Who Plays by the Rules?

[8.5_Drive]

Wow... When you play basketball, do you dribble the ball or just walk around the court.

[tristanhilton85]

Yup, I definitely follow the rules. I carry the actual rule book as well as a quick reference rule book in my bag just in case I come across something I'm not sure about. I don't take gimmes either, for whatever reason, I enjoy hearing the ball fall into the cup. Most of the people I've played with don't really cheat either. One guy I played with was fairly new and grounded his club in a bunker, but I didn't say anything. But as far as "foot wedges" or magically found lost balls go they aren't part of my game or the game of the majority of people that I've played with.

I'm on the side with those of you who compared it with other sports... the rules are there for a reason, and as ridiculous as some of them may seem, they are there to be followed. If you are going to break them, then don't even bother keeping score since it isn't accurate.

[Jameshooper]

I play by the rules as best I can....I'm not a rules expert, but I take strokes if I hit it in the hazard, or hit it OB. If I am playing with someone I know understands the rules better than I do, then I will ask them if what the rule is if a situation comes up that i am not sure about.

[sean_miller]

If I'm not playing for money, turning in a card for my handicap, or in a competition of any kind, then who cares?

The next time I see a 36 capper playing a casual round in the group ahead, drive (or walk!!) come back to the tee because he didn't realize his ball had just rolled OB, rather than dropping and adding strokes (same goes for a non-lateral water hazard) "somebody's gonna get a hurt"*.





* Russel Peters

[opie]

The next time I see a 36 capper playing a casual round in the group ahead, drive (or walk!!) come back to the tee because he didn't realize his ball had just rolled OB, rather than dropping and adding strokes (same goes for a non-lateral water hazard) "somebody's gonna get a hurt"*.

Why does it have to be a 36 handicapper? If you're playing a busy course on the weekend and you didn't hit a provisional only to find your ball OB and you walk back to the tee box.. You're gonna be pissing some folks off. If I'm playing behind you i'm gonna be irritated

[zeg]

I'm not suggesting that the rules aren't sometimes painful to follow properly, believe me as a 36 handicapper I'd love for mulligans and gimmee's to be part of the rules. My feeling is if you are out one day just for fun and don't want to be burdened with the rules then why bother keeping score at all.

If everyone involved is playing the same rules or if you play the same rules every time, the score is still meaningful. Of course you can't compare with someone playing the official rules, but that's not important to everyone.

And golf isn't *that* different from other sports. People modify rules in basketball, baseball, etc, to play in different situations, with different ages, numbers of people, etc. For example, I don't think I've ever seen free throws in a casual game of basketball, usually you just get the ball back after a foul. Golf is unique in that people do compare scores in an absolute sense and there's less distinction between a casual round and a competitive round, whereas in other sports each game is more obviously self-contained. My feeling is that if someone enjoys the game they're playing, it's none of my business what rules they're using. Really the only thing special about the USGA/R&A; rules is that they're standard.

[sean_miller]

Why does it have to be a 36 handicapper? If you're playing a busy course on the weekend and you didn't hit a provisional only to find your ball OB and you walk back to the tee box.. You're gonna be pissing some folks off. If I'm playing behind you i'm gonna be irritated

It's not a hard fast rule (ironically), but some of the most ardent rules-o-philes are very high handicappers. Come on guys - just hit the ball.

[timbone03]

Rules are rules.

It bothers me when I see someone use there foot wedge. .

[Arthur]

Rules are rules.

Even if they count it as a stroke?

[Fourputt]

If I'm not playing for money, turning in a card for my handicap, or in a competition of any kind, then who cares?

If it's me that comes back to retee the ball and you react that way, then we're going to have a rumble. I'm not a 36 handicap, but how the hell do you know that? And how do you know what I'm playing for? Your kind of arrogance isn't needed on the golf course. You have no right whatsoever to dictate who can play by the rules or when they can do so.

[saevel25]

I will take all OB at one penalty with out distance. I don't think i should back up to the tee box and back up other people due to the distance rule. I don't think i need to if i am not playing in a tourniment. Thoguh i should do what others do, just assume my drop is the 2nd drive and take two strokes, more accurate. I am pretty much playing by the rules of golf, i wont ground clubs in hazards, and things like that. I will putt with the pin in if i am lazy, that whole 2 stroke penalty is bull on a casual day.

[Zeph]

Even if they count it as a stroke?

Yes, even if they do.

[sean_miller]

If it's me that comes back to retee the ball and you react that way, then we're going to have a rumble. I'm not a 36 handicap, but how the hell do you know that? And how do you know what I'm playing for? Your kind of arrogance isn't needed on the golf course. You have no right whatsoever to dictate who can play by the rules or when they can do so.

You'd be smart enough, one assumes, to hit another ball. You should google my quote though, it's from a comedian. As if someone would actually fight you. Just explain your actions to the marshall when they ask why you've lost touch with the group in front and strongly suggest you skip a hole.

[Fourputt]

Even if they count it as a stroke?

Yeah, because it's a 2 stroke penalty.

[golfro]

If it's me that comes back to retee the ball and you react that way, then we're going to have a rumble. I'm not a 36 handicap, but how the hell do you know that? And how do you know what I'm playing for? Your kind of arrogance isn't needed on the golf course. You have no right whatsoever to dictate who can play by the rules or when they can do so.

What about the kind of arrogance from a player who completely disregards people behind or infront of him, and drives/walks back to the tee box to hit another ball instead of taking a drop to keep the pace going...?

[Fourputt]

You'd be smart enough, one assumes, to hit another ball. You should google my quote though, it's from a comedian. As if someone would actually fight you. Just explain your actions to the marshall when they ask why you've lost touch with the group in front and

Never going to happen. Even on the rare occasion that I haven't hit a provisional ball, I can make up the time lost in one hole at most. I'm not a slow player, but I do play by the rules, and if I've hit that rare shot where the ball is lost under unexpected circumstances, then I

will go back to the previous spot and play another ball. Such a play is going to take me a couple of minutes at most, certainly less time than the search that I just did. And while I'm doing that the rest of my group will continue playing to the green, so they don't really lose any time at all.

What about the kind of arrogance from a player who completely disregards people behind or infront of him, and drives/walks back to the tee box to hit another ball instead of taking a drop to keep the pace going...?

That's not arrogance... that's called golf. You ought to try it sometime.

By the way, just follow me around the course sometime and see if you can keep up. I don't need anyone lecturing me about pace of play.

[te3point5]

I really only violate a few rules

1) Advice. If it's a friendly match (which most of mine are) we always chat about what club we're hitting, where to aim, etc.
2) teeing off and hitting OB and not being able to find the ball. So I do not go back to the tee to re-tee. This is to speed up play mostly. I'll usually take a drop at about where the ball went out of bounds
3) taking a pentalty for a lost ball when I KNOW it landed in an in-play area. I'm sure it happens to most of us. but we don't have spotters or fans to let us know where the ball landed. If I and my buddy see my ball land, and I go to where it SHOULD be, and it's not there, I will not take a penalty stroke.

Me and the only other person I golf with play with these exceptions to the rules.

[golfro]

Never going to happen. Even on the rare occasion that I haven't hit a provisional ball, I can make up the time lost in one hole at most. I'm not a slow player, but I do play by the rules, and if I've hit that rare shot where the ball is lost under unexpected circumstances, then I

Nice. but your condescending tone suggests otherwise.