How often to you break a rule?

[2bGood]

Okay so how often do you break a golf rule in a non tournament round?

This includes:

Taking a gimme (even a 6" one)
Not actually measuring for drop
Not dropping at shoulder height etc.
Or another "minor" violation

[ScottRempel]

All the time I suppose. For example, I never actually measure club lengths...I just estimate and err on the safe side. I do drop from shoulder height though :).

[2bGood]

For fun today I played my round by not breaking any rules - measured out every drop, tapped in every little putt. I did everything by the book. As I tend to only take gimmes "in the leather" (12" or less) and the other rule I break is when I have to drop I don't usually measure out my drop unless I need to use up the full distance I am allowed.

I am sure it didn't change my score at all, infact I think it helped me as it made the game feel a bit more methodical and helped me focus.

I think I will play more of my casual rounds like this.

[SubPar]

I generally play for money and we play "by the book".

SubPar

[2bGood]

  SubPar said:

I generally play for money and we play "by the book".

Even that 1" putt hanging on the lip??? I find money games the worst for gimmees as another player has a stake in your game, so they feel they can "give" you a putt. A few guys I play for money give 3 footers away. I am not too proud to take em though.

[sean_miller]

Sometimes I forget to take out my 15th club (extra putter).

[Fat Slice]

For those of who who say you NEVER break a rule EVER....I wonder if you really know all the rules and how they have been interpreted?

[ArrrrJay]

  Fat Slice said:

For those of who who say you NEVER break a rule EVER....I wonder if you really know all the rules and how they have been interpreted?

Not being facetious or rhetorical.

I'm sure there might be some obscurity unnoticed, but in term of the general observed rules that most people break (mulligans, drops, free drop no closer to the hole, etc.), I attempt to play correctly. There are some rules I will be lax about for myself. If I address the ball and accidentally slightly touch it, millimeters of movement, I will not count it as a stroke, I would keep getting set and then swing. Is this against the rules?

[Thaddy]

Who cares? If you're not in tournament play and just having fun, what's the harm? I do it all the time, but it's mostly to practice shots that don't normally get to hit. If money is on the line though, then it's by the book.

[2bGood]

  ArrrrJay said:

Not being facetious or rhetorical.

On the tee that is allowed, otherwise it is a penalty of one stroke

[schigara]

If I am out playing a round where I am practicing like working on my grip, stance or swing or something I will break the rules because I am working on shots and not the overall game.

If I am actually playing for a score that will contribute to my handicap, I will always play by the rules. I am not saying I know every single rule or the correct interpretation of every rule(how many of us do?).

[CG031]

Every round I supposed. I mean, when I'm playing with other people, they always give the 1 foot and in putts. Nothing over 1 1/2 feet I would take though.

[iammpspeer]

What pisses me off is when my playing partner's ball never touches the bottom of a cup the entire round. Anything within 3 feet is a gimmie to him.. The few times he actually putts them he is only about 50-50 lmao...
But I give hime to score he says, I don't really care about his improvement as much as mine. Plus I beat him by atleast 10 strokes anyway.

[schigara]

I play with a couple guys and it pisses me off because they will try to give me 1-2 foot putts and sometimes they will hit the ball back to me right before it goes in the cup! I have missed many putts 2 feet and less and I want to know if I actually make them.

[prutkows]

I play lots of rounds at twilight on my own where i take lots of practice shots and basically ignore all the rules of golf besides etiquette ones.. fixing divots, letting faster groups play through, etc.

The only rule i tend to not follow (as long as its not a sanctioned event/tourny) is not measuring drops. My friends and I just agree to drop where we believe the ball to be lost or somewhere in the area where we arent at any advantage (no closer to the hole, not in perfect lies) stuff like that.

[2bGood]

  Thaddy said:

Who cares? If you're not in tournament play and just having fun, what's the harm? I do it all the time, but it's mostly to practice shots that don't normally get to hit. If money is on the line though, then it's by the book.

No harm, not judgeing anyone, just a question.

The first goal for most golfers should be to have fun. Enough said.

[Fourputt]

  2bGood said:

Okay so how often do you break a golf rule in a non tournament round?

Nothing in the rules say you have to measure for a drop. The only requirement is to drop in the proper location. The ball must first hit the ground in a place specified by the rules and it must come to rest in a place specified by the rules. If you can do that without measuring then no problem.

If I'm playing for score then I play every rule by the book (this is how I play 95% of my rounds). If I'm just practicing or otherwise not keeping score, then it really doesn't matter, but I rarely do that.

  Fat Slice said:

For those of who who say you NEVER break a rule EVER....I wonder if you really know all the rules and how they have been interpreted?

Yes I do. I've been to USGA Rules workshops (80% on the 100 question final exam in 2008), been rules committee chairman in my Men's Club, and I spend a lot of time on the internet discussing the rules. I carry a copy of The Rules of Golf in my bag and another copy sits on the bookshelf here in my study along with the most recent edition of the Decisions. Despite all of that I still don't "know" every rule without question... which is why I DO carry the book with me. I know all of the procedures that must be followed, so most of the reference is to sort out the issues when someone has already breached one or more rules. It's very easy to learn how to do it right in the first place, but it can be quite complicated sorting out penalties and getting someone back on track after they have broken 2 or 3 rules in succession.

Playing by the rules is easy.... correcting mistakes can be quite difficult.

[Ignorant]

  2bGood said:

On the tee that is allowed, otherwise it is a penalty of one stroke

To be precise, moving the ball is worth one penalty shot, not returning it to its original location is worth one more (Rule 18).