Handicap Ethics

[atlanta golfer]

If everyone followed the ESC rule by taking no more strokes than you are allowed on any given hole, things wouldnt get so out of hand. I know a guy who claims he is an 18, but is a good ball striker, streaky putter and makes more birdies than most 6 handicaps, but he always seems to have 2 blow-up holes every round. I am pretty sure he posts a 10 on these holes instead of the allowed 7. I hate playing this guy for $$$$

This is a great rule and not many even know what it is or why it exists. Trying to explain it's reasoning is so difficult to someone who just does not 'get it'. I am a 15 right now and I stick to the 7 bing my max score on any hole...and it never really come into play unless something crazy happens like 2 OB tee shots in a row.

 

I do have this question. I played in an egolf amateur tournament on Saturday and they have a triple bogey max rule which obviously is a little different than ESC but close to the same. My question is this...I made an 8 on a par 5 during the tournament, so when I post my score do I post my 94 from the tournament since it was a competition round, or do I post a 93 for adjusting that 8 to a 7 with ESC? The egolf tour handicaps you based on tournament play so I am not concerned with that, but for my entering of the score which do I post?

 

 

You post a 93. The tournament scoring rules have nothing to do with the usga handicap system. 94 for the tournament and 93 for your ugsa handicap index.

[atlanta golfer]

Here's a scenario for everybody to think about. I was playing today at a course that I have recorded 4 rounds at so far this year. Full stats kept, tournament like attitude towards the round, etc.

 

Anyway, today I played my 5th round there and I ran into some problems.

 

I played the first couple of holes with no interruption, and was able to look at the putts and pull the pin.

 

On #3, I hit my ball over to the right, up by some bunkers and tall grass that is somewhat mowed down. I look for my ball and I can't find it. So I go to drive back to the tee and hit 3 from the tee and another single drives up to the tee box, to play # 3. So I turn around, and drop a ball in the fairway and hit 4 from the fairway and 2 putt for 6. I am not going to drop 2 and hit 3, because it is not lateral. However, I couldn't hit the drive, so who knows what could have happened to the 2nd drive? Did I do the right thing by dropping 3 and hitting 4?

 

On #4, a Par 3, I was on the tee and I hit my ball into the bunker, and I wanted to take my time and I hit it pretty close. I was walking up to the ball and as I was marking it, I see two guys standing on the tee, waiting for me. WTF? Where did they come from. Anyway, instead of pulling the flag, I just quickly put my ball down and miss the 5 footer. They apparently were skipping around the course, because they disappeared after that hole.

 

5 through 10 were fine.

 

On #11, I run into a 4 some, who are on the green and I'm on the tee. The next hole is a Par 3, so they will probably let me play through, but since I'm on the tee and they are exiting the green. They will not wait the 7 mins it will take me to play the hole and let me pass. So I rush a 50 foot putt, to get to the Par 3 before they drive off, and I 3 jack it. They are now driving up to the Par 3's green to putt. Leaving me waiting anyway.

 

DO I RE-DO The 50 Footer? Now I know how hard to hit, etc. That isn't fair.

 

On #12, The par 3, I hit the ball again to about 50 feet away and the 4 some have now made their way to #13. I can't tell if they are going to wait for me, because the tee is hidden from where I am so I go up to the ball and whack it up there about 10 feet and miss that for another 3 jack.

 

I rush over to my cart, hoping they have waited for me and NO, they have made their way to middle of the fairway to hit their approach shots. I am waiting on the tee box, so I can hit the ball. The next hole is a Par 5 and they will probably not wait for me if I trail them on this hole. So I make an unfortunate decision to pick up my ball off the middle of the f-way and drive up to them as they are exiting the green. They clearly rushed it because they were walking very fast around the green knowing I was in the middle of the fairway waiting. I say "Hey guys, I'm going on ahead."

 

I didn't get to hit my approach shot, which could have gone in the green side hazard or in the hole for an eagle. I will never know.

 

#14, I rush the tee shot because as I'm making the trek the back tee, these a-holes drive up to their white tee. I finally get to my ball, and rush that one to create some space between me and the a-holes. I find my ball on the back of this green and 2 putt it from 80 feet for birdie. Because I could take my time and think about the putt.

 

#15 through #18 were fine.

 

The question is

 

1.) How do I legitmately count my round, if I have picked my ball and rushed shots.

 

2.) Am I allowed to go back to the holes, say on another day and replay those shots.

 

3.) What would do in these situations, in terms of counting your score.

 

I don't know what you call your day on the course but that doesn't sound like a round of golf to me. Maybe practice? Sounds to me like you are a little too worried about other people on the course. Just take your time, take your shots and putts, and count them all. No "do overs" because of this or that. If you are playing at a good pace, there is no reason ever to have to rush anything or pick up or do over.

 

I know from my own experiences that when playing by yourself, it is tempting to redo a shot or a putt or do something different when the ball is lost, compared to what you would do when playing with other people or in a match. You just have to train yourself not to do things any different.

[AirTime23]

Usually when hitting your tee shot into trouble, you should play a provisional to prevent you from having to go back.

If I hadn't hit a provisional and didn't want to hold up play, I'd drop one near the lost ball and play 4.

[imsocrabby]

i agree completely with the above 2 posters.

 

don't worry about what other people are doing on the course. don't rush your shots to beat people to the tee box. play your game. it's a good test mentally to deal with slow play. work your way through it. practice like it means something.

[philfan316]

Here's a scenario for everybody to think about. I was playing today at a course that I have recorded 4 rounds at so far this year. Full stats kept, tournament like attitude towards the round, etc.

 

Anyway, today I played my 5th round there and I ran into some problems.

 

I played the first couple of holes with no interruption, and was able to look at the putts and pull the pin.

 

On #3, I hit my ball over to the right, up by some bunkers and tall grass that is somewhat mowed down. I look for my ball and I can't find it. So I go to drive back to the tee and hit 3 from the tee and another single drives up to the tee box, to play # 3. So I turn around, and drop a ball in the fairway and hit 4 from the fairway and 2 putt for 6. I am not going to drop 2 and hit 3, because it is not lateral. However, I couldn't hit the drive, so who knows what could have happened to the 2nd drive? Did I do the right thing by dropping 3 and hitting 4?

 

On #4, a Par 3, I was on the tee and I hit my ball into the bunker, and I wanted to take my time and I hit it pretty close. I was walking up to the ball and as I was marking it, I see two guys standing on the tee, waiting for me. WTF? Where did they come from. Anyway, instead of pulling the flag, I just quickly put my ball down and miss the 5 footer. They apparently were skipping around the course, because they disappeared after that hole.

 

5 through 10 were fine.

 

On #11, I run into a 4 some, who are on the green and I'm on the tee. The next hole is a Par 3, so they will probably let me play through, but since I'm on the tee and they are exiting the green. They will not wait the 7 mins it will take me to play the hole and let me pass. So I rush a 50 foot putt, to get to the Par 3 before they drive off, and I 3 jack it. They are now driving up to the Par 3's green to putt. Leaving me waiting anyway.

 

DO I RE-DO The 50 Footer? Now I know how hard to hit, etc. That isn't fair.

 

On #12, The par 3, I hit the ball again to about 50 feet away and the 4 some have now made their way to #13. I can't tell if they are going to wait for me, because the tee is hidden from where I am so I go up to the ball and whack it up there about 10 feet and miss that for another 3 jack.

 

I rush over to my cart, hoping they have waited for me and NO, they have made their way to middle of the fairway to hit their approach shots. I am waiting on the tee box, so I can hit the ball. The next hole is a Par 5 and they will probably not wait for me if I trail them on this hole. So I make an unfortunate decision to pick up my ball off the middle of the f-way and drive up to them as they are exiting the green. They clearly rushed it because they were walking very fast around the green knowing I was in the middle of the fairway waiting. I say "Hey guys, I'm going on ahead."

 

I didn't get to hit my approach shot, which could have gone in the green side hazard or in the hole for an eagle. I will never know.

 

#14, I rush the tee shot because as I'm making the trek the back tee, these a-holes drive up to their white tee. I finally get to my ball, and rush that one to create some space between me and the a-holes. I find my ball on the back of this green and 2 putt it from 80 feet for birdie. Because I could take my time and think about the putt.

 

#15 through #18 were fine.

 

The question is

 

1.) How do I legitmately count my round, if I have picked my ball and rushed shots.

 

2.) Am I allowed to go back to the holes, say on another day and replay those shots.

 

3.) What would do in these situations, in terms of counting your score.

 

I don't know what you call your day on the course but that doesn't sound like a round of golf to me. Maybe practice? Sounds to me like you are a little too worried about other people on the course. Just take your time, take your shots and putts, and count them all. No "do overs" because of this or that. If you are playing at a good pace, there is no reason ever to have to rush anything or pick up or do over.

 

I know from my own experiences that when playing by yourself, it is tempting to redo a shot or a putt or do something different when the ball is lost, compared to what you would do when playing with other people or in a match. You just have to train yourself not to do things any different.

 

Basically, I'm a huge stickler for the rules and I always assess penalties when penalties are due. However, things will happen during the course of a round, that may change your pace or your focus.

 

I had to be off the back nine by 4:00 pm. There was a shotgun starting for a high school match on the back nine. If I had trailed the 4 some, I probably would have to skip 17 and 18, because the 4 some would barely get it in before 4:00 pm. Sure enough, by skipping 13 and passing them, I beat it by 25 mins or so and as I was taking my bag off the cart, the high schoolers were walking out to their holes. The pro was talking to somebody and he sent a caddy out to 17 to get the 4-some off the course.

 

 

Usually when hitting your tee shot into trouble, you should play a provisional to prevent you from having to go back.

If I hadn't hit a provisional and didn't want to hold up play, I'd drop one near the lost ball and play 4.

 

I usually do, but I hadn't really warmed up and I didn't want to lose a second ball. It is not a tournament, so I didn't want to waste 2 balls, possibly. When I was driving back to the tee, someone shows up like there behind me, so I turned it around and dropped 3 and hit 4. What do you do about that?

 

 

i agree completely with the above 2 posters.

 

don't worry about what other people are doing on the course. don't rush your shots to beat people to the tee box. play your game. it's a good test mentally to deal with slow play. work your way through it. practice like it means something.

 

I usually do trail 4 somes and take my time and practice afterwards. But I had to be off the back nine by 4:00 pm. I'm not a member, I drove 45 mins to get there and I wont get a raincheck if I play 16 holes. I skipped one, so I could play the last 2.

 

The pro shop was nice enough to let me off around 12 noon, but they did tell me that I had to be off the back by 4pm and people would come out and get me if I wasn't.

 

The best case scenario is to be able to hook up with a another single or two-some, but sometimes that just doesn't happen and you have to deal with the situation. It sucks but those are the downsides of playing by yourself when there are 3somes and 4 somes on the course.

 

Plus, the last time I tried to go off #1 with a twosome, the guy in jeans and t-shirt straight up tells me "I ain't doin that s***, I'm out here to enjoy myself." Ok, I guess I will just go on ahead. Maybe you should be inside at the bar watching golf, not playing it in those threads. F-U pal.

[AirTime23]

I usually do, but I hadn't really warmed up and I didn't want to lose a second ball. It is not a tournament, so I didn't want to waste 2 balls, possibly. When I was driving back to the tee, someone shows up like there behind me, so I turned it around and dropped 3 and hit 4. What do you do about that?

 

Well, first of all I don't drive...I walk. And therefore the thought of walking back to the tee would never cross my mind, unless I'm playing a stroke tourney and I have to. Secondly, of course you could have hit your second drive in the fairway, but don't know, cause you didn't. So I wouldn't drop in the fairway, but surely not in the very deep stuff. Just somewhere in the regular rough and off you go.

 

But generally don't let others behind you pressure you to rush shots, unless you're seriously out of position, by looking for balls etc.