DaveP043

Its not just you.

Agree completely. So @Bob T, how about letting us know which of our suppositions are correct? Also, where did you take your relief? Oh, the original post mentions that you "placed" the ball, did you place it or drop it? I know I'm being picky, but this is how I learned about the rules myself. Learning the rules is a process, one that is almost never complete.

You're right, based on the wording in the OP, I inferred that the 4-wood shot he discussed was to be played towards the green, and was not a reasonable choice given the position of the ball, while the 7-iron chip was to be played in a different direction. This makes sense if the cart path ran approximately parallel to the fairway. Both heels on the path is pointing towards the green, a chip-out would be more perpendicular to the path, and would get both feet off of the path. If I do the math right, a semicircular relief area with a radius of 45 inches or so is 2.5 square yards. If you constrain that by half, since you cannot go back towards the cart path, you get a relief area of about 1.2 yards. Its certainly possible that there would be a decent place within that relief area to play from, if he wanted to chip out. However, I can't envision a physical arrangement where a legitimate drop would give the OP an unimpeded shot towards the green..

There are all kinds of practices around this, from "putt everything" to 5-foot rake-ins. As long as you and your buddy are playing at a reasonable pace, and not holding up the groups behind you, do what you want. In my normal group of guys, we've decided that it has to be within the length of the grip (about 1 foot) to be conceded for our internal betting purposes.

Yeah, sandbagging is tough, either way. As @iacas says, a player can sandbag early in the year to start the season with an inflated handicap, which helps him if the initial number forms the basis for the season-long competition. On the other side, a player can play well in special events, yet sandbag enough to keep his handicap static throughout the season. So no matter how the rules are set up initially, a cheater can find a way to get an edge.

I agree with @billchao, it doesn't sound like playing with the 4-wood was a reasonable shot choice, based on interference by the bush. If that's actually the case, relief should not be granted. Here's the text of the rule: I'm interested in where @Bob T took his relief. Based on the description, heels only on the path, the nearest point of complete relief was only a few inches further from the path on the same side, just far enough to get his heels off the path. I'm picturing this point as still being under the bush, perhaps even deeper under it. One clublength from there would possibly (probably?) still have him impacted by the bush. The nearest point of complete relief in this situation is NOT on the opposite side of the path.

The only thing that would be "unfair" is to change the rules of the competition for the final match. If they are to play based on gross score, per the rules, that's what should be done. I don't think its the best way to set up the competition, knowing it will last for months, but it could have been done that way. If the competition is set up to be played based on handicaps as of the date of the match, then that is "fair". The worst situation is if the Committee hasn't clearly outlined the rules around the handicaps, because if this is the first time its being discussed, their decision will put one of the players at a disadvantage, as compared to the other potential decision. I think this is a pretty valid viewpoint, and a valid way to make the rules for the event. These players were really close to one-another at the beginning of the season, and now one is playing significantly better. Again, I'd make the other choice, but that doesn't mean playing straight up for the entire duration of the tournament is "wrong". If @Travis has just now decided that he doesn't like the way the tournament was set up in May or June, I'd say he's "wrong".

If he needs to keep loose, he could swing two golf clubs for the added weight, and do so within the rules.

I think you're probably right, as @Travis probably wouldn't have asked the question if he thought he was being treated fairly. And I'm not so sure that playing gross within the flight is "unfair", it rewards a player who works on and improves his game throughout the season. But my experience at my home club with season-long match play is that we've used the handicap as of the day of the match, rather than from some much earlier date. Maybe @Travis will return and fill in some more of the details.

It's up to the Committee to decide, in advance, and publish for the competitors, what the rules are around handicaps. What any of us thinks is "right" should be overruled by the specific rules of the competition. Now if I'm on that Committee, I would want to use the handicap as of the date of the match, but I'm not the one making the decisions.

Which rule? I remember a player getting a DQ for having a non-conforming greens book, so that rule gets enforced. The Pace of Play policy is lenient enough that I'm not sure penalties get applied, players can only be penalized after a number of steps are taken, and only if they remain out of position on the course.

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I just picked the ones where Player won. How could it be a great golf course if he didn't win there?

Trees have their functions, can provide great strategic choices and challenges. OTOH, trees grow, and the growth of trees changes the way a course plays when they grow but he goes way too far. Trimming and/or removal can be positive for turf health, and can restore some of the original design intent. Tree removal can go to far as well. "All the great golf courses around the world were tree-lined" I don't remember there being a lot of trees at Muirfield, Scotland, where Player won his first Open. Carnoustie does have a few trees, but its far from "tree-lined". I don't know Royal Lytham as well, but trees aren't exactly lining the fairways and greens on any of the links courses. Are these not some of the great courses around the world? Player is pretty well known for having very strongly held opinions, but facts don't always enter into them.

I generally like to have a specific target for all of my shots. When I'm playing to a green, but not aiming at the pin, I make sure I have a specific target that I AM aiming at, maybe a tree, or something on the horizon, a different colored piece of grass, something. Then I'm aiming at something, not at the generalized "middle of the green".