Golfers get a bad rap for being uptight rule mongers (but they shouldn't)

[chenwood]

I let my buddies take any liberty they want.  I'll write down whatever score they tell me.  I even encourage some of the worst guys to do whatever they have fun with.  I'm pretty strict myself so that I can gauge my progress.  I wouldn't have much fun if I'm taking free drops.  I'm competing with myself and happy to have good company.

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by chenwood

I let my buddies take any liberty they want.  I'll write down whatever score they tell me.  I even encourage some of the worst guys to do whatever they have fun with.  I'm pretty strict myself so that I can gauge my progress.  I wouldn't have much fun if I'm taking free drops.  I'm competing with myself and happy to have good company.

This.

Who cares what other people shoot, or even think they shoot?  I don't understand why so many people get upset if a player thinks they shot a better sccore than you, when they really didin't.

This comes up a lot.  The attitude that... "I don't care how you play or score, as long as you don't go around saying you beat me."

[dak4n6]

Originally Posted by Gresh24

This.

Who cares what other people shoot, or even think they shoot?  I don't understand why so many people get upset if a player thinks they shot a better sccore than you, when they really didin't.

This comes up a lot.  The attitude that... "I don't care how you play or score, as long as you don't go around saying you beat me."

You're right, if I were a perfect human, I would dissociate my pride and competitiveness and not care if you claimed to beat me by 10 strokes when in fact I beat you by 10 even though we weren't playing a match.

It's just annoying, but yes, it's not that big of a deal..

[Dave2512]

OP this is my experience. Everyone goes through the nervous thing at some point as they progress further into the golf world. Most of the people you encounter on the course will feel the same way you do. More often than not the people you meet on the first tee will not be shy about telling you how much they suck. As the round progresses you will hear people say they usually play better than they are on that day. It's part of the deal. I play with guys all the time that claim to be 10-15 handicaps that shoot over 100 or near it for that particular round. Heck to get there takes some scorecard creativity for some of them.

Last Fri I met another single on the first tee that invited me to tag along. The entire front 9 he criticized my short game and gave me pointers out on the course. I bettered him by at least 6 strokes and there were some holes where his putts lipped out and he counted it like it went in. Trust me when I say you don't have anything to fear. Those that are truly good will understand you are just getting started.

[B-Con]

I see enough mulligans, gimmes, and foot wedges from my partners that I don't think most golfers take the rules too seriously.

[mikelegacy]

Originally Posted by Stargaze

I follow the rules when it comes to attire, repairing divots etc etc.  I want to treat the golf course and the facilities with the utmost respect.  Neither myself nor my friends are scratch golfers.  So if my buddy hits his ball onto the cart path or in mud, for God's sake take it out and place it where you can get a decent shot....I'm not a stickler at all for that stuff.

Technically, you can pull a ball off the cart path (just no closer to the whole). The same goes for a mud pit, as it (sometimes) may be classified as "Grounds in Repair". So you would technically still be following the rules there!

[DocWu1948]

Today, I was shooting a very good round. On #18, I thought I hit too far into a creek, but my partner spotted the ball off to the side with an opening between two trees. Hit a great 2nd shot that split the trees. Then only 120 yards to the green for a GIR. As I get ready to putt, I realize  it's not my ball. I two putt for the Par anyway.

Would have been an 85 with a 5, but  couldn't remember if it's 2 strokes per stroke for the wrong ball or what. I figured I would card an 8 for the last hole and report an 88 for handicap purposes as 8 is the ESC limit for my HDCP.  An 85 would have been my lowest ever.

Then again, it could have been my ball. I do have Bridgestones.in my bag. Naaaah.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by DocWu1948

Today, I was shooting a very good round. On #18, I thought I hit too far into a creek, but my partner spotted the ball off to the side with an opening between two trees. Hit a great 2nd shot that split the trees. Then only 120 yards to the green for a GIR. As I get ready to putt, I realize  it's not my ball. I two putt for the Par anyway.

Would have been an 85 with a 5, but  couldn't remember if it's 2 strokes per stroke for the wrong ball or what. I figured I would card an 8 for the last hole and report an 88 for handicap purposes as 8 is the ESC limit for my HDCP.  An 85 would have been my lowest ever.

Then again, it could have been my ball. I do have Bridgestones.in my bag. Naaaah.

Actually, it's a 2 stroke penalty and the mistake must be corrected, meaning that you have to go back and find your ball, or proceed under the proper rule (i.e. either 27-1 for a lost ball or 26-1 for ball lost in a water hazard).  The odds are that you would have scored at least an 8, and likely more.  Best case, 2 strokes for playing the wrong ball, one stroke for dropping back of the water hazard, means that you would be playing your 5th shot and still in trouble a long way from the green.  For ESC purposes, your procedure was right.  In a competition where every stroke counts.....  well you get my drift.

I've had those holes before, even in the club championship, and it's no fun.  Try taking a 12 on a par 5 and a 10 on a par 4 on consecutive holes when you are supposed to be playing to a 10 handicap - 13 over par on 2 holes, on my way to my worst tournament round ever.  That was 20 years ago and I still have the bad taste in my mouth.