How tight do you adhere to the rules? Would you have called that penalty that Webb Simpson called on himself when the ball moved? My group plays pretty loose, wouldn't have been called. But I have played with some guys who go by the book on everything, I don't enjoy those guys as much! I'm more of the if it doesn't give you an advantage, it's not a tournament or money bet then it didn't happen.
If I'm in competition, I call infractions on myself. If I'm playing just for fun I don't. I do take drops even when I play for fun. I get really pissed when I hit in an unrepaired divot or an unraked footprint in a trap. If I'm just playing an enjoyable round, I'll avoid these upsetting events. I played differently when I had a handicap.
If I kept score by playing by the rules, my hdcp would be plus 104... Fun = Fun Money = Ball down, Local and Rules of Golf apply....Gentlemans game, call your own penalties...if you catch me.... :twisted: That reminds me Gipper....how's that footniblick of your's holding up?
I agree with Husker. If the strict rules of golf applied a round would take 8 hours for 95% of the golfers out there. Have fun. You can get uptight at work.
Tournament or league...play strictly by the rules. Normal rounds...play it pretty straight. Play the ball down (except in ridiculous conditions like we have now)...take drops where you are supposed to (unless it involves real inconvenience like going 200 yards back to the original spot on a crowded golf course). But there are occasions I will not follow the rules in a casual round. If I accidentally move the ball on the green, or the wind does, I'll just put it back and not take the penalty. Sometimes I'll putt at the pin without removing it if it is a long putt and nobody is near to remove it. I may remove my ball off of rocks or tree roots in the interest of not damaging my clubs. We pretty much putt everything into the hole...but there are times... :wink:
I think Stu and I play by the same rules! I will try to hit a provisional off the tee if I think I hit in the lake or out of bounds but not sure. But I think I'm safe and get there to find out I'm not I just drop and act like that's were my 2nd ball ended up.
Sometimes groups will play by a revision of the rules; My Myrtle Beach group plays OB or lost ball as a lateral hazard (just to speed up play and those courses are hard enough. Half of the woods right and left are marked with red stakes anyway.) My Wed. night "Trunkslammers league" plays pretty strictly by the book...except...first ball off tee into the woods...follow regular rules (stroke and distance.) If the second one goes OB, proceed to drop with a one stroke penalty (lying four). We also have a mercy-killing rule...max score is quadruple bogey. If you make a legitimate (holed out) quadruple, you may moan and groan and whine and say you suck all you want. If you pick up without making a "hard" quadruple you must serve the other members of the foursome silently, tending the pin and picking up their holed out balls, saying nothing, and are not allowed to look them in the eye. You then must sit quietly in the cart until you tee off on the next hole. That doesn't happen a whole lot on our normal league course, but we go on a summer trip to a very tight course with diabolical greens up in the hills of Amish Country in the mid-summer and there are a few "sit-in-the-carts" that go on.
OK now I can buy that Bill would be in a Wed night "BOWLING" league...but a golf league?? And Trunkslammers!! Is drinking involved?
Mandatory...and everybody kicks in $5.00 for that week's game...but the winnings go to pay off (part of) the bar tab following the round. The winners are allowed to touch the money before it goes to the server.