When to pick up

[andrewrivera]

I took my son golfing and he is furious that I would not take a mulligan on a bad drive but would pick up my ball after three puts on an aerated green.  We were with another twosome of older guys like me who would pick up as well to save time and stop beating the dead horse.

How do I explain that all young golfers are anal about putting back and forth for days until they sink the put when us older guys are happy to say, "your good."

I wasn't posting to my handicap and there was no money on the round so I was just happy to be on the course with my son until he expressed his distaste for my failing morals!

Can this be explained or is time the only teacher of this common practice.

I also realized that it could be construed as sandbagging by letting an aerated green expand your strokes. I did count the pick up as a stroke though.

Thanks in advance for any feed back.

Andrew

[AmazingWhacker]

Not beating the dead horse = Equitable Stroke Control.  Based on your handicap, there is a maximum number of strokes you can get on any 1 hole.  There's a chart where you can figure it out but we've always just played "double par" and yer out.

No sense in taking golf too seriously.  In casual rounds I pick up the ball whenever I want to.  If we play for $$ we always play skins or match play which pretty much eliminates the issue.

[David in FL]

Not beating the dead horse = Equitable Stroke Control.  Based on your handicap, there is a maximum number of strokes you can get on any 1 hole.

Not quite. ESC (which is based on course handicap) only limits the number of strokes you may post for handicap purposes on any given hole. It in no way limits the number of strokes you can take on any given hole for score. If you are posting your scores for handicap though, you should NOT pick up prior to reaching your maximum under ESC, or your posted score will not be correct. As an example, if your course handicap is 18, your ESC maximum on any given hole is 7. If you pick up at 6 on a par 3, you're posting a score that is too low for that particular hole..... For the OP though, I'd just explain to your son that there's a difference between not playing by the rules (mulligans), and picking up once you're clearly out of the hole in order to keep up the overall pace of play of the group.

[Dave2512]

I'm not young or anal but I putt everything into the cup even during practice because it's those nasty little missed putts that kill a score. If I am close enough for a gimme it doesn't take much more time to finish it. That said I don't care if other people do it and I wouldn't get twisted about it. Everyone plays casual golf their own way.

[MEfree]

If your son takes mulligans, he is not really in much of a position to criticize you for taking putts.  I`d tell your son that he is entitled to do what he wants while you are entitled to do what you want.  While some might construe not taking putts or mulligans as "sandbagging" others would say that if you take mulligans or putts, then you have a vanity handicap.  I ascribe more to the later position, but each to his own.

To clarify, when you say pick up after three putts and count the pick up as a stroke, do you mean a total of 4 strokes on the green (3 actual putts + the pick up) or 3 strokes?  If it is the former, I can`t imagine it happening all that many times where ESA would not be involved.  Also, why weren`t you posting for handicap?  I was under the impression that you are required to post all rounds.

[Desert Driver]

Originally Posted by andrewrivera

I took my son golfing and he is furious that I would not take a mulligan on a bad drive but would pick up my ball after three puts on an aerated green.

You are right, it is inconsistent to be ok with a 'Mulligan', yet cry foul for picking up after three putts on an aerated green.

The group I play with most frequently has a standing rule of a three putt max on aerated greens. It is rarely applied because we avoid playing courses that have recently aerated their greens.

When I take my dad out golfing, we don't keep score per se. His golfing isn't the best, we simply try and enjoy the time out together and hit a few good shots.

Hope the next time out is enjoyable.

DD

[GaijinGolfer]

I judge it on pace of play.  If Im just having a horrible day on the course and Im slowing people down, I will pick it up after my 3rd putt.  Im not going to score well or even decent anyways, so who cares?

We all love to putt-out and hear the ball rattle around inside the cup but sometimes you need to be considerate of other people on the course.  IMO, thats something that is all too rare nowdays.

[andrewrivera]

Yes, 3 strokes for the hole then a fourth for the pick up. I'm not registered with my club this year so I'm not posting anything.

[Goonsidious]

When greens are like that.. my playing partners and give it a legit try.. but if the next shot is solid or pointless to really go for, just pick it up.

Depends on how old your son is.. by his mentality it sounds like he is 13ish, I'd just let him learn by example. Keep doing your thing, practice what you preach, and he'll understand all the little parts of the game.

When do I pick up? If I ever see my playing partners on the greens waiting for me 150yds out. [Ha, rarely happens mind you]

Or when a hilly green is getting the better of me.

One thing that I do despise is when my playing partner on the day [if its a random] just says "its good" although its a 2footer +..

[David in FL]

One thing that I do despise is when my playing partner on the day [if its a random] just says "its good" although its a 2footer +..

I sure like to hear that when its said by my match play opponent though! ;-)

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by Goonsidious

One thing that I do despise is when my playing partner on the day [if its a random] just says "its good" although its a 2footer +..

I agree with you there...it is one thing if you have a match/bet, but another when it is just a casual round.

I played the other day with a friend from a group where we will usually have a very small bet.  They are single digits but tend to have a very generous gimme range, especially when it doesn`t mean anything.  Occasionally they will have you putt a 2-2.5 footer if it means something, but it is really comical to see how some guys will do everything they can to encourage someone to give them putts in the 2-3+ foot range.  Everything from outright begging for it to be a gimme to slowing down to the point that someone finally says it is good.

We only had 3 at a new course where the greens were aerated/sanded and he said he didn`t want any match.  I started with a birdie and was generally playing well HOLING EVERYTHING OUT but after rolling my birdie putt on 5 or 6 about 2 feet by, he tells me my comeback is good AS I AM STROKING THE PUTT. Of course, I lip it out and then lip out the one hander from about 8 inches.

Don`t guys realize that you can give yourself all the putts you want if there is no match involved?  Really no need for them to say anything, especially when you have chosen to hole out everything up until that point.  I'll give a random a putt (by hitting it back to him when he putted it close from a distance), but only AFTER I see that he gives them to himself anyways (and even then, only when it is so short as to be an obvious give)

[Pablo68]

Depends I guess.........

If you're just slapping it back and forth over the green (skulling it then hitting it too hard) just pick up; ESPECIALLY if there are people behind you waiting. No sense in dragging out a crappy hole just so you can write down a 9+.

When my friends and I play skins, we pick up all the time. If you're laying double bogey and haven't hit the green, why bother?

And if the greens are aerated and sandy, we take 2 putts max provided you're actually on the putting surface. I hate playing on those though. Waste of money IMO.

[sabergo]

Here in Germany, Stableford tends to be the game of choice.  Players will often pick-up at the point when they would receive no net points for the hole -- depending on the handicap, that is usually at triple bogey.  Speeds up play greatly, so I'm usually a fan.  However, whenever the majority have to compete in stroke play events, you'll see the frustration and scores mount big time.

If you're just having fun -- pick-up whenever you choose.

[Par Fore]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

I'm not young or anal but I putt everything into the cup even during practice because it's those nasty little missed putts that kill a score. If I am close enough for a gimme it doesn't take much more time to finish it. That said I don't care if other people do it and I wouldn't get twisted about it. Everyone plays casual golf their own way.

This is a very good point here.....the last couple of years, while not playing a lot nor keeping a cap, I usually play with a good buddy who has a tendency to give short putts and hit the ball back to you.......casual rounds and I enjoy his company, so never cared much........played my first real round recently, trying to get back in the game and keep a cap......missed 6 putts around 5 feet, and it has really hurt my short putts....

Granted, recenly aerated or temp greens can be incredibly frustrating....