Marking balls irritates 😤 me...

[Halebopp]

2 hours ago, Imp said:

So.... do other players have to wait at times for you to get your ball? Or are you always last to putt on every green? It's faster for the group for the player to do what they did, to "finish up". And I'm curious how you're "ready to putt" in a matter of 10 seconds - the time it takes to tap it in and get the ball. 

 

It's pretty common the next guy is already addressing the ball when the previous putt comes to rest and you only wait to see if the ball ends up close to your line, at least amongst those with whom I play the vast majority of my rounds.

[jholz]

I use the line on the ball to aim, so I am obligated to mark my ball on the vast majority of putts. I always try to do it in an efficient and inobtrusive manner. 

 

If I'm the first the putt, I get my line, mark the putt to manipulate the ball to aim the putt, remove the marker and hit the putt. 

 

If I'm closer to the hole, I'll mark and wait until its my turn to replace the ball and line up the putt.

 

As long as people pay attention and are deliberate in what they do, I can put up with a lot. 

[cardoustie]

continuous putting would speed up play so much

[Mr. Bean]

On 11/27/2020 at 7:55 AM, pktaske said:

It also bugs the &%$# out of me when one guy putts from 20 plus feet away and then walks up to push his ball in from a foot away for a double or triple then has to fish it out of the cup...all while I'm ready to putt. Just kick the ball out or leave it there till I putt. Again, I know its me...

 

Good...

[pktaske]

4 hours ago, Imp said:

So.... do other players have to wait at times for you to get your ball? Or are you always last to putt on every green? It's faster for the group for the player to do what they did, to "finish up". And I'm curious how you're "ready to putt" in a matter of 10 seconds - the time it takes to tap it in and get the ball. 

I don't mark unless my ball needs to be cleaned, if it's in the way of a putt, or if it's within 10-20 feet of the hole. (Or if someone asks) It's a simple courtesy. 

If my ball is less than 2 feet away, I reach quuckly with my putter and knock it away from the hole. I understand some guys like the feeling of completing a hole for par, but when its a double, triple, etc, I don't get it.

 

95% of the time I'm at my ball waiting to putt if I'm not the first guy away. I can't stand being in my stance trying to concentrate and the guy is clunking around the hole.  And with the stick staying in these days, its a clown show half the time pulling their ball out of the hole.

 

If I putt from over 6 feet and make it, I just leave it in till everyone's done.

 

I'm just like this. 😕

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, Halebopp said:

 

It's pretty common the next guy is already addressing the ball when the previous putt comes to rest and you only wait to see if the ball ends up close to your line, at least amongst those with whom I play the vast majority of my rounds.

 

I sure would like to play with such people as I have never have had the pleasure, nor have I ever seen it happen.

[pktaske]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

I sure would like to play with such people as I have never have had the pleasure, nor have I ever seen it happen.

That's me. When next you're in NJ...

[pktaske]

And why are even marking balls when we are just trueing up our line? Does it matter if its a half an inch off when we put it back down? Isnt everyone else watching you so it'd be pretty much impossible to slide it forward a foot? If you're not playing for $ or tourney, speed it the $%#@ up!

 

Continous putting. Yes except in cases where someone can benefit from eyeballing your shot.

Edited November 30, 2020 by pktaske

[Mr. Bean]

42 minutes ago, pktaske said:

That's me. When next you're in NJ...

 

And pigs fly...

[SNIPERBBB]

2 hours ago, cardoustie said:

continuous putting would speed up play so much

doesnt even work in mini-golf

[BlackDiamondPar5]

3 hours ago, Halebopp said:

 

It's pretty common the next guy is already addressing the ball when the previous putt comes to rest and you only wait to see if the ball ends up close to your line, at least amongst those with whom I play the vast majority of my rounds.

That accurately describes me and my buddies when we play together.  Most the time the ball also stays on the green unless it's in someone else's way.  It's enjoyable. 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

17 minutes ago, SNIPERBBB said:

doesnt even work in mini-golf

Generally not enough room in mini golf to make it work.

[SNIPERBBB]

7 minutes ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

Generally not enough room in mini golf to make it work.

Yeah...but if anyone reads their stupid rule cards that's what they want. We ignore it.

[jobin]

I'm new here: what is 'mini-golf'?

Ah, the same as miniature golf with the windmills, roller coaster and 'tunnel of love' holes?

[Krt22]

4 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

I sure would like to play with such people as I have never have had the pleasure, nor have I ever seen it happen.

I once played as an 8-some, so we teed off two at a time to keep pace. True stroy

[Fairway14]

I remember Golf Channel following John Cook (at his home course) for 9 holes and he was -5 without once marking his golf ball.

Cook commented that the only time he uses a ball marker is during a tournament.

[Naptime]

Looking at the results of most guys (fellow hackers) I see, the marking etc. doesn't seem to lower their scores.  But if they don't slow down the game I ignore it.

[Stanks]

If it's in the way, mark it. If it's not, ask the person who's turn it is if they'd like it marked. Simple and fast. Go about your round. If they don't offer and it distracts you, ask for them to mark it. 

These aren't a big deal guys. There is a certain laziness that has cast a shadow on golf since covid came around and I haven't noticed marking balls being a lackluster option but, people picking up their tees and not even looking for them after a driver shot is a whole nother animal. That can cutting corners driving carts and not sticking to a cart path. Hilarious stuff.

[rogolf]

18 minutes ago, Stanks said:

If it's in the way, mark it. If it's not, ask the person who's turn it is if they'd like it marked. Simple and fast. Go about your round. If they don't offer and it distracts you, ask for them to mark it. 

These aren't a big deal guys. There is a certain laziness that has cast a shadow on golf since covid came around and I haven't noticed marking balls being a lackluster option but, people picking up their tees and not even looking for them after a driver shot is a whole nother animal. That can cutting corners driving carts and not sticking to a cart path. Hilarious stuff.

Agree.  Sometimes it appears that "golfers" think they have rented an ATV for the round, not a golf cart.

[Mr. Bean]

11 hours ago, Krt22 said:

I once played as an 8-some, so we teed off two at a time to keep pace. True stroy

 

In 2003 our threesome was played through by a 6-some. It was a trial to see how large groups actually can be used. Those guys were fast! But... they were not there to score, just to play and have exercise.

 

As a side note I would like to say that playing quickly as a group requires skills and understanding but also consideration to fulfil the etiquette. Then again, It does not help much to play quickly if the course is full and pace is being dictated by the crowd. However, most people are not able to play quickly even when it is needed as they never pay attention to it nor practice it and that is the big problem in golf. Once you are out of position you do not have the tools to get back.

[Pfish]

Last weekend, (the course is packed always this year), my regular foursome of walkers played in just under 4 hours.  We were the 12th group out.  We were right with the group in front, no waiting. We only Mark if in the way (we are old and call it saving a bend over), generally do continuous putting unless would be walking all over someone’s line, and putt out everything outside the leather because we all want to be able to putt the short ones when it really matters.  Apparently all the foursomes in front of us were playing the same general way.  However the next day same foursome same tee time took us 4 1/2 hours at least some groups had gaps and were falling behind.  If only people would learn to pay attention and not unnecessarily waste time.  You know like having ball tee and club in your hand, thinking about shot while walking down fairway, getting distance and next club out when someone else is hitting.  I can dream.

[sprcoop]

I'm a "mark if necessary" kind of guy but don't really care what other folks do if our foursome gets done in around 4 hours.

 

Played as a single one time with the nicest older couple you would ever want to play with.  Both decent players.  We all hit onto the first green and my ball is so far from being on either line of the other two players they would have to hit away from the hole to hit my ball so I was just going to leave it unmarked. 

 

The gentlemen starts checking his line, sees I'm not going to mark and asks if I could please mark it.  Of course I gave him a "sure, no problem" and marked it.  Then proceeded to mark it every time for the rest of the round.  We had a great round but that was just weird.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

1 hour ago, sprcoop said:

I'm a "mark if necessary" kind of guy but don't really care what other folks do if our foursome gets done in around 4 hours.

 

Played as a single one time with the nicest older couple you would ever want to play with.  Both decent players.  We all hit onto the first green and my ball is so far from being on either line of the other two players they would have to hit away from the hole to hit my ball so I was just going to leave it unmarked. 

 

The gentlemen starts checking his line, sees I'm not going to mark and asks if I could please mark it.  Of course I gave him a "sure, no problem" and marked it.  Then proceeded to mark it every time for the rest of the round.  We had a great round but that was just weird.

That's the kind of needless ritual that needs to just stop especially in non-tournament play.

[Hawkeye77]

On 11/30/2020 at 4:35 PM, jobin said:

I'm new here: what is 'mini-golf'?

Ah, the same as miniature golf with the windmills, roller coaster and 'tunnel of love' holes?

I’d like to see more posts in the rules forum specific to mini-golf. Liven the place up a little. 

[pktaske]

44 minutes ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

That's the kind of needless ritual that needs to just stop especially in non-tournament play.

I wonder if this was more a mental OCD thing?

 

I can't tee off if there is a broken tee, leaf, etc within a foot of my ball. Drives me nuts. And if there's a chance of hitting even the smallest tree limb or leaf in my backswing? I might as well pick up.

Edited December 2, 2020 by pktaske

[Mr. Bean]

16 hours ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

That's the kind of needless ritual that needs to just stop especially in non-tournament play.

 

If it does not slow down play, why ? You get irritated by a meaningless issue, IMO.

[pktaske]

50 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

If it does not slow down play, why ? You get irritated by a meaningless issue, IMO.

It does slow down play if someone won't putt till you mark your ball. Alot.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

1 hour ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

If it does not slow down play, why ? You get irritated by a meaningless issue, IMO.

I didn't say it irritated me. In the context of the situation that @sprcoop described, I said it was a needless ritual that needs to stop.  

 

Yes marking doesn't need to slow down play but most golfers do slow down play because of it.  Those that are disturbed or distracted by seeing a ball in their periphery when putting probably also have a handful of other OCD habits and pre-shot rituals that also slow play down. 

[Imp]

15 minutes ago, pktaske said:

It does slow down play if someone won't putt till you mark your ball. Alot.

I'd argue that more slow play happens more at the tee and fairways than on the green from marking/not marking balls. If your hill you're defending is that someone had to wait for someone to mark their ball is "slow" then that's up to you. But respectfully, it's such a small percentage of time having to wait vs all the other "places" during a round that could be sped up, that it's negligible. 1) it probably doesn't happen every hole. 2) If you have to wait for the same person to mark (before you go "but 18 holes worth x time") after their approach shot, it means they are probably a better player than you because it seems they're always closer to the hole than you are. Step your game up. 3) If it's after their 1st putts, why not let them finish out/up? 

[Sean2]

On 11/30/2020 at 1:35 PM, jholz said:

I use the line on the ball to aim, so I am obligated to mark my ball on the vast majority of putts. I always try to do it in an efficient and inobtrusive manner. 

 

If I'm the first the putt, I get my line, mark the putt to manipulate the ball to aim the putt, remove the marker and hit the putt. 

 

If I'm closer to the hole, I'll mark and wait until its my turn to replace the ball and line up the putt.

 

As long as people pay attention and are deliberate in what they do, I can put up with a lot. 

I use the line on the ball as well. By the time it is my turn to putt, I already figured out what it's going to do. I don't wait until it's my turn to figure it out.