Skins Game Antics

[Greg DeValk]

Recently played in a skins game.  Just 3 people of 4 was in.  Almost every time we were all on the green, the 4th guy not playing the skins game, was farther from hole but always on the same line as the 3rd guy.  So in essence, the 3rd guy got to see his putting line 14 out of 18 times and made 13 of the 14 he saw the line on.  Is this fair for the other 2 guys playing in the skins game or am I just being a poor sport by mentioning this in the first place?  note: when the 4th guy was on the other side of the hole from the 3rd guy who made all the putts,  the 4th guy would hit his putt too hard and would end up on the same line as the 3rd guy but farther from the hole.  Just wondering what y'all think about this! Thanks G 

[Shindig]

Depends.  Is the 4th guy doing this on purpose or is it just luck?

When my club does our match play tournament, we try to fill foursomes by each bringing another player (so we don't get public pairings that would affect the match).  Some players like to ask the other two to wait until the players in the match have finished on the green to play their putting;  other times, they just play in order and if you see the line from someone, as long as that person didn't chip behind you to give you the line, it's fine. 

[Club Rat]

Sounds like they are doing a "Parking Lot Split $$"

[Bonvivant]

2 hours ago, Greg DeValk said:

Recently played in a skins game.  Just 3 people of 4 was in.  Almost every time we were all on the green, the 4th guy not playing the skins game, was farther from hole but always on the same line as the 3rd guy.  So in essence, the 3rd guy got to see his putting line 14 out of 18 times and made 13 of the 14 he saw the line on.  Is this fair for the other 2 guys playing in the skins game or am I just being a poor sport by mentioning this in the first place?  note: when the 4th guy was on the other side of the hole from the 3rd guy who made all the putts,  the 4th guy would hit his putt too hard and would end up on the same line as the 3rd guy but farther from the hole.  Just wondering what y'all think about this! Thanks G 

I wouldn't have liked this one bit. Could be dumb luck but still, unfair. Should have decided at the beginning of the round that the person not in the game putts last always

[Buckeyebowman]

2 hours ago, Shindig said:

Depends.  Is the 4th guy doing this on purpose or is it just luck?

When my club does our match play tournament, we try to fill foursomes by each bringing another player (so we don't get public pairings that would affect the match).  Some players like to ask the other two to wait until the players in the match have finished on the green to play their putting;  other times, they just play in order and if you see the line from someone, as long as that person didn't chip behind you to give you the line, it's fine. 

OK, Let me introduce just a little bit of reason in the proceedings!  Just how "skilled" is this "4th guy"?! Think about it! He can put his ball on the green just behind the long putter on a scramble team? Are you guys delusional or what?! 

[David in FL]

59 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

OK, Let me introduce just a little bit of reason in the proceedings!  Just how "skilled" is this "4th guy"?! Think about it! He can put his ball on the green just behind the long putter on a scramble team? Are you guys delusional or what?! 

I have to admit, that was my first thought too!

[RickK]

22 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

OK, Let me introduce just a little bit of reason in the proceedings!  Just how "skilled" is this "4th guy"?! Think about it! He can put his ball on the green just behind the long putter on a scramble team? Are you guys delusional or what?! 

No kidding.  Thinking this guy who was no in the skins must be one hell of a player to be able to put 14 shots on the greens in the perfect spot to help someone else.  I am calling BS on this.

[Sandy Lie]

On 1/28/2020 at 5:12 PM, Greg DeValk said:

Recently played in a skins game.  Just 3 people of 4 was in.  Almost every time we were all on the green, the 4th guy not playing the skins game, was farther from hole but always on the same line as the 3rd guy.  So in essence, the 3rd guy got to see his putting line 14 out of 18 times and made 13 of the 14 he saw the line on.  Is this fair for the other 2 guys playing in the skins game or am I just being a poor sport by mentioning this in the first place?  note: when the 4th guy was on the other side of the hole from the 3rd guy who made all the putts,  the 4th guy would hit his putt too hard and would end up on the same line as the 3rd guy but farther from the hole.  Just wondering what y'all think about this! Thanks G 

I’ve run into this. I’ve been the 4th guy and knowing the guys have skins on the line I’ll putt last if I’m on the same line. And of course if I have my own line and I’m away I’ll putt first.

[Sandy Divot]

If the fourth guy was that skilled, he should have gotten in the game, and taken all the skins. Also, if the third guy was skilled enough to finish 13 of 14, it sounds like you guys got hustled.

[DaveP043]

On 1/28/2020 at 5:12 PM, Greg DeValk said:

 So in essence, the 3rd guy got to see his putting line 14 out of 18 times and made 13 of the 14 he saw the line on.  

 

15 hours ago, Sandy Divot said:

If the fourth guy was that skilled, he should have gotten in the game, and taken all the skins. Also, if the third guy was skilled enough to finish 13 of 14, it sounds like you guys got hustled.

How close was guy #3 on these?  Even the best players in the world won't make 13 of 14 from 10 feet, that just doesn't happen!

[Buckeyebowman]

On 1/29/2020 at 8:25 PM, Sandy Lie said:

I’ve run into this. I’ve been the 4th guy and knowing the guys have skins on the line I’ll putt last if I’m on the same line. And of course if I have my own line and I’m away I’ll putt first.

Well, yeah! That's the way we do it too. My buddy is aces on a putt where he can see the line ahead of time. What I took the post to mean, was that this guy "who was not in the skins game" managed to place his approach in the perfect spot to aid his team! Could he possibly be that skilled/ And what do you want to bet he was getting a share?

[Mr22putt]

On 1/28/2020 at 6:25 PM, Buckeyebowman said:

 Are you guys delusional or what?! 

This......

On 1/30/2020 at 8:56 AM, DaveP043 said:

 

How close was guy #3 on these?  Even the best players in the world won't make 13 of 14 from 10 feet, that just doesn't happen!

This....

[leftybutnotPM]

I would wager that if Tiger Woods was 20 feet from the green on 72 holes after your ball was on the green and he had 18 opportunities to be further from the hole on EXACTLY your line it might happen once.