Actually a better question is, do you ever NOT cheat at golf when you are just playing for fun? Sure, if you are playing some kind of event, or playing in a serious league you may play clean.
But if you are just out for an afternoon of golf, when was the last time you played a perfectly clean round. No rolling your ball over because “that spot really should be marked as ground under repair”, penalty shots for every ball in the water, lost ball, or OB, no foot wedge because you don’t really feel like playing from behind that fucking tree, AGAIN, taking a penalty shot because you grounded your club in the bunker, etc.
I get being irritated when you watch someone take 4 putts without the ball ever going in the hole then tell you they got a par and at the end of the round claiming they “won”. But I play for fun, and if rolling the ball over on to the nice pretty spot of grass makes it more fun, I’m all for it. For all the things we can criticize people for (and yes I just read a story on FOX with John Daly talking about which presidents cheat the most at golf), cheating at golf seems pretty damn benign.
Define “cheatâ€. I never play in any sort of competition.
Do I adjust my ball if I have no hope of making a shot? Sure. And no I don’t take a penalty. I just don’t care that much about the stupid rules that people in a competition should play by.
I have never cheated at golf, or any sport, for that matter. I don’t get it. If it takes me 8 putts to sink the ball, oh well, that goes on the scorecard and life goes on. If I have to take an unfavorable shot or two to get out from behind a tree, so be it. My life is not impacted one bit by the final number on the score card. It is just a meaningless game.
Define “cheatâ€. I never play in any sort of competition.
Do I adjust my ball if I have no hope of making a shot? Sure. And no I don’t take a penalty. I just don’t care that much about the stupid rules that people in a competition should play by.
Yep, that’s cheating. And I am fine with it. Which is why I think the whole conversation about presidents cheating is stupid. Who wants to shoot 113?
Exactly. Which is why I have no problem moving my ball out from behind the tree because I just want to hit a ball around a field without having to find out just how bad I am at scrambling.
Define “cheatâ€. I never play in any sort of competition.
Do I adjust my ball if I have no hope of making a shot? Sure. And no I don’t take a penalty. I just don’t care that much about the stupid rules that people in a competition should play by.
Yep, that’s cheating. And I am fine with it. Which is why I think the whole conversation about presidents cheating is stupid. Who wants to shoot 113?
Shouldn’t there be a limit to cheating? If it takes you 10 shots to finish a hole and write down 5, that’s completely different that moving a ball for a better shot. You’re still taking the shot and have to live with the results. Taking the shots and acting as if they didn’t happen is a different problem.
Define “cheatâ€. I never play in any sort of competition.
Do I adjust my ball if I have no hope of making a shot? Sure. And no I don’t take a penalty. I just don’t care that much about the stupid rules that people in a competition should play by.
Yep, that’s cheating. And I am fine with it. Which is why I think the whole conversation about presidents cheating is stupid. Who wants to shoot 113?
The difference is that some presidents will “cheat” then brag about their amazing score and how they defeated their opponents.
You’ll never see me do that. (mostly because I won’t ever beat anyone but I digress)
My 2 year old is a complete cheater at golf. pretty brazen about it too. At the mini-putt last week she just picked up her ball and dropped it in the hole. Then picked up mine and threw it off the course. Then laughed about it in my face.
Back when I played, casually, yes. I have no desire to try and play a miracle shot from deep within the bush when the score doesn’t matter. It just isn’t fun. In such cases I might move it so I still have to bunt it back onto the fairway but at least there’s a shot to get it there. If it’s sitting at the base of a bush under scrub then it’s coming out. I probably convinced myself that it is a similar shot and I’m not going to be winding up with a par, but yes it’s cheating.
If I were playing with work colleagues and we are keeping score then sure I play by the rules as much as I can remember them. Conversely if there’s someone in the group struggling I’ll tell them to shift it a bit to get a shot, without expecting a similar favour repaid later.
Funny story. I grew up playing public courses as a teenager with high school friends. The rules clearly written on the card included the right to take a preferred lie on the fairway. I just grew up thinking that was a formal rule. When I finally joined a private course at aged 20 (or so) I was shocked when they told me there was no such thing as a preferred lie.
If I’m keeping score to turn in for my index, no. Never.
I’ll go play with my son in the evening and it is more for practice. I don’t keep score or turn anything in and will roll a ball. No score = no cheating.
My husband and his friends are good golfters. I am not. I don’t really keep score, cause who can count that high? I’ll hit the ball from where it lands, but by the 12-13 hole I’m usually getting tired so sometimes I hit the tee shot, then pick up.
If I’m playing in a work tournament, it’s always “best ball”, so there’s no need to cheat. The prizes for “most honest team” are usually pretty good.
I used to play a lot, 3-5 times a week, and was OK. A solid single figure.
I’d play with the same group in the middle east each week who all claimed single figure handicaps in the same way I’m a 2.10 marathoner…
Its hysterical when they’d explain how they’d shot x, knowing full well when you can barely get 200 off the tee, the likely hood of making par on a championship par 5 is… Zero
I’d play regularly with friends at home, a national school boy champion and a last 16 amateur qualifier and they’d beat me with zero quarter given
Always baffled me the pick it up, it’s a gimme attitude because the only person you’re kidding is yourself. Picking a 2 footer up, calling it par doesn’t make you less shit as a golfer (obviously the royal you, not you specifically)
Probably unintentionally, for some reason I struggle to do basic math in my head when everyone is watching me tally my score.
If I did, I’ll call it out to everyone as none of us really cared about the score. If a bet or money was on the line, yeah I’d completely play fair. I’d say 99% of the time I keep it honest even if money or true game isn’t on the line.
I used to play a lot, 3-5 times a week, and was OK. A solid single figure.
I’d play with the same group in the middle east each week who all claimed single figure handicaps in the same way I’m a 2.10 marathoner…
Its hysterical when they’d explain how they’d shot x, knowing full well when you can barely get 200 off the tee, the likely hood of making par on a championship par 5 is… Zero
I’d play regularly with friends at home, a national school boy champion and a last 16 amateur qualifier and they’d beat me with zero quarter given
Always baffled me the pick it up, it’s a gimme attitude because the only person you’re kidding is yourself. Picking a 2 footer up, calling it par doesn’t make you less shit as a golfer (obviously the royal you, not you specifically)
We called them a glorycapper.
Put money on the line and make them play by the rules and suddenly they are having a bad day.
Now? Yes. I get to play maybe once a year, and maybe a scramble or two. I got to play on vacation last week with my 8yr old, his first round of 18. I did not improve my position, if I am behind a tree I stay behind a tree. But the “country club” we played was little better than a public course with some burnt out fairways and greens. And some weeds.
My sons both cheat, on the advice of their coach. Coach still wants them mostly hitting off a tee, even in the fairway or rough, to get the feel of good ball striking.
