Do you "Wie" a competitor in a tourney?

[MSDOGS1976]

Rules are the rules, but I wouldn't call it. I follow the rules, but just not my personality to call it. Maybe that's one reason I don't play in many tournaments. I play golf for fun, not for the serious competitor side of it. But I do understand why someone would call it, as it is a breach of the rules.

[Ignorant]

I won't call it. Simply because it really doesn't matter. It doesn't give the guy an unfair advantage at all. And more imortantly it will create a real unpleasant atmosphere in the group.

There are lots of Rules of Golf that seem silly at first glance and many of those certainly may not give any advantage to anyone on most of the occasions but that is not the point. Take a comparison from e.g. soccer. You get the ball from your team mate 50 yds away and you catch is with your hand and there are no opponents closer than 50 yds. Nobody is hurt and nobody is taking any advantage but do you actually believe that the referee would not give a free kick to the oppponent team? No way!

Following the Rules of Golf is not about 'it doesn't really matter'. It is about integrity, self-esteem and doing the right thing every time , not just when people are watching. If one cannot follow the Rules one should not play golf at all. At least not in any kind of competition.

[iacas]

You call him on it immediately. If you can stop him from doing something against the Rules, you do that too.

I don't care where he's going to finish (or where I am going to finish) - you do the right thing. Maybe he doesn't know it's against the rules and you will save him from being penalized or DQed in a future tournament he might win.

[jamo]

You tell him when he does it, give him ample time to whine like Wie did , and then make sure he adds the penalty to his scorecard.

[Shindig]

I'm with Rick, Apoc, Erik, and probably many others: protect the field, and probably protect him in the future.

One other option that needs to be mentioned. Always, always.... if you see a fellow competitor about to breach a rule you should stop him before he acts if it is possible to do so. That is the best answer to the OP's question. If you can prevent the penalty from occurring in the first place, then you have acted in the most honourable and sportsmanlike way possible.

Tom Kite did this once, keeping Grant Waite from a 2-shot penalty. I think it dealt with ground under repair. Kite finished solo second, by one, to Waite, and I understand he's very proud of that second place finish.