Playing by the rules

[cougar978]

To the OP: Don't get so uptight with someone you don't know and will likely never play with again. He's only hurting himself. I'd just ignore him as being not worth the hassle.

That's cool man - to be honest, I have had major wrist surgery, and have had to rehab my ass off to get anywhere decent. I'm not going to risk getting pinned/screwed again over a small bet - a tournament is another thing - I'll find a way to get the job done or take an unplayable. I respect that you guys follow the letter of the law even in casual matches.

[RocketSauce]

if i knew him and played with him regularly, i would say something. if i didnt know him, i would just let him play his own game... unless i was playing him for $$$

[zeg]

To the OP: Don't get so uptight with someone you don't know and will likely never play with again. He's only hurting himself. I'd just ignore him as being not worth the hassle.

Agree completely. I don't even bother with honors unless I'm playing with a group of friends. Heck, at one course I play, the big sign says "Don't worry about honors" in an effort to increase pace of play.

As far as playing by the rules... as far as I know, that's the only way to play golf. I see a lot of people playing games that look a lot like golf, but on closer inspection, they fail to stand up to the test.

(not singling you out in particular for this, just see this a lot and felt like saying something) I'm all for following the rules when it's a competition, but to be honest, I don't really understand the obsession with the RoG being THE rules by which all golf must be played. Maybe for Golf with a capital G, but for recreation, I don't see the harm in relaxing / modifying the rules. People modify the rules in other sports all the time and nobody feels the need to say, "Yeah but they're not playing basketball," or whatever.

But, like I said, that's just my take. If you want to play by the RoG every time, by all means. I think it's way out of place to criticize someone else who's playing independently for not sharing that view of the rules. Claiming honors as he did is pretty sketchy though...

[wichitapenguin]

Does anyone on a busy course play a ball OB or lost like a water ball, i.e., one stroke from point of entry?

[Iowa Hawkeye]

Kind of off topic, but does anyone else play their ball when it is OB but playable? I do if I'm just messing around and dont want to make the walk back. If the score matters I play by the rules.

[meenman]

Kind of off topic, but does anyone else play their ball when it is OB but playable? I do if I'm just messing around and dont want to make the walk back. If the score matters I play by the rules.

Never - but anything that is out of bounds is in someones yard.

I take a decent size divot with with my irons and wouldnt think that the people that live on the course would enjoy that too much.

[Fourputt]

Does anyone on a busy course play a ball OB or lost like a water ball, i.e., one stroke from point of entry?

No... and

Kind of off topic, but does anyone else play their ball when it is OB but playable? I do if I'm just messing around and dont want to make the walk back. If the score matters I play by the rules.

No. My scores always matter. I'm either a) playing in a competition... or b) playing for handicap. And even if I'm not, I still want to know how well I played, and that's impossible to gauge if I don't have a consistent yardstick to measure with. The Rules of Golf is that yardstick.

I will never understand why anyone thinks that you can't play by the rules and still have fun.

[HSip]

I will never understand why anyone thinks that you can't play by the rules and still have fun.

That is the truth. I look at golf as a series of challenges - a bad lie, behind a tree and hopefully, sometimes, a perfect lie after a great shot. The rules of golf level the playing field for everyone and most of them make a lot of sense.

If you don't play by the rules then you're missing out on some of those challenges that makes this such a great game.

[Prairie Golfer]

There's no rule that says you have to play by the rules.

uh......

1-3. Agreement to Waive Rules Players must not agree to exclude the operation of any Rule or to waive any penalty incurred. Penalty for Breach of Rule 1-3: Match play — Disqualification of both sides; Stroke play — Disqualification of competitors concerned.

[CarlSpackler]

Does anyone on a busy course play a ball OB or lost like a water ball, i.e., one stroke from point of entry?

Nope. If I even hit one that might be OB, I play a provisional just in case.