Do you play it down in casual rounds?

[golfunit]

"If me or my buddies don't get range time, we always take two off the first."

Sorry, I find that weak. How are you going to get better if you don't play ALL your shots?

"I'm not so anal retentive about the pros' rules."

The rules are NOT the pros' rules, they belong to all of us. Learn to hit with mud on your ball and from crappy lies.

[Dub]

Play it down is the norm.

The only times I don't are on practice rounds......the type of round where I go to a course vs going to a driving range. I hit a couple of balls from different spots and try to zero in on trouble areas.

The second would be in team competitive events betwen buddies where we are playing for some small pocket change and have agreed on the first tee or prior that there can be additional relief allowed from roots, divots, rocks, etc.

[chingali]

As my grandfather told me when I was first beginning to play 30 years ago, "Don't touch it unless you are hitting it" and apart from when the rules allow for it I have stayed true to that advice.

[GOLFSALOT00]

in the early season i will because we have elk and deer that leave tracks everywhere and tear up the fairways but during the summer i play it as it lies

[Undr Par]

in the early season i will because we have elk and deer that leave tracks everywhere and tear up the fairways but during the summer i play it as it lies

have you ever seen 1 while playing? a few years ago I playing this course and deer (about 5-6 of them) were standing about 10-15ft away from the tee box, and geese about 20ft away....they didn't even move when all 4 of us teed off......what a sight i thought.

[Guest]

play the ball ball as it lies...

[jeffhale08]

Down in the rough or off the fairway, but rollin' it in the short grass. Our area munis don't exactly have great grass from tee to green. I should not be punished for striping it down the middle only to find a bare spot in the fairway. Now when I am on a fine course or in a tourney, I never touch the ball.

[dave39]

I'm a pretty casual guy and carry that on to the golf course but I play the ball as it lies. When I walk up to my ball after a nasty pull into a bunker or hazard it is what it is and I play it as such. That's what makes the game fun and keeps it interesting.

[Dent]

I'm a pretty casual guy and carry that on to the golf course but I play the ball as it lies. When I walk up to my ball after a nasty pull into a bunker or hazard it is what it is and I play it as such. That's what makes the game fun and keeps it interesting.

You are very right Dave,

What would be the fun in golf if you had an awsome lie all the time and It was easy to hit a good shot? Really, trying new things on the course is the best, If you are stuck by a tree, and have to figure out what to do, and do something abnormal, thats the fun part of the game.

[CSG]

If I'm playing casually with friends on our course, we do what we feel like. It's a freakin' game and, frankly, the rules are insane. The idea of any game is to have fun and if you are not a great golfer and you're out for fun there is NO harm with improving your lie so that you can move along and, hopefully, make a better shot. Competition, of course, is completely another matter.

Part of the problem with the game is too many serious golfers who all think they're on the tour.

I answered, depends.

[Craig Mac]

I answered Depends, I mostly play it down, however using yesterday as an example, the course we played had areas that were covered in Goose leavings, so if was in the fairway I would lift clean and place. We also imply a lift clean and place if the course is saturated, which happens a lot this time of year. These are rare occasions but I can't answer Always if occacionally we play this way.

[underparnv]

I always play it down here. I do that because I count all of my rounds toward my official USGA Handicap

[LottaBalata]

Two situations for me: One, I won't damage a club. If I'm close to the cartpath, or I see any gravel, out comes the foot wedge. I don't really play competitively, but if my partner that day is keeping score, I'll at least mention it to him or ask him/her if they care.

2: If I'm playing alone, I have plenty of time, sometimes I'll play two balls, rolling for a lie doesn't seem like a problem for me. I'm still trying to improve, and see no need to stress out over a crappy lie. I try to start out the first couple holes, no matter what, playing it as it lies. If I'm getting pars or better on the first couple holes, I'm really intersted in a true score.

I just don't like to stress out while playing.

[Bradenator]

I always play down, though most of the guys I play with for casual rounds roll and fluff as they see fit. I happen to believe that playing by the book is important, no matter how casual the round, but that's just me. If my buddies want to pull out the foot wedge from time to time, then that's on them. I don't know if I think it is really "dishonest" or not, but it isn't the game of golf as defined by the USGA. At the end of the day, the game is meant to be enjoyed, and if some folks get more pleasure from rolling the ball, then more power to them. I just happen to get more pleasure from accepting the rub of the green as it comes.

A bit off topic, but related...A couple of months ago, after a sand-save on a weekend casual round, my cart partner told me "nice par" as he started to card a 4 for me. The look on his face when I told him that I ws calling a penalty for clipping a leaf on my backswing in the bunker....well, it was absolutely priceless...and more than worth the penalty! He must have said, "You're serious??" five or six times before the next tee...

Like I said though, to each their own...enjoy your game, and I'll enjoy mine.

[mancest]

I always play it as it lies in casual rounds because I am going for a score and thus it is only fitting to do so. I played in my first tournament last week and I am glad I play my casual rounds that way, because I had a difficult shot in a very bad lie that I had a week previously. I was able to make a good play correctly because of that. Too bad I played terribly overall, but for that shot it helped

[wachesawgolfer]

I always play it down even when I can move it under the rules. Improving the lie really doesn't help the shot that much and encourages a sweeping iron shot instead of hitting down on the ball. Plus, moving the ball gets in your head and and in serious or honest games it hurts your confidence. Even when I play alone I may find myself twisted around a tree to make a shot through a slit opening. All the more fun and practice for those shots.

[Three Putt]

My home course is in ok shape, some parts are awful. I know what is marked GUR in the club champ tournaments (1 old abandoned bunker, and torn up cart areas through the green) If my ball lies in what looks like a golf cart mud bog, i take relief.

If I am playing a friendly match for a few bucks my opponent and i usually agree on what is GUR.