How do you keep score?

[TN94z]

I play strictly by the rules.

[Mr3Putt]

I play strictly by the rules.

::begin rant::

I can't believe the varied responses to this thread. Breakfast Ball? WTF? Unless it's a scramble event of some type, I can't imagine picking up, re-teeing, mulligans, do-overs, gimmees, or any other of the nonsense that is getting bantered about. If the course has no practice putting green do you get a breakfast putt? No practice sand bunker? No problem, reload and call it a brunch ball. It sounds like a slippery slope to me. In regards to keeping an honest score, Bobby Jones is quoted as saying: "You might as well praise a man for not robbing a bank". I think you folks who write down questionable scores would get a lot more satisfaction crossing the scoring barriers while counting all your shots. Because in this game, you're supposed to play your foul balls. Either that, or just don't bother keeping score. For the record, if you are keeping score, you're now hitting 3. ::end rant::

[jonnythan]

It's just a game, dude. It's supposed to be fun. Chill out a bit and let people play how they want to play.

[CG031]

i play competitively (tournaments / high school matches) so i have to actually be serious about my score and play using all the rules or else i'm just cheating myself during my practice rounds.

[Nyper]

I try and play by the rules, and do 99% of the time.

The 1% exception - Sometimes if it's just a casual round with absolutely nothing on the line and there's a group behind us that has been having to wait.... if I hit a ball off the tee and don't play a provisional, then find out it's a lost ball, I'll just drop a ball where I think it should have been and be hitting my 4th shot. I just do it to keep from wasting the time of going back to the tee and slowing down the group in front of me. I do at least count a stroke & distance penalty.

[JKilgore44]

I keep score according to the rule book. It may sound cliche, but that's the only way you can truly calculate your abilities. However, I don't play the ball down (my course condition is not even close to good enough for that). If I think there's a chance my ball is out of play, I hit a provisonal.

The only exception that I may make is what I consider a "warm-up" mulligan. If I am starting cold and have not warmed up at all, I allow myself one mulligan. It may just have a psychological advantage (because I quit worrying about being stiff and stuff).

Some of my playing partners play differently. One of my buddies plays completely within the parameters of the rules (which I like), and one of my buddies shaves a few shots here and there by not taking ANY lost ball penalities and counting lip outs (especially if it was a 4th putt lip out lol). The latter of the two usually scores pretty close to me and occasionally will beat me. I just smile and shake his hand, it's good for his ego and his confidence, but deep inside I know that my score and handicap is legit.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I keep score in my head. I havent used a card in years, except in tournaments. I dont keep track of pars, only bogeys and birdies and such. After a 9 when i walk to the next side ill count up the bogeys or birdies, and put those agaist par. For example, i played 9 yesterday and i had 2 bogeys and no birdies. This course was 36 par, so +2 = 38. Ill do the same for the the next 9 and add up the total score when im done.

[opie]

I keep score in my head. I havent used a card in years, except in tournaments. I dont keep track of pars, only bogeys and birdies and such. After a 9 when i walk to the next side ill count up the bogeys or birdies, and put those agaist par. For example, i played 9 yesterday and i had 2 bogeys and no birdies. This course was 36 par, so +2 = 38. Ill do the same for the the next 9 and add up the total score when im done.

I do the 1's (and up) and -1's on the card and leave the par's blank. Sure makes adding it up easier

[DavidFehertysBike]

I do the 1's (and up) and -1's on the card and leave the par's blank. Sure makes adding it up easier

Yeah, that works too. Less math, lol.

[CG031]

I keep score in my head. I havent used a card in years, except in tournaments. I dont keep track of pars, only bogeys and birdies and such. After a 9 when i walk to the next side ill count up the bogeys or birdies, and put those agaist par. For example, i played 9 yesterday and i had 2 bogeys and no birdies. This course was 36 par, so +2 = 38. Ill do the same for the the next 9 and add up the total score when im done.

yeah i don't really use the score card either, unless it's a course I never played...i just keep track of how many over (ex. +1, +4, +7) i am. if you are a golfer who shoots in the 100's though, it's easy to lose track like this method...

[right handed phil mickelson]

Yes I keep track of every single shot I hit. It doesn't help to hit another ball. At least not with me. But I do it anyways because sometimes I get so mad I just want to kill someone. (not literally. Maybe in Halo or something)

[mruseless]

Why? I don't understand the logic behind this. I could understand if you have a hole where you consistently make the same mistake that you could tell yourself that if I duck hook this one into water again I am taking a mulligan, to help you get into some confidence in the hole and get yourself in a better mental state. But to take a shot over because it is something you rarely do seems odd to me.

My thoughts exactly. Just yesterday, I topped a ball into knee deep weeds, something I haven't done for about a year. Then compounded the mistake by trying to hit the ball forward with a pitching wedge instead of wedging out sideways and taking my medicine. It took me three pathetic swipes at the ball to get it out. Carded a 10 on the hole. The urge to "mulligan" was almost irresistable, but honesty won the battle!

[CarlSpackler]

I go legit myself, as painful as it is some days.

[Prairie Golfer]

::begin rant::

Preach on!

You either play by the rules, ALL OF THEM, or you cheat. There is no middle ground.

[jonnythan]

Preach on!

Who am I cheating when I take a mulligan?

[Marmitetoo]

Hhmmm Seems like quite a heated debate.

I'm not really sure if we are talking about playing on our own or with a partner (or partners).

If I'm on my own I carry ALL 17 of my clubs. Hit another ball if I think it's a particularly interesting shot that I want to practice. Hit a mulligan off the first tee if I don't get my first shot on the Fairway....Yep! Pretty much enjoy the experience and mess around with my game. I keep a score card, only for guideline purposes. Fairways, GIR, # of Putts etc.

If I'm playing with partners. ALL RULES APPLY. Strictly by the book. Including swapping score cards for scoring purposes.

Steve

[whip_it_out]

Who am I cheating when I take a mulligan?

Yourself.

But i think it should vary with the handicap. I see nothing wrong with someone who is learning or not very good just tee up another or drop another. Sometimes it just keeps it moving. With lower handicaps though, it makes me wonder how they got their handicap that low when they re tee and say "I'm just gonna hit another". If I'm alone, or no one is around, sometimes I just turn the round into a practice round and will drop a few balls at a certain spot. It all depends on your situation. If your out their to have fun, then who gives a damn if you don't count one? If you just want to practice a certain shot at that point in time, I'd encourage dropping another on the spot.

[Uber$winG]

If I'm alone, or no one is around, sometimes I just turn the round into a practice round .

So, what I take from this is that if the round isn’t going your way, and you’re alone, it suddenly manifests itself into a practice round – I always operated under the impression the you are implicitly playing a stipulated round or it’s a practice round – before the first tee shot is hit. Because that’s tantamount to submitting the scores you want to submit.