Question of Competition?? - Please HELP

***iacas*** · July 11, 2006

Three weeks ago, my club's "match play championship" began. I'm in the handicapped flight (I'd rather not play against guys that regularly shoot 69 when my best ever is 71) along with about 100 other guys. We play each other, single elimination, until we have a winner in the handicap division.

I found my guy, Bill, two weeks ago and said "I work from home, so I can play pretty much whenever. Just give me at least 24 hours notice." He said okay.

Today is the deadline to complete first-round play. Now, very few of the matches have actually been completed, but today is technically the deadline. The next deadline for round 2 matches is the 25th.

Bill called me today to say "How about Friday? I'm bringing 8 or 10 guests and we'd have to play with two of them to fill out a foursome, but Friday's the only time I can do it." I pointed out that today is technically the deadline, and he said "yeah, but that happens every year, nobody follows the deadline." I told him I'd be uncomfortable playing my club championship match as part of a foursome with two guys I don't know (and two guys who aren't playing in the same tournament, even if I knew them or they were fellow members). He basically said "**** you, it's Friday or you don't want to do it."

I don't think this is fair. I don't think it's proper. I don't think it's right that I should have to play with two guests or even two guys who aren't in the same tournament (regardless of who they are) if I don't want to. I've made myself readily available to Bill, and he's the one who's put it off until AFTER the deadline to even think about doing the match.

I paid my $20 (pays for the trophies, etc.), but I'm thinking of forfeiting because I don't want to be a prick, but at the same time, I feel he should forfeit. I have every right, I feel, to ask that we play alone and that I not have to deal with two people in my group not playing in the competition (let alone two people I don't know that he does know). The fact that they ARE his buddies and/or clients raises all manner of rule-related issues.

The head pro, who would be "the committee" in this regard, is out of town until Friday evening.

What should I do?

**Thrash13** · July 11, 2006

Well, I'm probably not the best person to give advice in this regard because my patience isn't at a high level. I would have told him to play by the deadline, or he would be forfeiting per competition rules. You may have sounded like a prick, but there is nothing bad about playing by the rules.

It would have been ok if you two could had worked out something to play on Friday by yourselves, but there is no reason to have to play with two other people.

This has Ryder Cup intensity written all over it.

**Rafcin** · July 11, 2006

go play and WHOOP HIS ASS !!!!

actually - you can't come out bad out of this one. If you lose - it's because the story described. If you win - make sure to point out to him that you beat him ONLY beacause he pissed you off Nothing feels better.
Don't shoot yourself out of the competition beacause of that. Be better than this. Open a can of whoopass and show him off !

***iacas*** · July 11, 2006

actually - you can't come out bad out of this one. If you lose - it's because the story described.

Except that I don't want to lose because of any of this crap. I want a fair match, win or lose.

And as I said, I can't "play my own game" and win because I'm going to be worrying about whether he's getting or giving advice, whether they're helping to find his ball in the rough while not really looking for mine, whether these guests are stepping on my line, whether his buddies are yelling from the fairway behind or ahead of us, etc. The rules of golf stress equity, and this whole situation reeks of anything but equity. He's playing with buddies/clients (8 or 9 of them - they have three tee times booked), I'm playing by myself. I believe I'm going to ask (of our assistant pro) that he either forfeits or lets the match be moved to a date that's SOON and mutually agreeable.

**BigAl5150** · July 12, 2006

So let me get this straight; You're playing in a match play tourney and your opponent wants to turn it into a corporate golf outing (and screwed off for two weeks so you end up missing the deadline)??? What a . Probably the same guy who doesn't count all his strokes, sandbags his handicap and improves his lie. Hopefully the pro (or assistant) will set this guy straight and then as Rafcin put it "go play and WHOOP HIS ASS !!!!"

**cdriver** · July 12, 2006

Yea, what Big Al said.... I agree.

***iacas*** · July 12, 2006

An excerpt from the USGA Decisions Book found at

That's a good rule to know. Thanks. I'll have to print that out and take it in to the shop.

Froaderick · July 12, 2006

Just go with your gut, I say... if you're not comfortable, then dont do it. At least that way, no matter what happens, you did what you felt was right.

**FAHooGolfs** · July 12, 2006

I like the idea of asking the assistant pro to help you out and tell this guy that he either forfeits or has to play on a mutually agreeable day. You're playing by the rules and trying to be "honest" while at the same time exhibiting a bit of "gamesmanship" and messing with your opponent's head. He'll be more pissed off at you that you talked to the pro while you play with a clear conscience because you're getting what you wanted - a fairly contested match.

I say screw him.

If that doesn't work, the rule that was brought out above sounds phenomenal.

**cmarkmyers** · July 12, 2006

Kudos to tpgolf for finding that ruling.

I think you lodge your complaint and play him. And if by chance you do happen to lose and you honestly think it was due to the fact that other people were there then by all means have that rule enforced.

Although I can see his response now: I beat you fair and square and you have to be a baby and cry about it. Even if he does respond that way (if it were me I would not care if he did) there is no way to know that he didn't bring people along purposly to throw you off of your game.

The guy is being a jerk and really does not deserve any consideration from you at this point.

(Cerainly there are two sides to every story and I hate taking up one without hearing the other. But I need to give Erik the benefit of the doubt on this one.)

**NCGolfer** · July 12, 2006

Play under protest. You have plenty of evidence that you tried to get the match in by the deadline.

I don't like to bring anyone to play if I'm playing against someone in match play. It happened earlier this year and my opponent and I agreed to hole everything out before the 3rd person finished. That way he wasn't helping either of us.

You have the right to play with nobody else but him. It would be fun though if you would spank him in front of his friends. I'd play really slow and walk if everyone else is riding...that'll really get under his skin.

**mediaguru** · July 12, 2006

As a member of 3 clubs who have match play there are a couple of thoughts I have.

1. One club has a 2pm start time on the final day the match is to be played. If you and your opponent never set up a time you show up at 2pm the last day. By 2:15-2:30 of your opponent doesn't show you win by default.

2. The club in which I'm president will be DQing BOTH players in matches that do not end on the date specified. It's the only way to make sure things finish on time and we send a winner to the local tournament of champs.

I would have told the dude that we play on the date specified or he forfeits.

***iacas*** · July 12, 2006

I would have told the dude that we play on the date specified or he forfeits.

Unfortunately my club is a bit lax in enforcing those rules. I think only three of the 16 matches have been played.

I've decided I'm not going to play Friday, the assistant has the ruling in hand and is going to tell him when he shows up Friday that I refuse to play, and it's up to him (still) to schedule a re-match. If he can't do it by the next Tuesday (a week after the deadline), I'm going to insist to the pro (who will be back by then) that he has forfeited.

**allin** · July 12, 2006

Guys like this are poison. If you have him DQ'd he will probably complain to everyone he can. Bring along a caddie or driver if you are riding as a witness. I agree that being determined to cream him is the best revenge. There is a guy in my bowling leaque that is probably significantly better than I am, not more talented just bowls several leagues. He threw a temper tantrum when I beat him 3 straight several years ago. It motivates me every time we have matchup since, I am something like 25 out of 30 against him.

***iacas*** · July 22, 2006

Erik, did you ever play that match? Was it re-scheduled or forfeited?

Still haven't. Round 2 matches are

supposed to be done by the 25th. The guy I was supposed to play has asked to be moved to another bracket. Peh.

**rembrandt** · July 24, 2006

Sounds to me like he is afraid of ya! He should live up to the rules or bow out. You are fortunate he moved on and you don't have to play the bum.

***iacas*** · July 24, 2006

Sounds to me like he is afraid of ya! He should live up to the rules or bow out. You are fortunate he moved on and you don't have to play the bum.

He hasn't moved on yet. He's still supposed to be playing me. No change has been made.

But since round TWO matches were supposed to be done by tomorrow, I'm going to ask that he be marked as a forfeit so I can move on.

**rembrandt** · July 24, 2006

OK, I thought you said he asked to be moved on to another bracket. I think I misread your post!

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