So Today a Pair Kept Cheating

[iacas]

Today I played in the 9-9-9 tournament with a 19-handicap friend (Dan). He and I go to only a few of these things and only to have fun as inevitably a pair of 24-handicappers ham-and-egg it around and shoot about 88 over 27 holes to win (9 holes best ball, 9 holes scramble, 9 holes alternate shot, all with varying percentages of handicap applied). Or people cheat... I just didn't think they'd do it in my foursome!

Anyway, Dan and I are paired with an 8 and a 23 handicapper, we'll call them Brad and Dave. During the best ball part Brad stands right on Dave's line as Dave is putting. Brad had already putted out for par and Dave had a bogey putt (plus a stroke), so it really didn't matter (again, best ball section). After the hole I said "You really shouldn't stand on his line while he's putting. Someone might call that on you sometime." He said "I had already putted out." I said "I know, but be careful, because it's still against the rules to stand on his line. That's why LPGA caddies move out of the way before their player hits."

That was on #15 (we started on #10).

I thought it had sunk in until we played the second nine (front nine) in scramble format. After the second time Brad stood on the line of Dave's putt, I mentioned to Dave that Brad really shouldn't stand on the line while he's putting. Dave said "It doesn't bother me any." I said "Okay, but it's still against the rules, so please stop." This second occurrence was on the second hole when Dave missed a 12-footer for birdie and, having seen it from right on the line, Brad made it.

So over the final six or seven holes I pay attention to them out of curiosity and I notice that they stand behind each other on virtually every shot. Drivers off the tee - Dan and I are standing off to the side, and they're on the tee box right behind their partner. Now you've gotta really be strict about the rules to point it out on the tee box, but that crap matters a lot on putts, and they pulled this crap on every putt! Occasionally Brad would be dead on the line, and sometimes when I think he thought of it he'd stand a few inches to the side of the line. Brad was always the second guy to putt and he was never more than six inches away from having one of his feet touching the exact line of his partner's putt.

In the end I decided not to say anything. I'd already told the guy twice, the pro (this wasn't at Whispering Woods) would probably just say "It's just a scramble, who cares?" (one of his many flaws), and I think karma's going to kick them in the nuts at some point. Plus, I don't want to be "that guy."

I contemplated doing something, like refusing to sign their scorecard, but never seriously or at any length. In the end, it still bugs me and I'm not sure what purpose I have for posting this except to point out this rule (14-2) to others and to vent a little bit.

[flopdarock]

it really irks me when i bring something up that bothers me even if im as polite as possible and trying my best to be as non offensive as i can be... and they either ignore it or say something offensive to me...
now if its in a competitive environment and its down right cheating... i think id be pissed especially if it hindered my round in any way...
casual rounds it all depends on whats going on... i got partnered up with a guy who wouldnt take more than 2 putts and insisted that i dont either...
another guy actually found my ball in the woods and threw it onto the nearby fw like he did me a favor...

if you have to tell someone more than once that something is bothering you... then screw'em i wouldnt sign their card...
if its in a casual round... id ditchem as soon as i could

[Uber$winG]

"That's why LPGA caddies move out of the way before their player hits."

Priceless

[iacas]

Priceless

Well that's the rule that prevents them from standing there behind their stupid "I can't even line myself up but I call myself a professional" players...

To answer the second poster, yes, it was a tournament and they were cheating. It wasn't that it "bothered" me - it was that they were breaking the rules, and continued to do so after I told them each about it.

[bruce]

Why some people play competitive sports is beyond me,do some people even understand what the word sport means.Then brag to there friends,strangers that they won an event,but no mention of the way they cheat and lie to win.
How can someone claim victory if they know they cheated is beyond me.But the sad part is that the cheats and liars will always be there.They will Smile and hoist the trophy.

[Uber$winG]

The LPGA implication was " Priceless ."

I would have gone one further; and suggested, "The game is even easier if you guys were to line up each other’s drives from the women's tees."

[kleraudio]

Iacas, I dont get it, were the players lining up each others putting lines by standing there??

I think thats what you are saying, and yea, that would really piss me off!

BTW, Iacas, I sent you a PM a few days ago, did you get it?

Jim

[Supermanwoot]

Iacas, I dont get it, were the players lining up each others putting lines by standing there??

Yeah do you mean standing behind the hole to show them where to putt to, or standing behind the putter as they putt towards the opposite direction. If its the latter I'm not sure how that could be a rule but the first one is assisting the other guy in picking a line and although I do it all the time in casual play with my buddies, if someone called me on it I would stop.

[jdub]

Doesnt bother me but rules are rules same thing bugs me about

walking in my putting line before i hit

talking while i am a out to swing

cell phone + golf makrs me go insane

lately people have been tapping the gas on the carts and makes the cart whine when i am about to swing

people not putting a button down to mark the balls

[Danny Noonan]

As I said in another thread on cheating, there is a technical term for one who cheats at golf: douchebag.

- DN

[Supermanwoot]

As I said in another thread on cheating, there is a technical term for one who cheats at golf: douchebag.

Are you sure you're not referring to the famous cheating caddy, Douche McBaggins?

[bruce]

What he means is other player standing directly behind or in front of someone
putting so they can clearly see how the ball rolls to the hole.They get a free read.

[Supermanwoot]

What he means is other player standing directly behind or in front of someone

Oh gotcha, yeah I mean we do that occasionally in casual play, but I could see how in competitive play that could be a round changer. Never actually knew it was against the rules, just figured it was frowned upon.

Today it was raining so I got lots of free reads based on the lines the balls made on the greens

[jdub]

this keeps me on my A game...

http://www.usga.org/RulesQuiz/rules_quizzes.html

[Jay-Bird]

This is your last post on the other rules violation thread....

Lesson to be learned: carry a rules book and know where to look to show your cheating opponent what rule he's broken.

Did you show them the rule?

[laconic517]

maybe im not reading 8-2 correctly but I dont see where they were at fault if they were standing behind each other while they were putting in a team format.

If this is infact a rule its broken all the time in team events. The rule the way im reading it says the partner may point out a line before the putt but you cant touch the green.....where does it say anything about standing behind? The first part of the rule clearly states BEYOND the hole.....nothing about behind.

Im not saying anyone is incorrect...but it would be nice to see where exactly you are getting that you cant stand behind someone in 8-2 if they arent specifically giving you a line.

[Jay-Bird]

maybe im not reading 8-2 correctly but I dont see where they were at fault if they were standing behind each other while they were putting in a team format.

I t's not Rule 8-2 . It's not Rule 16. It is Rule 14-2b . ... and it reads:

14-2. Assistance In making a stroke, a player must not: b. Allow his caddie, his partner or his partner's caddie to position himself on or close to an extension of the line of play or the line of putt behind the ball. Penalty for Breach of Rule 14-1 or 14-2: Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.

The penalty is on the guy making the stroke.

[laconic517]

ah well that explains it... Its broken all the time in team events.