Do you really play golf?

[rubbery]

I think if a few guys want to go out to a golf course, throw back a few beers, fix a few lies, and take a ton of mulligans, that's completely fine. Like someone said, if I'm rallying with a tennis partner for fun, and he hits after two bounces, I'm not going to throw a hissy fit.

However, if I'm playing golf seriously with another person who is even a semi-serious golfer, it is a little frustrating to watch him prop his ball up in the rough, or back heel it away from a tree. By no means am I a stickler for the rules. I've let blatant infractions slide by me in competition; I'm going to worry about my score and no one else's. If someone does want to cheat - cool, let him - but it does say something to me about his integrity.

There's a big gap between cheating and having fun. The latter is 100% acceptable from a rule-bending standpoint, but the former does speak for someone's character.

[PEZGolf]

  bigoak said:

A lot of people are hitting golf balls with golf clubs on a golf course but are not really playing golf. Hit the ball where it lies. no "do overs", no amnesia when it come to your stroke total, no gimmies, no picking up to identify your ball and suddenly you have a good lie and a clear line to the green. and on and on.

Oh, sure-------and take all the "fun" out of the game?

[HotBite]

  AlCzervik said:

how many threads have we had on rules? search function

Then don't read it. Thanks.

  iacas said:

This is your only warning: stop posting in this thread. Your opinion's been heard, and in

At least he didn't single anyone out or lash out with name calling, I think you shouldn't have posted in here if you didn't want to discuss the topic at hand.

I don't think he did anything wrong, but, your opinion is the only one that matters right? Apparently we can't have a free conversation here. _________ My view on this topic is that of many of you, if you are out with a group of guys on your weekend off, and you just want to have fun, why does it matter if you move your ball or drop from OB because you don't want to drive all the way back to the tee to hit another (don't give me the, well you should have hit a provisional crap, maybe you didn't know the OB was there). The way you play casual golf calls your character into question? LOL . You are giving way to much credit the the game of golf. (Hey, it's a great game, don't get me wrong). The only way it would make you "less of a person" is if you cheated to win something (be it fame in your group of golfers, "respect" from other golfers, or of course, money/merchandise/etc.) If you payed your money to play the course, and you take a club length from behind trees (yes I've seen people do this when i was randomly paired up) I'm not going to call you on it, because THAT calls my character into question, for being an prick. In the end, if you don't care what your score is at the end, then who cares if you move your ball or "cheat". But if you are going to brag about your round, accept prizes or purses, or hold it over someone that you beat them, then play the game legit, or I'm calling you on it.

[Fon Duc Tow]

I am a new golfer.

I ALWAYS play by the rules, even by myself, even on the par 3's. I'm pretty anal about it, and because of all the "good buddy rules" I have seen in my short time playing, I usually just keep it to myself.

But when playing with others, I'm not really competing against them because I keep my own score and tell them not to bother with mine. Their scores are usually "good buddy" scores, so really, what's the point?

As social as the game is, the competition aspect is solely between me, myself, and I.

And if I need 8 shots to get to the hole, I will take my 8 shots. As long as I am keeping within the time constraints of the course, I see no problem. I never have a problem letting someone play through either.

So I guess I fall somewhere in the middle here. And I think how you play the game over the course of your life is perhaps a small indication of character, but there are just too many variables to make such a broad stroke statement like "how you play golf is who you are."

Wishy washy answer I know...

[Grogger31]

I play the ball as it lies. I don't take mulligans or improve my lie. The only rule I don't follow is hitting a provisional. To keep play moving, I drop a ball where my drive went out and I'm hitting my third.

[HotBite]

Sorry, didn't add something to my post.

When I am playing, whether it be alone (especially alone) or with others, I play by every rule in the book, I just don't enforce other people to play the same way because I'm not that guy.

[tulefog]

I think it depends on the situation. By all means, if you are posting for handicap or playing in a tournament, all rules apply, bar none.

However, if a beginning golfer wants to improve their lie or take a do over, that may make the game less frustrating and more fun for them. I also think a lot of experienced players might, during a practice round, drop a second ball to experiment with different ways of playing a shot. I have no problem with any of this.

I think the fundamental concept here is that we all understand that a score kept by "modified" rules does not equate to a score kept by "the" rules. I would also agree that keeping score by "the" rules is a fantastic way to promote and monitor improvement.

BTW, iacas - I also agree with Billiam and HotBite. While I don't necessarily entirely agree with Rugger's opinion, I do have an interest in participating in a forum that promotes a free exchange of opinions, which would include opinions that may be different from mine or yours.

[john tuttle]

  mellojoe said:

I admit it fully. I consistetly play to "Improve My Lie". You're darn right I do. And I admit it to all my playing partners.

Same here, I sometimes also improve my lie. I don't drastically improve it, but I sometimes just move it an inch or so to get it out of a divot, for example.

[extremeld]

  ks8829 said:

Play it where it lies. you can tell alot about a person character the way approach and play golf.

i think that is just a stock reaction to the sentiments expressed in the first post. what can you tell? how someone gets round a golf course tells you very little about there character. your sentence tells me you are likely to be judgemental and i like to analyse

[firstcut]

I think there are "competitive play" rules and "fun rules".

IMHO, competitive play rules should come out of the book unless otherwise agreed to by the group or officiating body.

Fun rules are whatever you or the group decides is OK to promote a fun game at a pace that does not slow down the group and course.

IMHO, using such a subjective criteria as "golf play" to make a critical decision about the character of a person who you don't know may be a bit of character flaw in itself.

Enjoy the game folks!

[lookimtigerwoods]

i realize that playing by the rules is aplways important in any tournament or official round, but who doenst hate this guy in a not counting for anything round

"hey that was a nice shot, what did you hit?"
"That's 2 strokes!"


or the guy who wants you to play off of rocks of roots

or, the guy who yells at you for not walking all the way back up to the tee to re-tee after a lost ball

[iacas]

  lookimtigerwoods said:

"hey that was a nice shot, what did you hit?"

I can't remember the last time I asked someone what club they hit. What they hit won't affect my shot, and if I'm ready to hit when it's my turn, I don't have time to ask what club they hit - I'm already in my pre-shot routine with the club I've selected.

  lookimtigerwoods said:

or the guy who wants you to play off of rocks of roots

Chip out if you don't want to play it off where you've hit it.

  lookimtigerwoods said:

or, the guy who yells at you for not walking all the way back up to the tee to re-tee after a lost ball

Play a provisional.

I get what you're after, but for me and I suspect many people here, you've failed to get your point across.

[bigoak]

  iacas said:

I can't remember the last time I asked someone what club they hit. What they hit won't affect my shot, and if I'm ready to hit when it's my turn, I don't have time to ask what club they hit - I'm already in my pre-shot routine with the club I've selected.

It makes sense doesn't it? Just because it's you doesn't mean that you can't get a bad break. The term is " rub of the Green"

[pjsnyc]

  JessN16 said:

When "cheating" at golf becomes a commentary on someone's character in general, it is when someone "cheats" when the score matters to someone other than themselves...A friendly round on Friday mornings is different than a tournament, even the local Rotary Club scramble...

Exactly how I feel about this topic. As for myself, when I'm taking scores down for handicap purposes, etc., I play the ball down and call it

GOLF . When I'm playing the 9-hole course in my area and just want to try different things, I call it a PRACTICE ROUND . A month or so ago, I got paired up with a Pro who was going birdie, birdie, par, birdie, etc (pretty damn impressive)...but then on the back nine, he said to me "I'm done with my round of golf - I'm gonna practice..." and proceeded to use the foot wedge and dropped a couple extra balls to get all different types of lies. I don't think it said anything about his character - however he did say he was done with his round of 'GOLF'. Does this make sense to anyone? Here's a video that I feel relates to this thread...enjoy :) http://video.google.com/videosearch?...re+golf&emb;=0#

[DJYoshi]

if you're practicing different shots from different lies, that's practice. If you're playing and moving the ball to a better lie with the excuse of: you can't hit that shot b/c you have to work the ball, change the ball flight, and move it to have a clear shot of the green..or play the drop a ball in the best possible grass from where it went out, but 20 yards up and 30 yards right to have a clear shot at the green, then what kind of penalty is that?
golf is a game...true... but if you're posting handicaps and fluffing your ball, giving yourself a good lie, or misinterpreting the rules to your advantage, then you're posting a vanity hc.
people here are saying they've only been playing 1 or 2 years and can't hit that shot.
i'm not tooting my own horn, but this is my 2nd year, and i play as it lies unless rules dictate otherwise.
maybe if you practiced that shot and didn't let it effect your score during the round, then you'd have the confidence to hit that shot.
yesterday i snap hooked a 3 wood into the trees. not ob, but into the trees. i punched out to 130. pw up & down for a par. if I play: take the ball out and drop in the rough, I never would've learned or had the confidence to get out. I was in trees again on the next hole. played a low draw out of it to get on the green in reg.

if you're looking to practice..that's cool..improve..that's cool...if you want to keep the pace of play up...then that's appreciated... but don't say that you're hitting 2 when you fluff your ball. and don't say you parred the hole when you moved your ball 2 times to give yourself a better lie. just don't score at that point.

that's all that i'm saying. i could care less if the ppl i'm playing with play by the rules unless we're playing for money.. but don't claim a false score to make yourself feel better. you're just lying to yourself.

and PJ, the pro said he was done with his round.. he's gonna practice..so he dropped balls in different spots & lies.. yeah..that's practicing. taking a ball in deep rough and fluffling it and getting on the green then 1 putting isn't a birdie. it's a par. it's like declaring your ball unplayable in my eyes.

[pjsnyc]

  DJYoshi said:

...and PJ, the pro said he was done with his round.. he's gonna practice..so he dropped balls in different spots & lies.. yeah..that's practicing. taking a ball in deep rough and fluffling it and getting on the green then 1 putting isn't a birdie. it's a par. it's like declaring your ball unplayable in my eyes.

Yeah - I agree...sorta the point of my reply. Practice is practice...GOLF is GOLF.

[traviswise]

I almost always play legit golf. Look at my handicap, it shows!

[julie_m]

You guys all have some really good points, and good heads on your shoulders, it seems. It seems there's pluses for both sides. I'll admit, I'll nail one off into the God unknown distance, and if I know my partner well, I'll put down another ball and try it again, and I usually do get those drives right. But remember, I've played since maybe March, and I haven't the faintest idea how to really get the ball out of the rough, unless it's right on the edge. So for me, my partner and the people behind us, that's a better situation for all.

BUT, it's presumptuous to assume everyone in a foursome, unless you know them well, are ok with little mulligans and re-dos. I laughed at the guy with the buddy who was a pro rough-escape artist, that would be annoying.

I promise that one day soon I will man up (well, you know) and play the game by the rules. You're right, it is the only way to really learn.

I do have one big pet peeve though...people who won't finish their putts. They get it close, then just casually pick up their ball. Finish the whole and be proud of it, I think. Besides, I've watched enough golf to know there is no certainty in a two foot putt - or less. If you're so good, show me. IMHO.