Signing an Incorrect Scorecard

[JonMA1]

While playing a solo round yesterday, I made a mistake on how I treated an unplayable lie. I looked up the rule today and now realize I did something different than the three options provided in the ROG. 

This resulted in "signing" an incorrect scorecard. It looks like the rule was changed this year and instead of a DQ or forfeit, there is the possibility that I should/could apply 2 penalty strokes to my score. Am I understanding this correctly?

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BTW, I know there's a rule (and a topic here at TST) about solo rounds not counting towards a HI, but I'm tracking these scores to check my progress, not to play in any competition. I simply want that assessment to be based as close to the standard as is possible with my situation.

[Hardspoon]

Since you didn't play that hole in accordance with the RoG, I would suggest that you record par plus any handicap strokes for that hole.

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Since you didn't play that hole in accordance with the RoG, I would suggest that you record par plus any handicap strokes for that hole.

That's what I might do too. You're not in a tournament, after all.

[JonMA1]

Sorry guys, I'm really trying to figure this out on my own but am failing. I have no experience in competition so I don't know how the handicap system works other than a very basic understanding of it's intent to level the playing field. As such, par plus handicap isn't that clear to me.

My course handicap for this set of tees is 29 (USGA calculator)

The hole is a par 3 with a handicap of 7 (nine hole course). This is the number on the scorecard and labeled as handicap. Is this important?

Quote

Holes Not Played

When a hole is not played, or not played in accordance with the principles of “The Rules of Golf,” the score entered for handicap purposes is par (for the hole) plus any handicap strokes the player is entitled to, based on Course Handicap. 

Quote

Section 4

Holes Not Played/Not Played Under The Rules of Golf

Q.  How do I post a score if a hole is not played or not played under the Rules of Golf?"

A.  For handicap purposes, the player must record a score of par plus any handicap strokes normally received for the holes not played or holes not played in accordance with the Rules of Golf. These scores should have an “X” preceding the number. For example, player A is not able to play holes 16, 17, and 18 due to darkness. Player A has a Course Handicap™ of 12 and holes 16, 17, 18 are a par 5, 3, 4, and are allocated as the number 4, 16, 10 handicap holes, respectively. Therefore, player A will record an x-6, x-3, x-5 on holes 16, 17, and 18, respectively.

^^^^ this example is just confusing. Why does player A get to score a x-3 on hole 17? 

As for my original question, based on the replies, I'd give myself a 5 on this par 3 because my HI index is higher than 18, but it seems more complicated than that.

Again, sorry to be such a dumb ass about this stuff.

[Martyn W]

8 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

While playing a solo round yesterday, I made a mistake on how I treated an unplayable lie. I looked up the rule today and now realize I did something different than the three options provided in the ROG. 

This resulted in "signing" an incorrect scorecard. It looks like the rule was changed this year and instead of a DQ or forfeit, there is the possibility that I should/could apply 2 penalty strokes to my score. Am I understanding this correctly?

---

BTW, I know there's a rule (and a topic here at TST) about solo rounds not counting towards a HI, but I'm tracking these scores to check my progress, not to play in any competition. I simply want that assessment to be based as close to the standard as is possible with my situation.

Since this was not a competition,  DQ or not is irrelevant. I don't think you should treat the hole as 'not being played in accordance with the RoG' for handicap purposes but rather simply apply the penalty you incurred under Rule 28. I'm guessing you played from a wrong place in which case you should add the 2 stroke penalty, unless the breach was a serious one (you gained a significant advantage) requiring a correction; then I would agree with the previous answers. Don't forget your ESC is 8 ;). 

[JonMA1]

Thanks @Martyn W. I've added 2 penalty strokes to what I originally had as my score on that hole and resubmitted it towards my (pretend) HI.

You are correct in your assumption that I played from an incorrect drop.

I'd hit my tee shot into a swampy area (not what I consider a water hazard), then hit a provisional onto the green. This is what I understood about the rules... once I found my original ball, I could not play the provisional. Going by what someone had told me earlier, I took a drop back on the line of the tee, which I now realize was incorrect - hence the dilemma. If I had dropped the ball two club lengths back, it would have been a legal drop (as it was further from the hole). But the drop was further back than that. 

Lesson learned. I'm amazed at how unaware of the rules golfers are - myself included. As far as the "par plus handicap" rule, I'll just have to educate myself a bit more about course handicaps and how they apply to competition and scoring.

[Club Rat]

22 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I'm tracking these scores to check my progress,

 

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

Lesson learned.

That's what golf is all about, getting better and learning all the aspects of the game.

[JonMA1]

Ok, this is a bit off topic on my first question, but it was bugging me that I didn't understand the@Hardspoon and @iacas initial responses. So I did some reading and now (hopefully) understand what was suggested initially. 

My course handicap is 29, meaning if I were to play a scratch player in a stroke play tournament, I'd be spotted that many strokes against him.

The hole HC comes in play because of where the strokes are subtracted if my course handicap is not divisible by 18. The assigned number is based on the relative difficulty of each hole. I'm not sure what other reason there is for not simply subtracting the 29 from my gross score, but in the case of "not played" (because of darkness for example) or "not played by the rules of golf", the hole rating is relevant to what is added to par.

In my case with a course rating of 29,  if the hole in question had a HC of 1 through 11, I'd give myself par + 2. If the hole HC was 12-18, I'd give myself par + 1. Is this correct?

As it turned out, I added 2 strokes to my score due to an incorrect drop as @Martyn W suggested.

[Hardspoon]

59 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

I'm not sure what other reason there is for not simply subtracting the 29 from my gross score

For stroke play, you're correct, it doesn't really matter.  It's set up that way so that you can play other formats such as match play or best ball.

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

In my case with a course rating of 29,  if the hole in question had a HC of 1 through 11, I'd give myself par + 2. If the hole HC was 12-18, I'd give myself par + 1. Is this correct?

Yup, that's how it works!

[sjduffers]

On May 23, 2016 at 6:38 PM, JonMA1 said:

While playing a solo round yesterday, I made a mistake on how I treated an unplayable lie.

Based on that first sentence, it does not matter as you shouldn't be posting your round for handicap purposes (a new handicap rule in 2016), as you played by yourself, i.e. with no witness.

[Groucho Valentine]

On May 23, 2016 at 9:38 PM, JonMA1 said:

While playing a solo round yesterday, I made a mistake on how I treated an unplayable lie. I looked up the rule today and now realize I did something different than the three options provided in the ROG. 

This resulted in "signing" an incorrect scorecard. It looks like the rule was changed this year and instead of a DQ or forfeit, there is the possibility that I should/could apply 2 penalty strokes to my score. Am I understanding this correctly?

---

BTW, I know there's a rule (and a topic here at TST) about solo rounds not counting towards a HI, but I'm tracking these scores to check my progress, not to play in any competition. I simply want that assessment to be based as close to the standard as is possible with my situation.

So you played by yourself and signed your own scorecard? Wut?  

Its not a tournament or anything. If you actually did post the round, just visit the pro for that course and get him to correct the score in GHIN. Otherwise its no big deal. You're lucky, a couple years ago that kind of oversight meant dismissal from the game of golf. 

[JonMA1]

5 hours ago, sjduffers said:

Based on that first sentence, it does not matter as you shouldn't be posting your round for handicap purposes (a new handicap rule in 2016), as you played by yourself, i.e. with no witness.

It matters. Please read the last paragraph of my original post (the one that explains why I'm tracking a bogus HI).

4 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

So you played by yourself and signed your own scorecard? Wut?  

Its not a tournament or anything. If you actually did post the round, just visit the pro for that course and get him to correct the score in GHIN. Otherwise its no big deal. You're lucky, a couple years ago that kind of oversight meant dismissal from the game of golf. 

I'm using an online Handicap tracker. My HI is not legitimate on a couple levels. I don't belong to a club and I play the vast majority of my rounds by myself. That's why I don't show a HI in my profile.

It's only important that I play by the rules because I want an honest assessment of my progress. I may never play in a tournament, but if I do, I'd like to be bit more familiar with how these things are done.

Just because I suck at golf doesn't mean I can try to learn the rules.

[sjduffers]

On May 31, 2016 at 6:39 PM, JonMA1 said:

It matters. Please read the last paragraph of my original post (the one that explains why I'm tracking a bogus HI).

Ok. My bad. I didn't read down that far.

[MacDutch]

If you take an unplayable, you are allowed to go back as far as you want (in a straight line from the flag). So maybe your drop was correct?