Girl Loses U.S. Junior Match After Raking Back Short Putt

[iacas]

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/shepherd-us-junior-final-after-concession-controversy

Quote

On the first playoff hole, the par-5 14th, Moon faced a 4-foot birdie putt for the win. She missed the putt and left herself a 4-inch comebacker for par. Already in with par, Shepherd didn’t concede her opponent’s short putt, and Moon mindlessly pulled her ball back to try again.

"I didn't say that was good," Shepherd said.

Because the putt wasn’t conceded, Moon violated Rule 18-2 (moving a ball in play) and received a one-shot penalty, resulting in a loss of hole and, ultimately, the match.

Ouch.

[David in FL]

2 lessons learned early in life.

1)  Never assume.

2)  Some people are assholes.

 

[Hardspoon]

Seems like both of them handled it really well, at least.  The comments in that link are funny - people are bashing her (the winner) since she's going to Duke.

1 minute ago, David in FL said:

2)  Some people are assholes.

Who, in this situation?  Neither of them did anything even remotely asshole-ish.

“And so I said, ‘I don’t think I gave that to you.’ Then I said, ‘I totally would have given that to you, no doubt.’”

Shepherd thought that because she intended to concede the putt, the match would be allowed to continue. But that wasn’t the case. Because the concession wasn’t verbalized prior to Moon raking her ball, Moon violated Rule 18-2 (moving a ball in play) and received a one-shot penalty.

[David in FL]

2 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Seems like both of them handled it really well, at least.  The comments in that link are funny - people are bashing her (the winner) since she's going to Duke.

Who, in this situation?  Neither of them did anything even remotely asshole-ish.

“And so I said, ‘I don’t think I gave that to you.’ Then I said, ‘I totally would have given that to you, no doubt.’”

Shepherd thought that because she intended to concede the putt, the match would be allowed to continue. But that wasn’t the case. Because the concession wasn’t verbalized prior to Moon raking her ball, Moon violated Rule 18-2 (moving a ball in play) and received a one-shot penalty.

Yeah, the quote in the OP didn't really reflect the same story as the link.

 

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, David in FL said:

2)  Some people are assholes.

I'm with John. Nobody was an asshole here.

[Hardspoon]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

I'm with John. Nobody was an asshole here.

I mean, she's going to Duke, so she will be soon...but for now, no, she was good.  

[Golfingdad]

5 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Seems like both of them handled it really well, at least.  The comments in that link are funny - people are bashing her (the winner) since she's going to Duke.

Who, in this situation?  Neither of them did anything even remotely asshole-ish.

“And so I said, ‘I don’t think I gave that to you.’ Then I said, ‘I totally would have given that to you, no doubt.’”

Shepherd thought that because she intended to concede the putt, the match would be allowed to continue. But that wasn’t the case. Because the concession wasn’t verbalized prior to Moon raking her ball, Moon violated Rule 18-2 (moving a ball in play) and received a one-shot penalty.

I don't disagree, but I would be curious how often putts of inconsequential distance are conceded without officially saying so.  And I say that because it's very noticeable how she turns to walk away and then pauses and her eyes get kinda wide before she turns back and says she didn't concede.  I find it hard to believe that anybody would care if she just continued that turn towards the next tee.  I believe that is the action Dave might be referring to (and also why I gave him a thumbs up)

I could be entirely wrong though. :)

[Hardspoon]

8 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

I don't disagree, but I would be curious how often putts of inconsequential distance are conceded without officially saying so.

OK - so I'm revealing my ignorance here (I've never played in an "official" match play tournament), but don't you have to verbally concede anything?

8 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

And I say that because it's very noticeable how she turns to walk away and then pauses and her eyes get kinda wide before she turns back and says she didn't concede.

Not that you can read her mind, but it looks like she clearly turned away because she thought Moon was going to tap the putt in.  Her eyes got wide when she raked it instead.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, Hardspoon said:

OK - so I'm revealing my ignorance here (I've never played in an "official" match play tournament), but don't you have to verbally concede anything?

No. You can motion "pick it up" or tap it away yourself or whatever.

1 minute ago, Hardspoon said:

Not that you can read her mind, but it looks like she clearly turned away because she thought Moon was going to tap the putt in.  Her eyes got wide when she raked it instead.

Ditto.

[Golfingdad]

3 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

OK - so I'm revealing my ignorance here (I've never played in an "official" match play tournament), but don't you have to verbally concede anything?

I dont know either but I would assume that by the rules you would indeed have to clearly concede, just that I wonder if they ever don't.

I can tell you with 100% certainty, though, that I f that was me that I'd have kept walking to the next tee.  If an official came to me and asked if I conceded I'd say I didn't but I wouldn't volunteer it.

8 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Not that you can read her mind, but it looks like she clearly turned away because she thought Moon was going to tap the putt in.  Her eyes got wide when she raked it instead.

Agree completely about the mind reading but I don't think I've ever seen that happen - people finish out a hole in match play like that.  (I admittedly haven't watched all that much match play and I don't think I've ever watched junior match play)

[David in FL]

7 minutes ago, iacas said:

No. You can motion "pick it up" or tap it away yourself or whatever.

Ditto.

Looked to me like a concession....turning and starting to walk away.  No doubt that Moon should have confirmed it before raking it back though.  Shepherd could easily have said, yep, I conceded that, let's move on....

[Hardspoon]

2 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

If an official came to me and asked if I conceded I'd say I didn't but I wouldn't volunteer it.

Per the story (and what you can hear on video), her coach did ask her "Did you concede?"  She hesitated long enough that she was asked, and then she had no choice but to tell the truth.

2 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Looked to me like a concession....turning and starting to walk away.  No doubt that Moon should have confirmed it before raking it back though.  Shepherd could easily have said, yep, I conceded that, let's move on....

Yeah, agreed...I guess I give her the benefit of the doubt since she's young and probably didn't realize what was going on.  I'd bet that next time she just walks away.

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Looked to me like a concession....turning and starting to walk away.  No doubt that Moon should have confirmed it before raking it back though.  Shepherd could easily have said, yep, I conceded that, let's move on....

Turning away is not a concession.

If she did not actually concede, but walks away and doesn't lodge a claim in time, it's effectively the same thing as conceding.

But it's not conceding.

[David in FL]

Just now, iacas said:

Turning away is not a concession.

It is if the player says it is.

Again, Moon never should have assumed.  Her fault.  Had I been asked if I had conceded that putt, I would have said yep.

 

[iacas]

1 minute ago, David in FL said:

It is if the player says it is.

No, it isn't.

See the rest of my post that you didn't quote.

[saevel25]

It really is a tough break for both of them. In the end, the responsibility is on Moon to make sure the putt was conceded. 

9 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

I can tell you with 100% certainty, though, that I f that was me that I'd have kept walking to the next tee.  If an official came to me and asked if I conceded I'd say I didn't but I wouldn't volunteer it.

Yea, that is kinda what I am thinking I would have done as well. I am not sure what I would say or do if I noticed the opponent do what Moon did. I probably mention the same thing, that I didn't concede the putt. Though it would be very rare for me not to concede that length of a putt. I am pretty good at saying "That's good" early enough that this type of situation probably would not happen. 

Another question is, if you notice the opponent pick up the ball with out being conceded, and do not mention anything. Are you in violation of waiving the rules of golf and disqualified? 

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

Turning away is not a concession.

I agree with this. Unless the opponent makes a deliberate sign or says something then the putt is not conceded. 

 

[Gator Hazard]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

Turning away is not a concession.

Agree, if she were older and wiser I'd say a well played hustle but seems to be a mistake on both parties with the fault really lying with the person who didn't hole out. Lesson learned for her about rules, lesson learned for other about sportsmanship. 

Edited July 29, 2017 by Gator Hazard

[David in FL]

Just now, iacas said:

No, it isn't.

See the rest of my post that you didn't quote.

I didn't quote it, because you edited it...  

I know of no place in the rules where it specifies exactly what needs to be done in order to concede a hole.