I am not a big Forum contributor - and I only get involved under "outside influence"

but do 'some' lose out by taking this game regarding absolute rules too seriously ?

I've read recent threads and of course each to his own and yes of course 'rules are rules'

 but hell my group play golf - we loose a ball off the tee - we drop nearby and play four no hold ups and we continue around the course ! - if it's not a competition but just Social what is this big deal regarding Rules - I mean are recent threads all about serious or social golf ?  

If I'm playing socially Col, I do exactly the same as you.  However, I think it's worth finding out what you should do in case it ever happens in a comp. 

Chris - definitely not allowable in an official competition ! but should be part of Society Rules or Social game rules ! 

I agree in part to what your saying Colin, however I do also believe that what you do normally becomes normal.

A member on here who at the time does what you do, played in a comp and without realising what he was doing forgot himself and incurred a penalty.

Now I had/have no sympathy because if he played to the rules all the time, then he wouldn't have forgotten himself and been penalised.

Would that be Millichump the younger, you are hinting at Ada?

In social rounds I would do what Colin does but would also stop scoring as it can't be a true score anymore...

On saying that, I usually don't score social rounds anyway I just play and enjoy...

Comps are a total different kettle of bogeys however.

I am a firm believer in not causing undue delay on the course at any time but especially when having a practice or social round with mates.

it is these types of rounds that you sometimes need to bend the rules a little to keep play moving.  I would always recommend hitting a provisional ball if your ball may be lost or unplayable anywhere on the course, or if you go forward to find your ball and can't then just drop another and continue playing, but always try to be fair and take your penalty of 1 or 2 strokes. 

But again this is all down to the individual and how serious the round is, if money is involved it ain't social.

Actually Dave it was Mr T

Colin C, I also promote responsible play and am happy in social rounds for anyone whom is ready to take their shot to do so even if they are not the furthest away, just keeps the game moving.

I also give gimmes if they are close enough, but that is all I do to stray from the normal rules.

In a friendly I will not impose all the rules but do in my societies as there are prizes etc up for grabs.

I played in one once & one guy couldn't hit a tee shot straight all day, we got to a hole where it was OOB down the left, he hit his ball OOB & he was about to walk down to where it had gone OOB to 'drop one'. Now he had 2 shots on this hole so if he had dropped & played his 3rd onto the green he could have still 1 putted for 4 points!!!

He wasn't happy with me when I told him he had to play another off the tee, he was even less impressed when he also hit that OOB!!!!

nice one floody

nice one floody, got to be done.

Gamesmanship.  I like it.  Like giving somone 3 ft putts in matchplay until the 15th and making them knock in an awkward bugger across the break.  They're guaranteed to miss it

More annoying when you hit a straight drive, your playing partner hits it oob and you both par the hole....or in matchplay half it.

It does seem sensible to stick to the rules. Why have a a second set? Played a round on my own today. Even when cleaning my ball on the green and lining up my direction line, I marked the position before lifting. My logic - don't want to create a bad habits... Andy.

Colin C

If you have hit a provisional ball and then go forward and find your ball you cannot declare it unplayable and then use the provisional ball instead.  Once you find your ball you have to pick up the provisional.  You have three choices if you declare it unplayable:

relief within two club lengths not nearer the hole,

can go back as far as you like in line with the flag

you can return to the tee and play another ball.

You can declare your ball unplayable before you hit your second tee shot and then that ball is live and even if you find your first ball you have to pick it up.

jon, you have missed the intended purpose of this thread by colin stephens.

i do not 'lose' out in any aspect (especially my enjoyment) of my golf by bending the rules slightly when i am only playing a practice round or socially.  So long as you know the rules you are bending fine.  I do not cause undue delay by playing this way and the bending of the rules is usually limited to balls lost or unplayable.  But seeing as most golf courses recommend that golfers play prov.balls when the rules do not actually permit so as to prevent undue delay on the course during practice or just recreational rounds.  This also reduces any dissent from following groups as to speed of play.  No one likes to see someone walking back towards them 250 yds to replay their shot on a practice or recreational round just because the rules state it, after they have taken 5 minutes not to find their ball.  For the record when i have played a prov.ball and then deem my 1st ball unplayable i never actually take into account where or how my prov.ball is positioned on the course, i always make the appropriate decision on which if any relief i shall take, and if it is replay the shot i continue with my prov.ball regardless of its position.  This means i do not have to delay play anymore, and i respect myself and the rules by not having a conflict of interest and i retain the integrity to the game.  And i copy what Colin said if i can't find my tee shot and i never thought of needing to play a prov.ball and it is lost, i drop where it was supposed to be and will be playing 4 which is equivalent of having played it 3 off the tee and not be playing 3 like some do.

If golfers are satisfied to play recreational or practice rounds with a bit of rule bending then i say good on them, lets remember not everyone wants to or is capable of or is committed to being the best that they can be.  And it is these golfers who should be applauded for not playing to the rules and causing further undue delays for those more serious golfers out there.

There is no benefit for everyone to be so pedantic regarding the rules all of the time, there is a time and a place for doing it right.

I suppose all you golfers out there who are going to profess that rules are rules and they have to be played too at all times do not actually or have ever broken the LAW at any time, say for speeding.  If you have think of the word hypocrite and whether it is applicable at all. 

Sorry Colin I misread your original thread as you thinking that hitting a provisional for an unplayable lie was within the rules.  Having reread your post more carefully I realise that wasn't what you meant.  I totally agree that when playing social golf I wouldn't be too impressed if my playing partners or the group in front marched back to the tee for an unplayable lie because they hadn't hit a proviional and slowed the round up.  I always hit a provisional if I think my ball maybe lost, OOB or unplayable.

However I think the points above concerning habit are also valid and even in sociial golf it is important to get into good habits (sticking to the rules as closely as possible without slowing the round up) and to know when you are bending the rules.  Something I don't understand and never do is backhand or tap short putts in one handed.  If in a social or practice round I think I have got close enough for a gimme(usually 1ft or less with my putting) I pick the ball up.  I've seen three different playing partners miss short putts in comps because they have got into this habit.  Stilol this may come back to bite me if I pick my ball up in a comp I suppose .

i gathered that Jon

I agree, whatever decision you make you should always try to know or decide the proper ruling before continuing play.

i personally only pick up on the green if there is nothing to play for like losing the hole, or if the greens are not very good like after some bad weather and the greens have been spiked or cored or sanded etc.  you always need to put out correctly.

I find that most mistakes i make during a round are down to lack of concentration, this is either through being distracted for some reason or through fatigue.  A big part of the game that i am improving is to distance myself fron or ignore other things that are occurring around me, not allowing other players behaviour to change my routine. 

I am trying to develop a 'whatever' approach to everything around me during a round, or rather i will be if i can get back playing, probably at least 2 more weeks off.

Jon, there is no requirement to go back to the tee to play another ball for an un playable lie. There are other options. When one has to go back to play another ball it is not called a provisional, but the ball in play. A provisional is played when one feels that the first may be lost.

I feel that whatever you do in a social round is not that important as long as the rules are obeyed when a card is being marked.

quite ! - also when competition play comes around I know my place and

do not forget the rules and play to the rules !