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I played in an event the last two days at a local club. Two man teams, 45 holes, stroke play. We played a 9 hole scramble, 9 hole alternate shot, 9 hole best ball and 18 holes where both players had to post scores.

We started off yesterday by playing the scramble with one team. Then we did the 18 holes of straight up play, paired with another team. Keep in mind, this is a STROKE play event. So its like the first or second hole and my partner blows his putt by the hole by a good 4 or 5 feet. Next thing I know, one of the guys from the other team says, "thats good", and then knocks it back to him.

Now I'm not a confrontational person unless I think I'm getting *******. At the same time I'm one who likes to keep the integrity in the game. But I said nothing. I was sort of in total shock that someone would not realize you don't do that. I wish I had just said, we need to putt everything out. I especially wish my partner had said, are we allowed to do that. Then I would of said something. But my buddy is looking for any help he can get, so he grabbed his ball and was happy as a clam to not have to putt the 4 or 5 foot comebacker. It go so bad the guy was giving himself putts before it was over. If we both had 6 or 7 footers, he would say, "both good?" On those I actually spoke up and said, "nah, I think we ought to put these."

The guy could play too, he didn't just start playing yesterday. He actually works part time at the club. Just amazing how people interpret the rules. This summer, in another event, same thing, stroke play, two man, best ball my partner misses a par putt that ends up right next to the hole. He goes over slaps his ball off the green with his putter instead of knocking it in the hole for a net par. I then explained that he needed to putt those out, which he didn't understand. Then as we were walking up to the next tee he says, and I quote, "As if Andrew couldn't of given me that", talking about one of the guys from the other team.

It took me all day to explain to him that in stroke play, you have to finish the hole, that we were not playing other team in our foursome but the entire field. I told him the reason for this is because tap ins become 5 footers as was proved this weekend. There becomes no limit as to what is a gimme.

Going back to this weekend, the same team I was speaking of earlier, one of their guys goes into this island of trees. He finds the ball and determines he can't play it. So he is going to take a "drop." And not two club lengths from where he was but rather the nearest tuff of nice grass he could find which was probably 30 feet or more away. At this particular point I knew they were not going to finish in the money so, whatever. They are not people who play in any real serious events nor anyone who wins the non serious ones so I don't worry about it too much.

Here is another one that wouldn't exactly be covered in the USGA rule book. Weekly scramble, 9 holes, pretty informal. We're on the green, 5 man teams. The third guy putts for birdie and misses by less than foot. Doing what golfers do, he walks up and knocks it in the hole. Well one guy we were playing with insisted that we had to take that putt and that the other two guys couldn't take the birdie putt because we had completed the hole by putting out. We had to take par and move on. Well me and my buddy disagreed so he got up took the putt and made it. We get in and asked the pro and he said it was no big deal, count the birdie.

That same guy, who was quite the jerk about the whole thing, preaching about how that is how you play and all this other ** ended up playing in this shootout competetion where one player was eliminated on each hole. Well we are on the first hole and my ball is in this muck near the edge of a newly constructed pond and easily could of qualified to also be in the cart path. So I casually ask if the ball had to be played from there and this jerk says, "play it as it lies" as if I have never heard the number one rule in golf before. Apparently this dope had no clue there are exceptions to this rule. I didn't argue, hit my ball over the pond where I knew I was safe to make it to the next hole. When the guy I was talking about hit, he blew it over everthing, into the woods. I said, "play it as it lies" to nobody in particular but loud enough so he could hear me.

I hate 29 handicap rules experts as much as I hate cheaters.

I get what you're saying.
In today's dog fight, we wind up stuck with this guy who is awful. I'm a 17 handicap, and know that I'm no good, but this guy stinks on ice. Several holes, he's in his pocket while the rest of us are finishing out. "I can't get any points on this hole."
This is the same guy who's trying to give everyone in the group anything inside 6 feet as a gimme. As if he makes everything inside 6 feet. I don't understand it.
We're playing for money. We're playing against the people in another group, all as individuals. I've played with the people from the other group, and I know that anything inside 12" is a gimme to them. I putt everything out anyway. Amazingly enough, I only made 11 points. One of the guys who's taking these 6 foot gimmes scores 21 points. One of the others scores 34.
We gotta put the rules down on paper for this thing. It's gotten out of hand.

This is why we have rules in this game...to allay and address any disputes that may arise...and arise they will. Don't be ashamed to carry a rule book (pocket-sized, fits right in the bag). The first one you might point out to your playing competitors and your partner is this one:

1-3 Agreement to Waive Rules
Players must not agree to exclude the operation of any Rule or to waive any penalty incurred.
Penalty for Breach of Rule 1-3:
Match play — Disqualification of both sides; Stroke play — Disqualification of competitors concerned.
(Agreeing to play out of turn in stroke play — see Rule 10-2c.)

Rule 1-3.

In my opinion, witnessing a 5-foot gimme and allowing it to pass uncontested is an implicit agreement to waive the rules and merits disqualification for all involved...if you saw someone do it on another green in another group you wouldn't think that fair, would you?

The rules work to your advantage as much as they penalize you, too. The muck you mentioned could have been considered ground under repair or, as you said, you might have been offered relief from the path or it's shoulder by local rule. Don't take a competitor's word for it. Every local scramble I've ever played in had a pre-tournament gathering to go over the rules in general and to address any questions. I would have no compunction about getting a ruling, especially in a shootout where I may not get another chance.

You never mentioned how you and your partner fared in the competition...I can understand your frustration and hence the rant but, in the future, please refrain from the language infractions in your post.

Shade

First, Stan the Caddy, is censored for a normal everyday word that didn't meet somebody's criteria ... then his tactful comment on censorship is removed? Huh?

I've played in a lot of scrambles and if the first or second putt of a foursome is within a foot, its pretty common to tap it in for par, and the remaining scramble partners still putt for birdie. If one of the putts falls in, we record the birdie! I guess if you follow the "letter of the law" you should count the first putt that is "holed."

As far as 5' - 7' gimme's - I'd shoot in the 70's every round if that was the norm.

That's why it's important for the tournament director to spell out the rules. All of our MGA's rule sheets state, "all putts must be putted...no gimme's". We also specify "unless otherwise stated, all USGA rules of golf apply". Guys will typically follow the rules if you tell them they have to. LOL!

*sigh* I would have preferred that we not have to post the policy out front but, since we have, I feel compelled to add one thing...the first word I edited from StC's post was "screwed". Now I understand that the word in itself is not necessarily vulgar. But the context in which it was used is! If you use that word in any tense to describe being wronged, unfairly dealt with, done dirty, messed around, etc. or in any derrogatory manner then I consider it vulgar and will continue to edit it out...and, boy, is that getting old. The same goes for "I screwed up my putt" or "so-and-so put the screws to me" and the like. It does not hold, however, for "I hit it in the screws", "I need to get my head screwed on right", "I can't get my spikes unscrewed" and the like. Some may feel that this is "normal, everyday use" of the word but, as league pointed out, we intend to keep it cleaner here than what you'd find on tv or even in our own households. If anyone disagrees with this or has any questions about it, feel free to PM me and we'll discuss it further.

Now, pardon my interruption and back to our regularly scheduled thread.

Shade

p.s. 'Preciate it, LG.

"...then I consider it vulgar and will continue to edit it out...and, boy, is that getting old..."

THAT is my point!

Gee whiz, guys.

How about we are enforcing the rules as written by the site owner. This forum is a private club, not public. Do you have a problem with that concept?

What part of this quote do you not understand?

Shade

And, SellMate, maybe you should re-read this one, as well.

Shade

Nothing to discuss, Shade. Just my thinkin' out loud that this seemed a bit over the top. That's all.

Forged-I have no beef with the concept. Interpretation is everything. It was pretty plain that Stan posted a clean message. Hey, I don't have a dog in this fight. Not a big deal to me. Sure attracted a bunch of mods, though.

No problem, but the team sticks together.

Shaderunner...you ought to be liking me better...at least I let it go after 2 PM's!

Yes, and don't think it went unappreciated ...you never said if you liked my joke

Shade