How often to you break a rule?

[running-8-iron]

In tournament play I don't break the rules, if I do, it's unintentional or ignorance on my part. In casual play I may hit a practice shot after I play my original shot (typically if the original shot left a bad taste in my mouth or if I want to try shaping a shot to a hole placement differently) but I play my original shot for the card. Sometimes I dont putt out the 0"-10" putts.

[prutkows]

  running-8-iron said:

In tournament play I don't break the rules, if I do, it's unintentional or ignorance on my part. In casual play I may hit a practice shot after I play my original shot (typically if the original shot left a bad taste in my mouth or if I want to try shaping a shot to a hole placement differently) but I play my original shot for the card. Sometimes I dont putt out the 0"-10" putts.

don't you think that extra practice shot affects your overall score even if it's not the one that goes on the scorecard? The "confidence" you gain when you hit that practice shot well, or the irritation it might create when you don't hit it the way you wanted to?

[running-8-iron]

  prutkows said:

don't you think that extra practice shot affects your overall score even if it's not the one that goes on the scorecard? The "confidence" you gain when you hit that practice shot well, or the irritation it might create when you don't hit it the way you wanted to?

I should clarify, by "for the card" I meant just the score I got on the hole not a number for handicap/official purposes. The extra shot more than likely affects my overall score and probably my mindset but that's what practice is for. I'm looking to try things out I'm playing a practice round. When I play tournament or non-tournament but for handicap purpose round, I don't take practice shots.

[TheNatural]

the only rule i will intentionally break is if i find i hit an ob and take a drop there. usually i will hit a prov. but when i dont. otherwise i hole out everything I can and play to the rules as best as i can.

when a course is backed up, and no $ is on the line, going back to the tee to rehit is not always a good idea.

[opie]

  TheNatural said:

the only rule i will intentionally break is if i find i hit an ob and take a drop there. usually i will hit a prov. but when i dont. otherwise i hole out everything I can and play to the rules as best as i can.

I do that also. I'm not walking back to the tee on a busy day. I'll normally just take 2 strokes for the OB and then a 3rd for not playing from the right spot so I'm hitting 4. I know that's not correct

Other rules are unintentionally broken I'm sure. I don't play tournaments or gamble on golf though so it's not like it really matters at that point

[unabowler]

When I play by myself I play pretty strictly. It really helps me focus if I'm not taking a mulligan after that crummy drive or if I have to live with missing the 2 foot putt. It helps me improve.

When I play with people, I go with the flow. If they take a mulligan on each 9, I don't mind. I like to putt out every hole but in these situations I'm not anal about it.

One thing that happens is that I don't take stroke and distance if I lose a ball. If it's questionable I don't always hit a provisional ball (no sense hitting another ball into the same trouble, I figure). If I don't find it, it may not be feasible to walk back and hit another. I drop where I think the ball is and take 1.

[kfowler]

  opie said:

I do that also. I'm not walking back to the tee on a busy day. I'll normally just take 2 strokes for the OB and then a 3rd for not playing from the right spot so I'm hitting 4. I know that's not correct

This and gimmies are probably the most common. I hate the stroke plus distance rule. Especially when you didn't know you lost it until you get on site.

[2bGood]

  Ignorant said:

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

Unless you already in your backswing and take your stroke 18-2b.

This adds to the discusion though, Knowing the basics of golf rules is one thing and knowing the detials is another. Look how often a PGA playing will call in expert help.

[2bGood]

  kfowler said:

This and gimmies are probably the most common. I hate the stroke plus distance rule. Especially when you didn't know you lost it until you get on site.

I love to hit provisionals, so I don't mind this rule. If a ball is ever in question I rehit. 70% of the time I find the first ball and get bonus practice stroke. But I agree it would be a good idea to change this rule to make OB played like a lateral hazard.

[whetstone]

If I'm turning a score, I play by the rules to the absolute best of my knowledge. I putt out every hole, even the 2" gimmies (I love to hear the ball hit the bottom of the cup!). If I'm practicing, I don't count strokes, and I break every rule in golf. If playing with a group, I go with the flow... some guys are sticklers, some have their own rules, I just play to enjoy the round.

[dag2000]

In my opinion, the most important rules to observe are:

1. Don't improve your lie
2. Take stroke and distance for OB and lost balls
3. Know where to drop your ball when you dunk it in the water
4. Don't ground your club in a bunker
5. Putt the ball out
6. Know what to do with an unplayable lie
7. Only 14 clubs
8. No "do overs" :)

The rest of the rules are important, mind you, but in my opinion, if you are scrupulous about the above, then you're playing honest golf.

[SubPar]

  2bGood said:

Even that 1" putt hanging on the lip???

I thought about that after I left that post. We do generally give putts 'inside the leather" to move things along. I always argue we should never give any putts because you have to make them in tournaments, and 2 footers start to look like 6 feet when you have not had to make one in a month!

SubPar

[2bGood]

  dag2000 said:

In my opinion, the most important rules to observe are:

Agree 100%

[mirv]

the course i play the most at is kind of a "poor man's" country club. the fairways aren't always going to be in the best shape, and on several holes there are lots of loose rocks and twigs and such. my most common violation of the rules is, due to the course being in perpetually less than perfect condition, i'll give myself small lie improvements, typically no more than 2-3 inches from where the ball actually stopped, and always away from the hole.

when i do have to drop, i typically don't bother measuring it. i'll pace it off to an approximation and casually drop the ball, not always necessarily over my shoulder.

and the only gimmie putts i take are ones that even a blind monkey could make, like 1-2 inches.

so in short, i break the rules every round, but it's smaller stuff.

[wedge player]

  2bGood said:

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

i will not record rounds i break rules in.there is a course near by my house i play on weekdays that i will move my ball for the reason the grass in the fairways should not be 5 inches tall i hate the condition of the course but its 20 bucks for two to play 18 with a cart.

[zeg]

I never understood gimmes outside of match play. The logic is just screwed up. Either it is a putt you'll make 99.9% of the time or it's not. If it is, then you don't save any time. If it's not, then it's affecting your score. It bugs the heck out of me when people try to "help" me by rolling my ball off the green when *they* decide it's a gimme...

[lumpuckeroo]

Being completely honest, there is not a round I play were a short putt is not "given". Don't know why we have gotten into that habit, but we have. However, there are a couple of greens on the course we play a lot that we never, and I mean never give a putt. A 6" putt can break 3" and it is very hard to read, so those have to be putted out.

The other rule that we struggle with is a lost ball, now if you hook one into the trees off the tee box, you're playing another one. It's the ball that you hit over the hill and can't find, for what ever reason. On a crowded muni, it is just not wise to go back and hit another ball.

[David in FL]

  zeg said:

I never understood gimmes outside of match play. The logic is just screwed up. Either it is a putt you'll make 99.9% of the time or it's not. If it is, then you don't save any time. If it's not, then it's affecting your score. It bugs the heck out of me when people try to "help" me by rolling my ball off the green when *they* decide it's a gimme...

Definition of a "gimme"....... An agreement between two golfers, neither of whom putt very well.