Playing the ball down,...

[Lefty731PM]

I'm playing today with some friends at a very nice course,.... (it's good to have friends who work at a nice country club) My one friend and I have been playing the ball down lately after years of bumping it,... we're trying to get a feel for how the game is to be played,... my other buddies hate the thought of that. They play pretty good golf too, often shooting in the 70's (me, not so much)

They aren't shooting in the seventies. I find it amazing that to suggest that you play the game properly would start an argument. How are these jerks shooting in the seventies when they make up their own rules?

[heyscuba]

I always shake my head when I play with someone who "shoots in the __" and they make sure to roll the ball, use their two mulligans and liberal drops. In the end I try not to worry about their game - except when I hear about how they beat me by two strokes even though I play every week...

How do you play a lost ball,...?

[heyscuba]

I find it amazing that to suggest that you play the game properly would start an argument.

What do you mean by this,...? What argument did I start,...?

[joshtpa]

Please try and use quotes, so we know who you are responding to. And Multi quote if you are responding to numerous posts.

[Lefty731PM]

I find it amazing that to suggest that you play the game properly would start an argument.

You wrote:

How can I suggest that we do this without starting a fight or getting someone mad,...?

[Fat Slice]

The only rule that I do not follow is the OB rule. I try to hit a provisional if I think I am near the OB but if I walk up and I find my ball OB I play it as a lateral hazard (stroke and drop not distance). Try driving back to the tee at a crowded public course :)

I think you need to hit more provisionals! Also, if you *do* play an OB as a lateral hazard, shouldn't you take a 2 stroke penalty to make up for the 'free' distance?

I hear you about driving back to the tee - some people can get downright ornery!

[iacas]

Please try and use quotes, so we know who you are responding to. And Multi quote if you are responding to numerous posts.

You're right, yes.

But that's almost beside the point: you and scuba should ignore each other. You two got off on the wrong foot with each other. Back to topic.

[chingali]

So many of the issues raised on these boards do not arise in Australia, because so many of us play competition golf on a weekly basis. So the idea of not playing the ball as it lies, to use the bowling analogy, would be like someone saying they bowled 290 and then said that there were a few occasions when 9 pins went down so they marked them as strikes and on a few other occasions there were only a few pins left after going for spares, so those were counted as spares. Not to mention replaying the gutter balls.

Very well said, I couldn't agree more. As far as I'm concerned I think you should play the game by the rules or go and find something else to do. I don't give a toss for arguments such as "I paid my green fees so I'll do what I like" or "it's my time I am spending so I'll do what I like to make it enjoyable". If the game's too hard for you playing by the rules go find something else.

As for the people who "only move the ball if hitting it will damage a club" get over it - they are lumps of metal you use to bash things with. If they get dings or scratches on them who cares they will still work. If you are playing the game with the sole intent of owning the nicest most pristine set of clubs in the world then you are playing this great game for the wrong reason.

[Stacey_E]

As for the people who "only move the ball if hitting it will damage a club" get over it - they are lumps of metal you use to bash things with. If they get dings or scratches on them who cares they will still work. If you are playing the game with the sole intent of owning the nicest most pristine set of clubs in the world then you are playing this great game for the wrong reason.

That's so true! They are tools people, not showpieces. I'm sick of this excuse on the course as well. If a scratched head or busted shaft is such a major issue then don't hit the ball in the junk.

[Lefty731PM]

As for the people who "only move the ball if hitting it will damage a club" get over it - they are lumps of metal you use to bash things with. If they get dings or scratches on them who cares they will still work. If you are playing the game with the sole intent of owning the nicest most pristine set of clubs in the world then you are playing this great game for the wrong reason.

Exactly. There have been many times when I've been on stones and just accept that the bottom of my iron will be damaged. Even with brand new irons, which happened the other day. I'm certianly not going to take an unplayable lie for the sake of a scratch and lose a shot. And that is the only option I have if I want to avoid this damage and hit the shot I want to. Also, if I was up against a tree and at that stage my score was intact and a shaft was in jeopardy, I'd have to accept that too. I would love to see the reaction of my playing parters if I said I was going to move my ball without penalty for either of the above. Now....in a social, non competition round things are different, but as previously stated, I wouldn't then be saying I had a score on that hole. It would be a general comment about how I played.

[bflat450]

I usually just use a hybrid or a wood to hit from rocks, because usually from where there are rocks I'm just punching out anyway.

[joshtpa]

Exactly. There have been many times when I've been on stones and just accept that the bottom of my iron will be damaged. Even with brand new irons, which happened the other day. I'm certianly not going to take an unplayable lie for the sake of a scratch and lose a shot. And that is the only option I have if I want to avoid this damage and hit the shot I want to. Also, if I was up against a tree and at that stage my score was intact and a shaft was in jeopardy, I'd have to accept that too. I would love to see the reaction of my playing parters if I said I was going to move my ball without penalty for either of the above. Now....in a social, non competition round things are different, but as previously stated, I wouldn't then be saying I had a score on that hole. It would be a general comment about how I played.

Not a chance would I do that. Ill take relief and move on...Its just a game, and I am not willing to ruin my clubs over it.

[Fat Slice]

As for the people who "only move the ball if hitting it will damage a club" get over it - they are lumps of metal you use to bash things with. If they get dings or scratches on them who cares they will still work. If you are playing the game with the sole intent of owning the nicest most pristine set of clubs in the world then you are playing this great game for the wrong reason.

Sorry, at my skill level I can still hit the ball VERY fat and the possibility of jacking up the face of an iron is real for me. I don't care what the bottom of my irons or the tops of my driver or fairway woods look like.

Not wanting to damage the face of my iron does not equate to "playing the game with the sole intent of owning the nicest most pristine set of clubs in the world" by a long shot.

[tjy355]

Not a chance would I do that. Ill take relief and move on...Its just a game, and I am not willing to ruin my clubs over it.

And that's fine. Just add a stroke to your score each time.

[chingali]

Not a chance would I do that. Ill take relief and move on...Its just a game, and I am not willing to ruin my clubs over it.

So basically what you are saying is the clubs are more important than the game? Here I was thinking that the game was the more important thing.

[joshtpa]

In the grand scheme of things, I would much rather take a stroke and save the thousands that are in my bag than break my clubs and have a chance at injury. Its a game to me. Im not playing competitively.

[Lefty731PM]

Not a chance would I do that. Ill take relief and move on...Its just a game, and I am not willing to ruin my clubs over it.

If you were on the 18th and you needed a birdie to get a great score, and perhaps win the competition, you'd hit the shot, believe me. As for social golf - do whatever you like, just don't claim a score you didn't have. (And by "you" I don't mean you personally.)

Some of the posters here still don't get it. You don't have the option to take relief for free in a proper round. It's not a decision you have to make. If I was practising I'd move the ball, but that's the difference between practise and playing a round of golf. I am not suggesting that a group of buddies having a round amongst themselves have to play off a rock in a social round, but herein lies the reason why a lot of the "haters" and "negative types" here are sceptical about some of the claims people make regarding their games. Just watched Furyk hit one out of a divot in the Ryder Cup. Didn't see him kicking it out. And......your social round is not the Ryder Ciup, but any competition or tournament round has to be played by exactly the same rules. You don't have a choice. If you decide otherwise, you will be labelled a cheat and try living down that reputation once word gets around. In my game on Saturday, one of my partners was in the rough and a stick of 2 " diameter was behind his ball. Too bad. It sucked, but all he could do was hit it about 10 feet sideways. There is no debate about it, nor should there be. Now.... not to sound too pedantic, I'd much rather hear people say how they love the game don't really score according to the rules OR: "I had 79 but took a free drop from behind a tree on the 16th and didn't count the 5 backhanded putts that missed because I wasn't really trying. Hmmmm. No - they say "I had 79 and missed a few birdie putts." I will bet that most of the posters on these boards, some who are very knowledgeable would say they know a few players who couldn't break 100, but think they are 80s shooters. And what really suck is that there's no shame in any score you shoot, as long as it is the real number.

[Fat Slice]

So basically what you are saying is the clubs are more important than the game? Here I was thinking that the game was the more important thing.

The game may be the more important thing in general, but there can be specific instances when you might want to take a penalty stroke rather than damage your equipment. That doesn't mean you don't respect the game. Taking the penalty *is* respecting the game. If you are suggesting people don't avail themselves of all the rules of golf then I think perhaps "the game" we are talking about might not be the same game for each of us.