Cheaters Cheaters Cheaters..

[brgolf]

I know the actual rule..but I was describing a casual round with my friends, not a competition. Dropping a ball near the OB spot saves time from having to go back and re-tee or to the previous spot you hit from. I know the actual rule so no need to be high and mighty about it. Again the "imaginary" strokes as you want to call it are in reference to the strokes you would be taking had you played by the rules to the letter. Hit your second shot OB then you must go back to where you previously played which is one penalty stroke and then hit again which would be the 2nd stroke of a "stroke and distance" penalty. My point was only that it isn't a 1 stroke penalty when you go OB but 2.

I understood what you meant. It was a time saving device to avoid people having to go back to the tee to take 3 off the tee. In most practice rounds or non competitive rounds this is what would happen. Only your pals were dropping a ball near to where the original ball went OOB calling it 2 rather than 3.

[Paradox]

Actually, "imaginary strokes" were your words, not someone else's.

Actually, my words were "make the imaginary play" meaning that if you're not going to go back and play it, you still have to take the REAL stroke because thats how its supposed to be done..by the rules. Its astounding how far some people will go so they can say "i'm right and you're wrong"! I guarantee you all know what I meant but you know..that messageboard ego.

[Fourputt]

Actually, my words were "make the imaginary play" meaning that if you're not going to go back and play it, you still have to take the REAL stroke because thats how its supposed to be done..by the rules. Its astounding how far some people will go so they can say "i'm right and you're wrong"! I guarantee you all know what I meant but you know..that messageboard ego.

My only point in this is: How did you know that that imaginary shot didn't go OB as well? That is where your logic breaks down. If you can hit one shot OB, then there is no guarantee that the next one won't do the same. You are in essence giving yourself the benefit of the doubt, something that the rules never do.

[Slammin' Sam]

the only thing that bugs me is the people who don't understand what "stroke and distance" actually means when it comes to OB lines. You cannot drop where it went out and take just one stroke. If you're going to drop where it crossed, you have to count the imaginary play back to where you originally hit(1 stroke) then count the

Emphasis supplied. It is astounding how far some people will go to say "I'm right and you're wrong". You just proved it.

[saevel25]

Depends on league rules.. We don't penalize stroke and distance because the course we play is usually packed with leagues and doing so would just put everyone behind, since there are a few holes were people have to drop a ball each week. We also allow a few inches to roll the ball if its really sitting down, no improving from rough to fairway or from behind a tree.

Personally, i play everything as it lies, even in league.

[Radford Wooly]

Some of the guys I play with just actually lose count, so I wouldn't actually call it cheating...

[2bGood]

If you are not playing for score, there is no such thing as cheating. And...... if you are not playing against me... I don't care what the hell you do. But, be aware, if I know you cheat and you play against me, I will watch you like a hawk and call you on every penalty... even for $1. I will not put up with it for any amount of money.

My thoughts too. I could care less how you play, unless we are competing. I play lots of "practice" rounds. I recall once confusing the hell out of guy who got paired with me as I kept use my foot wedge to get into the rough, as I want to work on hitting out of it, and the practice tee doesn't have rough.

[armandoartist]

My boss cheats all the time. Um I just let it go. Unless it's for money I count all his shots. My only cheating is I don't reheat off the tee usually just take a drop. But i'm just playing casually. I've never played in tournament, is there someone around to give you rule updates on every hole?

[2bGood]

My only point in this is: How did you know that that imaginary shot didn't go OB as well? That is where your logic breaks down. If you can hit one shot OB, then there is no guarantee that the next one won't do the same. You are in essence giving yourself the benefit of the doubt, something that the rules never do.

You also are maybe hurting youself as your provisional may have went down the middle.

Nothing sucks more then hitting a tee shot that you should have no trouble finding so you didn't hit a provisiomal and then after 5min search you don't find your ball, so you have to head back to the tee. To be honest I am glad there are so many "Cheaters" as pace of play would be brutal if all these folks who can break 110 played by every rule in a casual round.

[Jtjohns]

LMAO, some of these stories are a trip. I have a buddy that I play with that would fit in with some of the people talked about in this thread. After every single hole, I ask him what he shot so that I can record the score. It never fails, he always replies with "what did you shoot?". Whatever my answer is, he either tied it or shot one over my score. Doesn't matter if I got par and he was hitting 5 before he even got to the green.

No money is on the line though. So.... I let it ride.

[Paradox]

My only point in this is: How did you know that that imaginary shot didn't go OB as well? That is where your logic breaks down. If you can hit one shot OB, then there is no guarantee that the next one won't do the same. You are in essence giving yourself the benefit of the doubt, something that the rules never do.

Any balls I hit that I think even have a chance of going OB, I hit again from the same spot before I even leave. It isn't something that effects the way I play..only one of the guys I play with who just doesn't seem to know how to add up strokes...>THAT is my point..not the freaking rule! The penalty will add two strokes to your score, not one! As I have said, I know what the rules are..and in a casual round with friends..not one of us will go back and re-tee or go back to the previous spot and play another ball simply because of pace. Hell, the dude already spends enough time searching for balls in 3 foot tall grass, I'd hate to see what our round times would end up being if he played to the rule. Trust me..when my friend does re-tee he usually finds that its just as easy to send shot 3, 5, and 7 into the same OB area. This is proceeded by lots of cursing, some "you suck!"s, and in the end he'll end up saying "just write me down for a 7" lol.

[ghalfaire]

Lot's of discussion about the OB/lost ball penalty. I played in a league once that for the sake of "pace of play" permitted one to drop and take 2 strokes if you couldn't find your original ball or found it OB; although this was for those rare cases you thought your original ball was in play and "discovered" it wasn't. In fact your fellow competitors had the right to ask you to hit a provisional if they though you were OB/lost. I guess that's OK if the option is open to all but it isn't the rules. I personally don't understand why, if there is any reason to believe your ball might be OB or lost, a golfer would not hit a provisional ball. If you drop near the OB or where you think the ball is lost you're likely still in a trouble spot with a poor lie. I would think hitting a provisional would give you a better chance at a lower score than dropping a ball near an OB. Even we double digit handicaps can usually get one of two in a decent lie to play and dropping in the woods lying 3 isn't fun.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I've never blatantly cheated, but i've conveniently ignored tapping the ball at address a few times during my waggle. I remember one time during a tournament i thought i might have grounded the club in a bunker, but i couldn't remember for sure if i did or not. So i never said anything.

But I play from time to time with a guy that bumps his lie every single time, even in the bunker. Then says he shot 75 or something. Its kind of annoying.

[bplewis24]

I played with a guy yesterday who was taking practice shots in the bunker. And I mean he was hitting clumps of sand out of the bunker 2 times before each bunker shot. I didn't have the heart to tell him it was against the rules, plus English was not his first language.

Brandon

[Koth]

I used to cheat a lot when I first started. I think pretty much everyone does. Let's face it, if it's your first or second round, golf isn't very fun to play strictly by the rules.

[oneoverwrx]

I am 100% honest with my scoring. We dont always putt all the way out, if i am within 2 feet or so i pick up the ball. However the guys i play with are new to golf this year. I have been friends with them a long time and they just started wanting to golf so we play every saturday. They dont count lost balls or short duffs but they have fun and we dont hold anyone up. One of the guys will tee up his second shot on long holes but if he didnt we would be out there all day. It is somewhat nessesary for them to do this as their game developes. I used to go out lose balls and not count them and now i shoot in the low 80s and high 70s 100% honest. If I would have been counting all those strokes back then i would have probably given up on golf.

The most important thing about this is enjoyment, if your friend uses a foot wedge to have a clear shot dont worry about it. Eventually they will stop missing fairways and wont have to use the foot wedge and when they do miss the fairway they will be closer to the level of where we honest guys are and will take pride in playing a wedge back into the fairway.

IMO it isnt cheating unless there are stakes involved. They are only handicapping themselves. In their mind they know that your 85 on the card is way better that their 84.

[londonhusker]

Obviously, not knowing every rule and deliberately cheating are two different things. But recognizing that you don't know all the rules, and then still choosing not to learn them before hitting the course again, can be the same thing as choosing not to follow them on purpose. I just took an online test at http://www.opengolf.com/en/TheCourse/Quiz.aspx and screwed up quite a few of the questions. Surprising and embarrassing. I thought I knew the rules of golf, but apparently only know the ones I encounter regularly. Try the test out... hope you do better than I did!

[DavidFehertysBike]

Obviously, not knowing every rule and deliberately cheating are two different things. But recognizing that you don't know all the rules, and then still choosing not to learn them before hitting the course again, can be the same thing as choosing not to follow them on purpose. I just took an online test at

I got 14 of 18 right on that quiz.

I didnt know when you are entitled relief and your free drop comes to rest in a different kind of lie, its a penalty if you play the ball, though. Thank god for marshals!