Get your lip off my ball!

[Mr Taylormade]

when i caddy for my mate i dont say anything except tell him which way it breaks and how the wind's blowing or he would throw the club at me. (i do the same to him) haha

[Duffy]

Thanks guys. The explanations were great but as with many others in the post, I think you would have to be pretty much of a prick to chastise some ones support. To me, that's all that it is, is support. If I were caddying for someone and I was asked not to speak, I would consider that request as part of the job and honor it but not playing with a bunch of your pards and having fun. Sounds to me pretty much like a political correctness slam. Lord help you if you might say the wrong thing to the wrong person. I'd like to think that golf is still a game and we should be able to go out with friends or competitors and have a good time without worrying about what may come out of your mouth.

[2bGood]

I agree. I just think that's an excuse for arrogant people. Ooh, well this pro said it, so that means its ok. W/e pro said that is a jerk too. Being good at something doesn't give you the right to get upset about someone trying to be supportive.

I rarely go with "great shot" before the ball lands. "Great Swing" is what I would say in this instance.

[TakeDeadAim]

99.99% of the time that someone talks to the other guy´s ball is just a sign of politeness, sportsmanship, support and chivalry.

If someone gets annoyed by people being polite and supportive... who has the problem?

[Golf_Gal]

Nice putt also works as well

[kfowler]

I always liked the term "That dog will hunt." Simply because it can be used for a good shot or a bad one that ended up not getting the person into trouble.

[pingman]

If you read Rick Riley's "Who your Caddy" there is a few funny bits about "Keep your Mouth off my ball. Blake (Big Break) saying "Keep your lip off my ball." was the same thing. Basically what they are saying is you shouldn't talk to another person ball and ask it to "get up" "bite" "Cut" etc.

yep i was thinking the same thing

[DocWu1948]

I can't remember the name, but it was one of the newer and better tour players and also an ole boy from the South, who told a story about once catching flak for talking (nice) to an opponents ball on one of the lesser tours. He wanted to say something and do worse, but settled for beating him by 10 strokes, and never saw the guy again.

[Duffy]

I always liked the term "That dog will hunt." Simply because it can be used for a good shot or a bad one that ended up not getting the person into trouble.

Next time I'm playing a round with Boo I'll give that one a try.

[doof_dizzler]

It's different when it's amateurs playing with their friends.

Pros are out there playing for a living, trying to put food on the table at home. It's their job, so I understand that they don't want anyone talking to their ball. I wouldn't want anyone coming to my work and telling me how to pound a nail or how to cook some food or how to type....

[deronsizemore]

It's different when it's amateurs playing with their friends.

Having someone talk to your ball and saying "Get up" or similar is quite a bit different than telling them how to swing or how to play a shot. No one is going to their work and telling them what to do.

[doof_dizzler]

Having someone talk to your ball and saying "Get up" or similar is quite a bit different than telling them how to swing or how to play a shot. No one is going to their work and telling them what to do.

I'll have to re-read the Reilly book tonight to find the quote I want, but it's not so much that saying "get up" is telling him what to do, it's just putting more pressure on him.

[deronsizemore]

I'll have to re-read the Reilly book tonight to find the quote I want, but it's not so much that saying "get up" is telling him what to do, it's just putting more pressure on him.

Yeah someone mentioned pressure earlier. I guess everyone is affected differently from different things. Personally, it adds no extra pressure on me to hear a playing competitor say something to my ball while it's in the air. Typically if I hit one that's short and I know it's short I'll mumble something like "ahh...get up!" so I don't see how just because someone else says it, it adds pressure.

Maybe it only affects those who don't work well under pressure or who aren't as mentally focused as they need to be? I.e., Blake.

[Doctorfro]

That was the stupidest thing I've ever heard and Blake is the biggest idiot I've ever seen on a golf course.

[motsco]

If some one talks to my ball I like it, if they are somebody i never golfed with before it helps me relax even more, this makes me feel like this pearson is kinda cheering my game on - its even better when its a way lower handicapper then i am.

Even when someone says good shot or ball when i hit a very poor shot it boost my spirits, this tells me that he or she has hit bad shots in the past and they are only human.

getting mad about someone talking to your ball is just an excuse for your bad shot.

[2bGood]

I have really bad depth perception for some reason, so at times I'll talk to a ball, but have no clue what I am saying "get up" and it turns out to be pin high or longer or get done and its way short.

One time I was playing with these two old timers, I must have been 70 yards longer than them with my driver. On a par 5 the bunkers are in play from about 240-270. With a great shot I can carry them, but a normal drive I can end up in them. One old timer hit a drive towards them and I am like "be short! be short! come on be short!" of course he lands like 40 yards short, and they both a laugh at me and his buddy says "that the nicest compliment chuck's ever had while golfing"

Then Chuck says " get your lip of my ball!"

okay chuck never said that.

[Duffy]

I've given up talking to my ball. It just acts stupid and says nothing. Intelligent conversations are only carried out to completion with my 6 iron

[Chas]

Of course, the totally inappropriate "good shots" on near-shanks are just plain annoying...

hmmm, to me that would be a downright calculated insult. I mean, if that's one of my "good shots", what the heck are my not-so-good shots supposed to look like!

I will sometimes say, "nice shot" after another player has hit his ball - now I know that I'm "giving lip". I was brought up that way don't you see, as in: "Spiffing good shot old chap, right beween forward-short-leg and silly-mid-on. Good show what!". BUT, I only ever do that when it is apparent that a decent shot has actually been played, i.e. the ball has come to rest nicely on the fairway or is nestled on the green. If I said it and the ball ended up somewhere nasty I'd feel like an idiot - and prolly be treated like one. 2bGood: that was very funny. I can see it now.