Not Sure I Did the Right Thing Now

ballzo · June 3, 2009

NCGA PubLinks Amateur at Spyglass This Monday Tuesday

I'm still think about my last two days at Spyglass Hills. What a great time I had. I qualified as an alternate and made it there on a last minute phone call. I just felt fantastic that I even got to play at all.

During my first round pairings, we go off the 10th tee and none of us is playing particularly great. We're all getting along pretty well and having a good time. I did start off with a par, birdie, birdie but on number 17 and just about to make the turn. On 17 which I could not recall how to play. I hit 3 wood maybe a touch long and had 70 yards in to the flag. I hit lob wedge and the thing goes in the back bunker somehow. I'm walking up to access my ball and seeing that I'm sc****d in this back bunker, I notice what looks like my playing partner mark his ball by placing his mark about 1 foot in front of his ball. I wasn't 100% sure of it though. I proceed to hack out of the bunker barely. I watch him place his ball and he puts it at least 3 inches in front of his mark. I proceed to make 8 on this hole and turn my 39 into a 43 and he walks off with par.

So now I'm thinking about this guy of course. What am I gonna do if I catch this guy doing it again. Hes an old guy. He uses the putter grip thingy to get the ball out of the hole. Will my group think I'm being an a****** giving this old guy s***. He'll probably just say he has a bad back or something. So I decide if I see it again that I'll just pull him aside and quietly let him know that he cannot do that in this type of event. All this thinking may even explain my 50 on the second nine. Who knows. So I watch this guy the rest of the day and on the second to last hole, we end up near the same part of the green with long uphill putts and me outside of him. I watch him all the way. He marks his ball, picks up his ball and then using his index finger, scoots the mark closer to the hole by about 6 inches. I let him putt out and then pull him aside and mention it to him and gets defensive which I had not planned on for some reason. One of the others in the group overhears us. This guy says that he didn't know that he did that and that if he does I should tell him. I tell him that this is the second time I've seen him do it and I am telling him now. He says that he sees no reason why he would do that. Its no advange he sees. I tell him I have no idea why he would do it but that moving your ball closer to the hole is a definite advantage!

As we tee off on the last hole, the guy that overheard us says that this guy used to be in his home club. They kicked him out because he was a multiple offense cheater. Now, I'm not too sure I did the right thing? Now the cheater is starting to kiss my a** with a bunch of small talk that he wasn't doing prior to me catching him. He even stops to say goodbye as he's leaving the parking lot in his gold Mercedes. I tell my buddy that couldn't make it and who I was playing for about it and he says I should have called an official on him for sure. After all that happened and looking up some of his playing history online. I think I should have too.

What do you think?

sosinsurr · June 3, 2009

In that type of event, I would have turned him in. Especially if you caught him red handed in the act and proved your hunches right.

Its all a matter of opinion though on turning him in. Some will, and some will do exactly what you did and wait for him to do it and catch him in the act and then pull him aside. Not everyone is the same.

Supersteel · June 3, 2009

Unless he was playing well and in contention, I would just let it slide. I've got enough problems with my own game to worry about in tournaments. More hassle than its worth -- usually -- to turn these guys in.

Tmiller72 · June 3, 2009

I think you always have to say something when you see that happen the first time. Just pull the guy aside and say something like "I noticed that you put the ball way ahead of your marker, you might want to watch that from now on. I wouldn't want you to get penalized." You can be nice about it and if he does it again, you know it's on purpose. Warn him once, then turn him in. It's always your responsibility to protect the field.

weakright · June 3, 2009

who cares if you are playing poorly - it's your responsibility to protect the field.

Supersteel · June 3, 2009

who cares if you are playing poorly - it's your responsibility to protect the field.

Fair enough. Just saying what I would do. If he's sucking and gonna post an 85 in sectional qualifying, I really don't care what he does.

kekoa · June 3, 2009

i had something similar happen at a small plga weekend tournament. one of the playing partners would rush to his ball on the green in his cart and when we reached the green, he would say he putted out or chipped in already. he did this on at least 4 holes. luckily on 18, the group in front of us saw that he hit one OB and carded a 5 when he really had a 7.

in your situation its really your word against his. if you called a rules official and he denied doing anything wrong, then what happens. I figure its only worth complaining of the other playing partners can back you up on the accusations.

ClarkGrswld4 · June 4, 2009

who cares if you are playing poorly - it's your responsibility to protect the field.

Fair enough. Just saying what I would do. If he's sucking and gonna post an 85 in sectional qualifying, I really don't care what he does.

i understand your point but if you do not call him out on it now, he will do it again 3 tournaments later this year when he potentially shoots a 68 and wins a tournament. I'm a big believer in protecting the field like others have mentioned. In fact, you are not even supposed to give him a warning. If you knowingly allow someone else to cheat and do not report it, you can be disqualified as well

ballzo · June 4, 2009

i understand your point but if you do not call him out on it now, he will do it again 3 tournaments later this year when he potentially shoots a 68 and wins a tournament. I'm a big believer in protecting the field like others have mentioned. In fact, you are not even supposed to give him a warning. If you knowingly allow someone else to cheat and do not report it, you can be disqualified as well

I think you are right. I should have turned him in.

Supersteel · June 5, 2009

who cares if you are playing poorly - it's your responsibility to protect the field.

Fair enough. Just saying what I would do. If he's sucking and gonna post an 85 in sectional qualifying, I really don't care what he does.

i understand your point but if you do not call him out on it now, he will do it again 3 tournaments later this year when he potentially shoots a 68 and wins a tournament. I'm a big believer in protecting the field like others have mentioned. In fact, you are not even supposed to give him a warning. If you knowingly allow someone else to cheat and do not report it, you can be disqualified as well

The problem with this is the situation, though. As a poster above noted, it's your word against his. You're going to go to a rules official and say, "he cheated." And he will deny it. Then what? Confront him about it and notify your playing partners is about all I would do in a situation like this.

Bones01gt · June 5, 2009

Nothing in the world I despise more than someone who cheats at golf.

Dizz · June 5, 2009

LOL I remember one tournament where we had a no show so I go out with another guy as a twosome. I watched him bump it in the rough all day. On the 17th he hit the green in regulation and I missed it in the green side trap. I'm down in the trap and walk up to the lip to take one last look as I caught him throwing his coin about 10 feet closer to the hole. I didn't even say anything, he fist pumped as he knocked in a 20 footer for birdie on 18 and a smooth 92. I should have said something and so should you but sometimes its just not worth it.