Gamesmanship / etiquette

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by Rulesman

Golf originated as match play. Stroke play is a recent aberration which is why the rules have become more complicated.

Yeah ... bring back the stymie!

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Yukari

Easy solution.  Stop playing with him altogether.

And if he asks to join your group just say sorry...we already have a threesome.

[BigT]

Quote:

He will also strategically stand with his shadow across my line

I did  this once by accident and I felt like a idiot when I realized (I was looking elsewere), now I make sure I know were my stupid shadow is!

He sounds like a high intensity guy, cant be that fun to golf with. Try getting a 4some going and do a 2man scramble with him on your team and see if he does it to them. One of them will not be so kind.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

That is a very charitable way to look at it -- and may be correct. In tennis, you can get into the other guy's head with a "nice serve" or some other comment. I used to say, "Thank you." when someone double faulted. Man did that drive them crazy. In football, it is not holding unless you get caught. Golf is different and perhaps, as his good friend, you should help him to understand that manners matter. You might be doing him a great favor. Imagine if he played business golf and pulled that bull. I took up golf for real in my 20's and mostly played for business at first. All that mattered was manners and being enjoyable to be around. I'm competitive as most anyone you'll meet. But that means I want to make my putt not distract you so you miss yours.

That scene in Caddie Shack where the guys yell, "Miss it!" is a joke -- not a Golf Channel lesson on how to win.

Actually that kind of behavior is just as frowned upon in tennis as it is in golf.

[NuclearMike]

He has no business on the course with his attitude.  I'm competitive too, and if I win, great, but if I get outplayed and lose so be it. I don't like to lose, and I never have, at anything, but if it happens I congratulate my playing partner and move on.  Tell your friend to grow up- golf is supposed to be a gentleman's game.  Lay down the law to him and drop him as a playing partner if he doesn't shape up.

[mdl]

Wow.  I wouldn't put up with that at all.

If it's about competitiveness, easy.  It's a breach of the rules to purposefully distract your opponent in match play (I can't remember the rule number, maybe a rules guru can comment?).  In match play the penalty is loss of hole for the distractor.  Next round you play, every time he does it just pick up your ball and mark the hole as won by you.  When he loses 10&8 a few times in a row he'll get the message.

Of course, that's only if it's worth it to you to essentially give yourself the auto 2 putt and not actually get to practice/challenge yourself with putting for most of a round or two.  Although if he's really just an a-hole and you're winning the match on the front nine, then you can practice your putting on the back nine.

[Th3R00st3r]

As soon as he moves, or fidgets, walk straight over to him and kick him in the balls...

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I think your buddy is missing the point, golf is supposed to be played against the course and old man par. Other sports are played directly against your competitor and gamesmanship is acceptable and even an expected part of the game but in golf that's not really true. Even this past weekend, in a sense Bubba was competing with Rose (for example) but that's only superficial, in reality Bubba is competing against the golf courses as is Rose, whoever does the best against the course (and elements) wins the tourney. If some schmuck is f--king with you in your backstroke you aren't getting a fair shot at competing against the course and neither of you is going to have a score worth keeping, a score that reflects how you did against the course.

I bet your buddy doesn't tip the beer cart girl either!

Originally Posted by Rulesman

Golf originated as match play. Stroke play is a recent aberration which is why the rules have become more complicated.

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Consider match play.  That is golf in its original and purest form, and par has no bearing in match play.  It is strictly mano y mano.  All that matters is whether you finish each hole in fewer strokes than your opponent.  I've deliberately played for bogey many times when my opponent was in trouble and I knew that bogey would win the hole.

Stroke or medal play for an aggregate score is a relatively new iteration of the game.

But..... there is still no place even in match play for ignoring the precepts of etiquette.

Oops, got me there. I didn't know that. I'm fairly new to golf and don't know all that much about golf history, but that's why I hang out here, learn something new everyday!

In anycase, the essence of my post remains the same; it should be the course, the elements and your ability to "hit the shots" that dictate your score (maybe throw a little luck in there for good measure too) not what some jackass is doing to try to f--k you up while you're swinging. If it were me, I would drop the douche and find some new playing partners that are more interested in playing to the best of their abilities as opposed to trying to trip each other up.

EDIT - have you tried screaming "mashed potatoes" in his ear whenever he putts?

[Dormie1360]

Originally Posted by mdl

It's a breach of the rules to purposefully distract your opponent in match play (I can't remember the rule number, maybe a rules guru can comment?).  In match play the penalty is loss of hole for the distractor. Next round you play, every time he does it just pick up your ball and mark the hole as won by you. When he loses 10&8 a few times in a row he'll get the message.

Hi mdl,

I couldn't find anything that describes purposeful distractions as an independent rules violation with a penalty of loss of hole.  Under rule 33 the committee does have the option to DQ a player for a serious breach of etiquette which I think repeated intentional distraction could qualify.  This could be hard to prove however.  Especially without a referee.

Remember Seve and Azinger in the Ryder Cup.  Azinger claimed Seve always seemed to have to clear his throat while the Americans were playing.  If an opponent is in your field of view, ask him to move.  If he does something that distracts you, ask him not to do that anymore.  If he continues, then make a claim and tell the committee about it.  Just picking up your ball whenever it occurs, however, could have the opposite affect of causing you to lose the hole.

My 2 cents.