not to mention that you probably beat your buddy who says he shot 85, because you saw him drop a ball 30 yards too close to the hole by that water hazard on #6, and he rolled it out of a divot on the 12th. He thinks he beat you, but you know better, and any way you look at it, that feels good.

**RX Phoenix** · July 13, 2008

It's rare these days to see anyone go back to the tee, after searching for a lost drive, the provisional is also not getting as much useage. In many cases it isn't practical to go back to the tee on a crowded course. The rules of golf were written up by people who played mostly on private courses in the days where people weren't in such a hurry. But today there is a lot of pressure on public courses to keep up a fast rate of play.

I would say, get in the habit of hitting a provisional, most golfers I've played with have no problem having someone take that option, but there are times when you split the fairway with a drive but can't find the ball, happened two rounds ago with someone in our 4some, the ball just disappeared.

**JaY_B** · July 13, 2008

I definitely play by the rules, although in non competitive rounds if I lose a ball off the tee and it is busy I will just drop a ball down where I assumed the ball would be, there is no point holding up the course.

I mean I don't take much notice of scores in friendly rounds as I use them more for practise.

:Edit: I always always hit a provisional in competitive rounds lol, this is simply non competition I am talking about :Edit:

In your guys opinions is this acceptable?

**ks8829** · July 13, 2008

Is there any other way to play? rules are rules, black and white.

My buddy sometimes tries to give me the benefit of the doubt but I always insist on the rules and play the ball where it lies.

***iacas*** · July 13, 2008

Rules are rules. There is no "strictly," only adherance. It's a binary thing.

I never offer putts in my Tuesday league, but sometimes they're given, and I'd be a butt to go up and putt my one-footer in (though if I can because nobody's on that line or almost ready to putt and my ball hasn't been knocked away, I will).

Beyond that, I have two modes of playing golf:
1) by the rules, for a score, yada yada
2) using the course as a practice range. that's not golf, that's practice, so there aren't any rules to follow.

**Stacey_E** · July 13, 2008

Rules are rules. There is no "strictly," only adherance. It's a binary thing.

Great point. I think my phrasing of the question wasn't scientifically correct, but you get the idea. Maybe should have been "who doesn't play sorta-golf?" You bring up an interesting point though, and I would like your advice.

Scenario: Playing by myself, it's obvious I'm not in it all all today. 5 holes in I've used ESC twice. Handicap rules assume that I am trying my best on each hole. I don't want to be sandbagging, Is it then acceptable for me to just declare myself as practicing and enjoy the course and wildlife? I always just grind it on out but somehow makes me feel a little dirty because I'm not trying my best. Would love your input on that. Thanks fin advance for opinion.

***iacas*** · July 13, 2008

Scenario: Playing by myself, it's obvious I'm not in it all all today. 5 holes in I've used ESC twice. Handicap rules assume that I am trying my best on each hole. I don't want to be sandbagging, Is it then acceptable for me to just declare myself as practicing and enjoy the course and wildlife? I always just grind it on out but somehow makes me feel a little dirty because I'm not trying my best. Would love your input on that. Thanks fin advance for opinion.

I would suggest simply trying to figure out what works for you that day. You may not end up posting a round that counts towards your handicap, but you need those too. People who post only their good rounds cheat themselves.

I determine whether I'm "practicing" or "playing" before I tee off, then stick to it. On days when I don't have my swing, I still try to play good golf (scoring wise). Let's not get off topic, though. It's your topic, after all.

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