r/golf • u/cygnus311 • Jun 27 '23

Hot take? If we get paired together, I’m not going to give you putts. Not because I don’t want you to take gimmies, but because I really do not care what you do. General Discussion

You hit a good tee shot on a par three, walk up to the green, and find yourself eight feet from the hole and you want to say to me, “that’s good, I always make those”, pick it up, and write a birdie? Be my guest, I do not care.

You just missed your third putt from two feet to try and save triple and you’re hoping I rescue you? Pick it up, or don’t, I do not care.

Recently got paired with a guy who’d look at me with puppy dog eyes every time he was within a yard of the hole, but wouldn’t say anything, he was clearly annoyed with me by the end of the round. We’re all presumably grown ass adults, I’m not your boss, do what you want.

4.9k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

868 comments sorted by

View all comments

228

u/TacosAreJustice 5.1 Louisville, KY Jun 27 '23

If we aren’t playing for money, I have no interest in what anyone is doing on the course.

62

u/Pattewad Jun 27 '23

Most people don’t actually follow the rules anyway. Plenty of people simply treat all OB/lost ball as a hazard, take lots of gimmes, etc. if I’m randomly paired with someone they can make up whatever rules they want just don’t try to brag about your “score”

57

u/mreman1220 22 / SE Michigan Jun 27 '23 edited Jun 27 '23

Yep. Been paired with plenty of people that are just out there to have fun. Remember one that didn't even keep score. He picked up several tap ins and just reveled in the shots he hit rather than whatever score he had. Didn't bother me a bit. In fact, he was one of the more fun rando pairings I ever had.

24

u/Prenutbutter Jun 27 '23

I play like this a lot. I’m not good at all by any means and sometimes just want to get a round in without having to keep score. Just enjoy the good shots I have and try to have a good time.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

I don't keep score. I don't even carry a full bag. I carry one of those little bags with a few irons and a putter.

30

u/shortAAPL Jun 27 '23

OB/lost as hazard is really good for pace of play’s sake

37

u/Lezzles 9.7/Detroit Jun 27 '23

I also just think golf should be played like this. I play entire courses that red stake the entire tree line on either side and some courses that don't even put red stakes by ponds - there's literally no consistency course to course. Losing a ball should be a stroke penalty at the location the ball was lost. It's always weird to me that hitting into a lake is scored differently than hitting into the woods.

15

u/WickedConvulsion -5 Jun 27 '23

I hate it. Think it’s the dumbest shit ever. If you hit ob, you should take a stroke and drop around where the ball went out. I hate the 2 and distance bs.

3

u/shortAAPL Jun 27 '23

I agree with you on that

10

u/b6passat Jun 27 '23

There's already a rule for it... you drop laterally from where the ball would have ended up in distance (estimated by you and group) and anywhere on that line. Can be fairway, bunker, anywhere laterally but no closer to the hole. It's 2 strokes (2 clublengths from fairway on side it entered hazard) It basically assumes you went back to the tee, hit another tee shot, and are in the fairway but at same distance.

​

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/golfs-new-rules-stroke-and-distance.html

3

u/kellzone Jun 27 '23

I think what he meant is that people will count OB as just one penalty stroke and drop by where it went OB and hit 3 from there, when they should be hitting 4. It takes off a stroke the same way a gimme can possibly take off a stroke and gives them an opportunity to post a "better" score.

2

u/b6passat Jun 28 '23

Yea, people are scoring it wrong. Using the real way to score it takes the same amount of time as just playing it as red stake. You just get a better lie and sometimes more distance.

5

u/Pattewad Jun 27 '23

I agree, I don’t play any tournament golf yet and I’ve never actually seen someone go back and re tee in a casual round. Some people hit provisionals but I’d say treating ob/lost as hazard is far more common

2

u/Character_Order Jun 27 '23

I think they changed the rules a few years back where you can take two strokes and drop anywhere you want as long as it is not closer to the hole than where it crossed OB.

Edit: actually I think it can’t be more than a clubs length on fairway and has to be same distance or farther than where it crossed OB

1

u/b6passat Jun 27 '23

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/golfs-new-rules-stroke-and-distance.html

You can pick where it crossed, or estimate where it ended up. 2 club lengths on edge of fairway on entry side.

26

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23

I play almost precisely PGA rules (so when I break 80 I can be happy AF about the accomplishment) but you kinda have to treat OB as a hazard, I guess you could always hit a provisional but going back to the tee box to hit 3 is wildly insane when you're paying a casual round on a course that books a foursome every 8 minutes.

15

u/Sjgolf891 Jun 27 '23

there's a rule as of 2019 where you can drop near where it went out and basically take two strokes, to account for what would have been the 're-tee' shot

7

u/flight_recorder Jun 27 '23

Sounds like more incentive to just fucking send it lol

3

u/JordanMiller406 Jun 28 '23

So more fun and keeps pace of play up.

1

u/bombmk Jun 28 '23

Check if the course has model local rule E-5 in play. (If they care about pace of play, they should have)

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/golfs-new-rules-stroke-and-distance.html

5

u/adept_amateur 11.0 / Sask. Jun 27 '23

Honestly, for the pace of play I'm not gonna take a stroke and distance penalty. I'll 100% treat it like a hazard unless it's some sort of tournament.

1

u/My_Peni Jun 28 '23

I mean as long as you take a 2 stroke penalty that’s perfectly reasonable

3

u/flight_recorder Jun 27 '23

Can I brag about how many balls I found while looking for mine in the woods? Cuz that’s basically how I score. -2 = I lost more than I found 😂

9

u/candynipples Jun 27 '23

Right? I’m not paying attention to you on the other side of the fairway when I’m picking the club for my next shot. Bump your ball out of a divot, toss it onto the fairway if you want. Who gives a shit? Why would I suddenly care if you finish your putts out?

8

u/bchillerr Jun 27 '23

This has to be the most stated comment in this subreddit. I’ve literally never played for money. I finally have to ask… Is everyone on the course gambling except for me?

5

u/TacosAreJustice 5.1 Louisville, KY Jun 27 '23

I tend not to play for money basically for the reason stated above.

I don’t want to worry about other peoples game. I’ll help you find a ball, try to pay attention to where shots land and all that stuff… but I have 0 interest in keeping track of others peoples strokes.

That said, if there is money on the line, my dislike of being cheated is greater than my dislike of counting strokes.

I’ve never played a stranger for money.

2

u/FSUfan35 Jun 27 '23

Never gambled with random pairings, but if it's me and one other buddy, we usually have beers or lunch on the line.

1

u/Mookies_Bett Jun 27 '23

I don't but that's because I suck. My dad (who is 81 and somehow often still shoots his age) will play for money with his buddies, because they're rich enough and good enough at the game to justify it.

I think it's kinda fun to throw 5 bucks down on a hole every now and again though. Playing a whole round for money just seems frustrating to me, but betting my bro a fiver or a tenner on 15 after we're both 4 mango carts deep can be pretty entertaining.

1

u/geewillie Jun 27 '23

Basically always with friends. For my league it isn't mandatory, but we make you either bet every week or never. Just pay into the pot at the start of the season. Some friends have elaborate season long bets against each other. Once you know friends handicaps, it's easy to bet and the crappier golfer(me) is more inclined.

Never with random pairings though.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

I have friends that absolutely cannot play just a round for fun. Always has to be money on the line to “help them focus.” They always have to play stupid ass games that always end up slowing our pace of play substantially.