Is it just me or am I right about this?

[BluesMan]

I met someone at the golf club who played in a 4 ball a while ago in a match at another club.

During the match some of the people involved putted with the flag in while on the green (i.e. hit the pin and went in the hole from 10ish feet). Put a club on the floor along the line of their feet after they hit a shot to see where they were aiming, and treaded on others lines.
Ok, so treading on others lines is not in the rules, but the others are big problems as far as i am concerned. The match was apparently a friendly between the clubs.

I told him that you should have told the players during the round not to do it, or complain at the end if they continued. He told me i was being obsessive about the rules, and if i were playing and did that I would irritate a lot of people. I told him that he was very wrong and if I ever caught him doing either of those things in a proper competiton i would get him disqualified. He wasnt too pleased...

Common, ive got to be in the right here! What you think?

[dwsell]

I think it would really depend on the atmoshpere of the match. If both teams are there to socialize and not be competitve I don't think it matters. If everyone was breaking rules or not taking the match seriously, no harm. If this was the only group that was acting like that then it would be a problem and I would be quite upset that they are breaking rules.

[Undr Par]

I would have chalked it up as a pratice round personally, and just realize that the next time if you want to play seriously, just tell them no thanks and don't play with them.

That does sound weird though, laying clubs down for proper lies and all, wow that type of stuff should be in your back yard or nearest park.

[BluesMan]

If it was a relaxed round, or practice round I would happily let them do it, im not that bad :)

But it was in a competition between clubs, i dont care whether its a friendly or not its bragging rights that are going down the drain if we loose because they broke a few rules

[bwinger79]

This game we all love has rules. Play by them. ALL OF THEM. Especially in competition. Next comes the foot wedges and mullys.

[NM Golf]

I met someone at the golf club who played in a 4 ball a while ago in a match at another club.

Well, only the putting with the flag in the hole breaks a rule. Walking on anothers line and using a club to indicate line of play AFTER the shot was hit are neither one against the rules.

[lhshurdl3r]

Well, only the putting with the flag in the hole breaks a rule. Walking on anothers line and using a club to indicate line of play AFTER the shot was hit are neither one against the rules.

i dont do it, but its actually against the rules to putt with the flag in?

[Warik]

i dont do it, but its actually against the rules to putt with the flag in?

Not exactly. It's not against the rules to putt with the flag in, but there is a penalty for hitting the flagstick when you are putting.

" 17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant The player’s ball must not strike: a. The flagstick when it is being attended, removed or held up; b. The person attending or holding up the flagstick; or c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has been made on the putting green. Exception: When the flagstick is attended, removed or held up without the player’s authority — see Rule 17-2. PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 17-3: Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes and the ball must be played as it lies." If you have a very long putt you probably won't make where you can't see the hole without the flagstick in and don't have anyone to tend it for you, then it's fine to putt with the flag in. If the ball hits the flagstick though it will cost you 2 strokes. This doesn't apply when you are off the green. Hit the pin all you want from there.

[Norm66]

I'm in a sort of similar position. The guys I play with all play "winter rules" fluffing lies etc., often want to pick up balls in bunkers due to poor condition of the sand, don't take proper penalties for lost or OB shots etc. yet I'm slowly coming around to the philosophy of playing by the rules. I've tried to be accomodating, playing by the rules while they do their own thing, but it's frustrating to compare scores at the end knowing our scores aren't based on the same set of rules.

I've decided that until threre's money or an actual competition involved just to let them do their own thing and not worry about it too much. I don't need to become known as the rules Nazi and not get anyone to play with me.

[gaz d]

yeah there is a guy in my club like that, a 'Rules Nazi' and no one like to play with him.

[Ghetto P]

I'm pretty anal about the rules. Kind of sucks when you start out shooting in the 130's, but I look at it this way, I know I've improved by 40 strokes in the last few months. If I didn't play by the rules I'd have no way of knowing if I improved or just cheat better.

[laconic517]

well, you could say something politely about the lines, the putting of the club down isnt a penalty so i dont know why you would care (unless it was there while they hit there shot, then its a penalty, but before or after and it doesnt matter) Putting with the flagstick in should have been addressed straight away, if it really was a competition, if you didnt want to be perceived as anal about the rules you could have warned them about it the first time and then just told them it was against the rules and they shouldnt doit again or something.

I hate playing with people that leavet he flagstick in or putt out of turn, now if we are playing ready golf thats fine I guess if we agree on whos going, but my brother in law will frequently putt while im about to putt, im out and hell just go and putt, and suddenly I hear him hit his ball as Im about to take the putter back. I am by no means a slow player either so theres no need for him to do that.