Cheating in golf | The Boneyard

Cheating in golf

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NHRich

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Just,curious, how widespread is cheating in golf? I recently joined a high end private club. I noticed people taking lies in the woods and rough, and sometimes on the fairways. I always played that once on the tee, you don’t touch the ball again until on the green. I also post all my scores. I’m a 10 handicap. I played with a guy today that is a 15 handicap and shot 2 over on the front nine, finished with an 82. He can birdie any hole on the course, This is not an easy course, mid 130’s slope. He was around almost every green in regulation, He’s long off tee and has excellent touch around the green. He also prefers to keep his own score on his cellphone. He wins a lot, although we don’t play for much, it is still very hard to watch. I’ve been around some very solid single digit handicaps, and he plays many holes like a solid single digit player.

I haven’t played in any club tournaments yet, there is some serious money in those. I would hate to have him in my flight. I’ve never seen more blatant handicap management and cheating on the course in my 55 years playing.

He picks his ball up as if to identify it, then places down, always with a good lie. He did this multiple times today.

The problem is he plays in a group that I like playing with every weekend.

Others are aware as well, they drop comments, but this guy always has an answer.

i was a member for many years at another very nice private club. Never saw this. There were a few guys with the opposite problem, handicaps that they could never play to.

I do enjoy playing this course. It’s very nice and challenging. The members are mostly very well off, but most are very friendly.
 
Yup…I would say the lie improvement you described is very common. Some folks do it because they are just out there to have fun and some do it as a means to a better score. I like golf but find it more fun if I challenge myself.
 
Look at the plaques in your grille room identifying the winners of the club‘s annual net events. Make a mental note of the repeat winners. They are your club’s cheaters. Then make a note of who plays with them regularly on the weekends, they are complicit. Never play any of them for more than a 3 & 1.
 
NHRich said:
Just,curious, how widespread is cheating in golf? I recently joined a high end private club. I noticed people taking lies in the woods and rough, and sometimes on the fairways. I always played that once on the tee, you don’t touch the ball again until on the green. I also post all my scores. I’m a 10 handicap. I played with a guy today that is a 15 handicap and shot 2 over on the front nine, finished with an 82. He can birdie any hole on the course, This is not an easy course, mid 130’s slope. He was around almost every green in regulation, He’s long off tee and has excellent touch around the green. He also prefers to keep his own score on his cellphone. He wins a lot, although we don’t play for much, it is still very hard to watch. I’ve been around some very solid single digit handicaps, and he plays many holes like a solid single digit player.

I haven’t played in any club tournaments yet, there is some serious money in those. I would hate to have him in my flight. I’ve never seen more blatant handicap management and cheating on the course in my 55 years playing.

He picks his ball up as if to identify it, then places down, always with a good lie. He did this multiple times today.

The problem is he plays in a group that I like playing with every weekend.

Others are aware as well, they drop comments, but this guy always has an answer.

i was a member for many years at another very nice private club. Never saw this. There were a few guys with the opposite problem, handicaps that they could never play to.

I do enjoy playing this course. It’s very nice and challenging. The members are mostly very well off, but most are very friendly.
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Start leaving rule books in his locker, with his failings highlighted.
Good luck.
 
Also, he and his partner finished 2rd in the member-member in their flight. I think he was playing at a 16 in that.
 
.-.
First off what is the men’s club guidelines for how you’re supposed to be playing the ball? Summer rules? Play the ball up in your own fairway? Or played up everywhere? Each club has their own general guidelines. Should be summer rules these days as I imagine your course is in good shape. And in identifying your ball you’re supposed to move the ball as little as possible in doing so. Generally, you’re not supposed to pick it up.
If you play with a guy a lot you should be able to tell if he’s purposely inflating his handicap by throwing shots away. If he’s improving his lie against the rules or he’s cheating on his handicap call him on it. If that makes you uncomfortable just don’t play a match against him.
 
Absolutely hate sandbaggers in golf. Played in so many 2 and 4 ball tourneys mostly in the 1st division sometimes Champ, but in the first its normally like 5-12 handicappers. It always amazed me the 9-12s who were so much better than their hdcps. And the same old names too.

And the guys who need to identify their ball even when it’s obviously theirs just to gain an advantage I have no room for them. There are many though! And many of us are afraid to call it on them, especially friends.
 
What is “3 & 1”? We play for $12, 2 of which are for a birdie pool. This guy regularly gets 1 or 2 birdies. Of course everyone wants him on their team.
 
NHRich said:
What is “3 & 1”? We play for $12, 2 of which are for a birdie pool. This guy regularly gets 1 or 2 birdies. Of course everyone wants him on their team.
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I think he’s talking Nassau $3 front, back, overall $1 birds?
 
Punch him in the throat every time he touches his golf ball anywhere but the tee box. Even if he marks his ball on the green, throat punch.

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Ok, I agree not enough to get upset about. But it’s not the money, I’m just very competitive and hate to lose.

Back to basketball, I have UConn head covers. One of the guys today mentioned he really enjoyed going to UConn games in Madison Square Garden back in the day. I wish I saw some of them!
 
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The more important question is how fast is he playing?

Unless someone is hustling for real money, and if they are they have a problem, my take is that you are only playing against yourself. What score would make you happy at the end of the round and what liberties are you willing to allow yourself and still be happy?

I've never concerned myself with other peoples scores. I don't know how good they really are and I have no interest in policing their play.

I guess thing means I'm not a serious golfer, which is fine. I find most "serious" golfers to be a drag to play with. This is different from a good golfer.

Since you're new to the club, I'd try to fit in first and worry about calling out another member when it actually means something to you.

If you want something to rib him about, the next time he does that make a more egregious penalty as soon as possible and when he calls you on it say, "Oh, since you lifted your ball on that last shot/hole, I thought we weren't following the strict rules of golf. We can agree to do so from now on, if that's what you'd prefer."
 
I would tell them that you don’t want to play for money as long as lies are being improved because you are not used to playing that way. Bad lies or rough lies could be 10 strokes in a round especially with those 5 foot gimme puts.
 
I have three buddies I play with a half dozen times a year. My buddy who is the best is also the most egregious cheater. Never gives himself strokes when he should but is the first to call someone else out. Like he’ll drive into the woods, drop on the fair, take two shots to the green, two putt, and call it a five. Worst of all when someone else has a really good hole he’ll always say “are you sure?”
 
People play different rules. If there is a match (a money game), it's best to lay them out beforehand. If a rule was not agreed upon, and a situation comes up during the match, a question or a comment should always fix it. For example, if a guy hits into the woods and the stakes are yellow or red, simply say something out loud along the lines of "that's a stroke," or "next shot is lying 3." If the stakes are white, say "2 strokes is tough to come back from" with a friendly smile. If he's giving himself lies off the fairway, ask him "preferred lies anywhere?"

Some people play preferred lies on the fairways, and that's it. That's how me and my buddies play. If your ball is not on the fairway, no touching it, ever. Mark your ball on both sides so you don't have to move it to identify it.

I find being blunt and open works best. I've canceled matches after 2/3 holes because it's apparent the people I'm playing with don't play by the rules or don't count every stroke. I've straight up said "I'm not playing you for money because you don't keep a true score and don't play by the rules...I do." They tell you before teeing off they shoot 85 and they really shoot 105.

Most people don't play by the rules and don't know them. You'll learn quickly who they are and who you can play money matches with. When you're playing with bums like the guy you mentioned, just play for fun and have some beers. Or call him out. He's the jerk, not you. Although I do realize there are relationships and interpersonal/club dynamics involved as well, which can sometimes make speaking up tough.
 
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Dream Jobbed 2.0 said:
I have three buddies I play with a half dozen times a year. My buddy who is the best is also the most egregious cheater. Never gives himself strokes when he should but is the first to call someone else out. Like he’ll drive into the woods, drop on the fair, take two shots to the green, two putt, and call it a five. Worst of all when someone else has a really good hole he’ll always say “are you sure?”
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This is the type of person I absolutely lose it on before too long. The “Are you sure?” comment would make me consider throwing punches. I hate that kind of mofo.
 
.-.
I was in a net bracket tournament at my club this year. In the 3rd round, I played a 19 hdcp. I’m an 8 so I gave him 11 strokes. He beat me 5&4. We finished the round and we both shot 80. He is a relatively new member so I had only played one other time with him so my buddies and I thought he sandbaggged me. He told me he played the round of his life and 2 weeks later he played in the senior championship and shot a 98. I guess his hdcp was correct.
 
I shot a legit 80 once. However, I sunk like 5 twenty plus foot putts to do it. I was using a long putter back then, a friend’s dad gave it to me. I made some great puts with that thing. JetBlue broke it.
 
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Unless there’s a weather condition (i.e., lift, clean & place) or a local rule exception, then you play the ball down.

Every club has at least one sandbagger...and everyone else knows...
 
UConnJim said:
I was in a net bracket tournament at my club this year. In the 3rd round, I played a 19 hdcp. I’m an 8 so I gave him 11 strokes. He beat me 5&4. We finished the round and we both shot 80. He is a relatively new member so I had only played one other time with him so my buddies and I thought he sandbaggged me. He told me he played the round of his life and 2 weeks later he played in the senior championship and shot a 98. I guess his hdcp was correct.
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It happens. A long time ago, I was a 13, down from 18, and shot a 74. I’m the opposite these days… a 17 that can’t break 90.
 
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NHRich said:
Just,curious, how widespread is cheating in golf? I recently joined a high end private club. I noticed people taking lies in the woods and rough, and sometimes on the fairways. I always played that once on the tee, you don’t touch the ball again until on the green. I also post all my scores. I’m a 10 handicap. I played with a guy today that is a 15 handicap and shot 2 over on the front nine, finished with an 82. He can birdie any hole on the course, This is not an easy course, mid 130’s slope. He was around almost every green in regulation, He’s long off tee and has excellent touch around the green. He also prefers to keep his own score on his cellphone. He wins a lot, although we don’t play for much, it is still very hard to watch. I’ve been around some very solid single digit handicaps, and he plays many holes like a solid single digit player.

I haven’t played in any club tournaments yet, there is some serious money in those. I would hate to have him in my flight. I’ve never seen more blatant handicap management and cheating on the course in my 55 years playing.

He picks his ball up as if to identify it, then places down, always with a good lie. He did this multiple times today.

The problem is he plays in a group that I like playing with every weekend.

Others are aware as well, they drop comments, but this guy always has an answer.

i was a member for many years at another very nice private club. Never saw this. There were a few guys with the opposite problem, handicaps that they could never play to.

I do enjoy playing this course. It’s very nice and challenging. The members are mostly very well off, but most are very friendly.
Expand ...
start doing it too, except when you put the ball down throw it forward.
 
Hoophound said:
This is the type of person I absolutely lose it on before too long. The “Are you sure?” comment would make me consider throwing punches. I hate that kind of mofo.
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It’s brutal
 
In our last member guest we were in a flight with two orthopedic surgeons. The member who I didn’t know was a 36 hcp. We played them first and beat them then proceeded to tie every other pair in our flight. We ended up second in our flight to the ortopods who beat every other pair in our flight. Oh and the 36 hcp? He won longest drive and one of the closest to the pins! Hmmm
 
Edward Sargent said:
In our last member guest we were in a flight with two orthopedic surgeons. The member who I didn’t know was a 36 hcp. We played them first and beat them then proceeded to tie every other pair in our flight. We ended up second in our flight to the ortopods who beat every other pair in our flight. Oh and the 36 hcp? He won longest drive and one of the closest to the pins! Hmmm
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Check his bio for college golf scholarship.
 
NHRich said:
Just,curious, how widespread is cheating in golf? I recently joined a high end private club. I noticed people taking lies in the woods and rough, and sometimes on the fairways. I always played that once on the tee, you don’t touch the ball again until on the green. I also post all my scores. I’m a 10 handicap. I played with a guy today that is a 15 handicap and shot 2 over on the front nine, finished with an 82. He can birdie any hole on the course, This is not an easy course, mid 130’s slope. He was around almost every green in regulation, He’s long off tee and has excellent touch around the green. He also prefers to keep his own score on his cellphone. He wins a lot, although we don’t play for much, it is still very hard to watch. I’ve been around some very solid single digit handicaps, and he plays many holes like a solid single digit player.

I haven’t played in any club tournaments yet, there is some serious money in those. I would hate to have him in my flight. I’ve never seen more blatant handicap management and cheating on the course in my 55 years playing.

He picks his ball up as if to identify it, then places down, always with a good lie. He did this multiple times today.

The problem is he plays in a group that I like playing with every weekend.

Others are aware as well, they drop comments, but this guy always has an answer.

i was a member for many years at another very nice private club. Never saw this. There were a few guys with the opposite problem, handicaps that they could never play to.

I do enjoy playing this course. It’s very nice and challenging. The members are mostly very well off, but most are very friendly.
Expand ...
Sadly, cheating in golf has gotten way out of hand. I always followed the rules, and was almost always irritated when I played with people who brag about their game, improve the lies of the ball, and brag about winning against other when using their handicap....Golf is a good representation of how people deal with life and they are as a person. Playing by the rules or cheating, etc.
 
A long time ago I played with a group of maybe 16 players. We always played with the same partner over the years. All of us were mid to upper single digits. We played no strokes. I miss those days. We were all pretty close so no one dominated.

As for moving the ball, I’m comfortable doing that in the fairways if it’s the local rule. But not when off the fairway. Playing in a tournament or any money match, that is cheating. Not posting all scores accurately is also cheating.
 
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