Do you play all games of golf like it is a competition?  I started playing golf in my late-30's with my Dad who had himself has been playing the game for over 40 years.  He installed into me that all rounds when played against someone else were a competition and therefore the full rules of golf always apply.  So that's how I have played ever since.  

Now when I play the game with other people, some seem much more relaxed on the rules; sometimes I wonder if they know the rules at all.  But a vast majority of them are experienced players who obviously know the rules, but play 'in the spirit of the rules' rather than to the letter.  i.e. mulligans are not unheard of, dropping balls where they were lost,  improving lays, gimmies on stroke play, etc.  I have in the past become  unpopular with some playing partners when I point out the rules they have just broken and the penalties they should incur.

So after years of playing now, I have come to realise there are roughly four kinds of golfers:

1/  Those who play the game seriously and strictly to the rules.
2/  Those who play what they refer as 'club rules', where most of the rules are adhered to, but with lots of flexability.
3/  Those who just like hitting a ball around a golf course and sort-of know some of the rules.  Maybe not even keeping a score.
4/  Those who play golf because they feel it is the thing blokes should do.  Bragging rights etc.  Hoping to bluff their way around the rules if asked.

What I'm really asking is:  have I been taking the rules to seriously when I don't play in competitions?  Is there such a thing as 'club golf' rules and is that how you play? It appears that the rules are stacked in favour of tour pros anyway and the best argument I've heard on 'club rules' is that if myself and three mates went to the park with a football, would we really play to FA rules.  The answer is obviously "no", and we would have a lot of fun.  So why have I not been playing golf in the same way.  

Keith, It is a penalty to agree to waive a rule in golf, and I am pleased that you have been respecting them.

No point in playing, if one cannot adhere to the rules, as all one is doing is cheating themselves and their playing partners.

John, if club players playing 'club rules' have decided which rules they will and will not follow to the letter, the rule 1-3 of not waiving rules will be the first one ignored.  In a non-competition, who would enforce it anyway?

Are they really cheating if everyone in the group are playing to the same adapted rules.  Who would they be cheating, it doesn't count for anything apart from a fun day.

Also consider how many types of golf games are played on a golf course.  Stroke play, match play, stableford, threeball, fourball, foursomes, bogey, par, greensomes, texas scramble, skins, etc, etc.  The last three are games I don't see listed in the rules, so are the players cheating or just having fun with golf.

I still keep coming back to the argument:  if myself and three mates went to the park with a football, would we really play to FA rules.

No one can enforce it, Keith, as you know golf is self regulating and if you feel happy coming in with a good score which you know has only been obtained by bending the rules, where is the satisfaction in that?

Greensomes, texas scramles (Of which there are many versions) and skins are all played under the rules of golf, it is only the format that is different.

Now to your argument with your three footballing mates, Being only three of you it is only a kickabout and the rules would not apply in this situation, so go and enjoy yourself.

Football......................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now there is a game I totally loathe and detest

David, snap!!

John, ahhhh, so a no rule for the kickabout would be OK. So adapting the rules of golf for a casual game of golf is not OK? Looks like the same thing to me. And like the kickabout, the scores are not important.

I can see how skins is matchplay under a difference scoring system, can you explain how Greensomes and texas scramble meet the rules of the other games under rules 29 - 32? Surely this is a rule and not up to interpretation or alteration locally. Surely the 'format' is also part of the rules.

Bare in mind that I'm playing Devils advocate here and I'm all for playing by the rules, but in causal play I seem to be the only one and come under fire for being so strict.

The problem with your point of view, Keith is that players are still entering scores on this website whilst not strictly playing to the rules. Handicap rounds are only recognised if they are off the back tees in a properly organised competition.

Greensomes is a great competition and it is the best drive on each hole that is taken and played onwards from there with alternate strokes, rules of golf apply as usual.

Texas scrambles have many different formats, but basically three/four players in a team all drive and the best drive is selected and all the players take a second shot from that point and so on till the completion of the hole. The rules of golf still apply.

It is not a question of being strict, you either play the game as it was intended or not bother.

There does need to be a clear distinction between a competition, a friendly game for a small wager, and a knockabout. IMO those are the 3 types of game that can take place on a golf course, and the rules should be enforced to the letter in the 1st two scenarios, and relaxed in the 3rd. I'll be buggered if I'm walking back to the tee to play a 3rd shot when my original tee shot is lost, and it's only a knockabout with a pal for no wager, not a club compation, and I'm not signing a card to qualify for a handicap.

Sadly, as I'm not a member of a club anymore, all the games I play as a visitor have wagers involved, so I always play to the letter of the law, and there is absolutley nothing wrong with that. If you are in the same boat as me, and your playing partners don't like it, then they can go swivel.

I'll be buggered if I'm walking back to the tee to play a 3rd shot when my original tee shot is lost, and it's only a knockabout with a pal for no wager, not a club compation, and I'm not signing a card to qualify for a handicap.

Keith, surely in the above situation you would have played a provisional and therefore not endured the long walk back to the Tee.

My personal feeling is I play to the rules because I want to and therefore any score I make whether good or bad is reflected in this, I feel happy because I've played the game correctly.

I awlays play by the rules and never give (or accept) gimmies.

I don't care if my playing partner wants to drop rather than play a provisional, but I simply like to know if I shoot a nice score it actually counts.

It was me who made that comment Santo u nub!!! And remember all those daisies at Mytton Fold, where we lost my ball in the middle of the flaimin fairway? I rest my case.

I've had my mind changed on this one since joining the site.

In the "distant" past, the group I played with would play with lots of "house rules" including 3 mulligans a round per player, lost ball no penalty, anything unplayable was kicked out to a better lie, etc.

Now, I know that many of you will be wincing but I can now come clean because I now play to the letter of the R&A rules (kept in the bag at all times!).

So, I'd agree that of course there are many different types of games going on but, like John and many others, I think that if you're using the round to calculate a handicap then you've got to stick to the letter.

Interestingly, since getting rid of all those helpful house rules, my scores have stayed the same!!

sorry Jon T, need to take my medication forgot what planet i was on

We used to allow one mulligan per nine on our Sunday round.  Now they are hardly ever used so we have binned the agreement.  If a ball is lost when you haven't played provisional, we do still take a drop where the ball was lost but take a penalty.  This is mainly to prevent holding others up on the course.  We also still give putts that we know the other will get.  This is generally anything from 2 feet in unless the person is have a stinker with their putting (me at the moment).  We also never give par putts, no matter how short they are. 

We found that our 'local rules' became less and less used as our game started improving.  The three of us generally shoot within 4 shots of each other and can finish in any order on any given day.  The feeling now is we are too good to cheat (though we're not Tiger we're not exactly beginners anymore either) and should follow the rules and, with the exception of taking a drop instead of going back and the odd gimmie as stated before, we do. 

If a ball is lost when you haven't played provisional, we do still take a drop where the ball was lost but take a penalty.  This is mainly to prevent holding others up on the course. 

If you played a provisional then you wouldn't be holding anyone up!!!

We also still give putts that we know the other will get.  This is generally anything from 2 feet in unless the person is have a stinker with their putting (me at the moment).

I may do that but it depends on Pin position as some little testing 2 footers can be harder than most!!

So can a little 5' 4" one...Or however tall you are

5' 9" actually PAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...With your heels on, maybe...You tart

I try to avoid giving putts when playing since you don't get used to putting out like you will have to in competitions. In the bash that I play in every week we only give putts on temperary greens in winter, which is very rare these days, and as a rule of thumb we allow putts within a putter length of the hole - I'm considering buying a broom-handle putter for this winter  

Gimmes is a good one.

The few times I've played with other golfers outside my normal group, gimmes are seen as the norm, but surprisingly its something our group has never done!

Makes you a crap putter (gimmies)

Depends on how close to the hole the ball is, surely?

Putts can only be conceded in Matchplay, think of the one that Jack Nicklaus gave to Tony Jacklin. Now that was a tremendous gesture.

Wayne, we normally do take a provisional if it looks ropey, but sometimes you see where it went but the golf goblins nick it while you're walking up there.  I've seen a ball pitch in the middle of the fairway (occaisionally!!!) and when I've got up there it's nowhere to be found.  I'm sure we've all been in that position. 

I've got to say i'm a bit surprised by some of the comments.

Is golf not meant to be a social event or do you only play to win?

If i'm playing in a 2 ball we often retake chip shots or even play a practice ball if we aren't holding up play (or are stuck behind slower golfers). I was told by a pro friend that practice on the course is the best way.  As for the exact rules , who really cares if it's not a comp and you are not submitting the card? If you have a unrealistically low handicap because of rule bending then more fool you.

I'd much rather play behind groups who play social rules than fanny around to R+A rules and take 5 hours for a round.

Does this complete adherence mean you never play out of sequence, always ask all parties if you can putt out, count each others clubs just in case? 

As for going back to retake a tee shot , hell no  take a 2 shot penalty drop unless it's a comp, in which case zero points or lost hole

**occaisionally!!!) **

I see your using the American version of spell check then Chris!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you Steven W, you can’t take every round of golf as a comp. I say this for the following reasons.

1. Not all courses allow you to play off the white tee's (my local municipal is very strict with this rule and only allows the white tees to be played from during a organized comp)

2. no matter how much you practice on the range the course is going to be different, there for if you change equipment or your swing for example, how can you play this as a handicap/competition as your game will undoubtedly suffer/change for a few rounds? (a recent change of ball proved this to me)

3. most holes on a golf course play themselves with regard to shot selection however you will always have a few on every course where you have options, now I any comp you will usually take the safest option so if you played every round as a comp when would you ever try to "make the green from the tee" on that short par 4 or "go over the dog leg"?. Therefore when would you ever try and attack the course and get that great round, or just prove that its possible for you to do it?

4.And finally and most importantly for me anyway golf is about enjoying the sport that you spend a lot of time and money partaking in. sometimes I feel that people get wrapped up in the rules and regulations of the game and forget to enjoy it. I understand that the rules are there for a reason, but the reality is that if every group on your average municipal golf course followed the rules to the T, your 4 hour round would turn into a 8 hour round and where's the enjoyment in that!

Because of the above reasons, this is why you can’t play every round like it’s a comp, however if you submit every rounds as your handicap when the most basic rules have been broken, you are only cheating yourself!

and breathe

Well done Danny.

 Nice points well made , get your self a cup of tea and relax and wait for the criticism of your valid points not being in keeping with the etiquette, and history of the golf traditions  ;0)  !!