How do you keep score when you play golf?

[JWolf74]

So, moving a ball to improve your lie gives you a better personality, Donnie?

Of course not. But having a strong opinion about strangers who do is a pretty good predictor of a lousy one. Hope that helps.

I'm reminded of the line from Dirty Work-"Why don't you get a horse and live in the mountains someplace and stop bothering everybody? You got a personality like a dead moth."

 

[Moogy]

Of course not. But having a strong opinion about strangers who do is a pretty good predictor of a lousy one. Hope that helps.

I'm reminded of the line from Dirty Work-"Why don't you get a horse and live in the mountains someplace and stop bothering everybody? You got a personality like a dead moth."

You seem friendly and accepting of divergent opinions, Donnie. You seem like you have a great personality. How strong is my opinion?

 

[JWolf74]

You seem friendly and accepting of divergent opinions, Donnie. You seem like you have a great personality.

Well thank you very much. A correct and astute observation.

 

[tarheelbybirth1]

Yikes. That poor kid.

Poor kids don't play golf at the CC three days a week.

 

[Rahskie]

(In a non-tournament)

Do you stick to the rules, count every stroke? Or give yourself all kinds of breaks then mark a bogey?

Or in the middle somewhere?


I’m in the middle - I count almost everything.

If I hit a drive that is somewhere in the fairway or just off and there are leaves or something and I could find it if I spent 5 minutes looking, I’ll just drop and move on.

If I am just off the fairway on the hardpan and will probably break my club or wrist, I’m moving back to any kind of grass.

Otherwise, I’ll play it as it lies.

How about you?

My friends and I do friendly gambling...thus there has to be some semblance of rules. Here are some that are outside the lines that we use:
1. Inside the leather on putts is good (speed of the game)
2. Play to 7 on holes. That is the maximum "posting" score for my group that can be used when posting scores for handicap purposes. We don't want to be putting for 9, 0r 10's on holes. Rarely would this happen (we are all 15-17 handicaps) but it WOULD happen every now and again. This is more speed of play than anything else.
3. Two balls off the first Tee, play best one (breakfast ball).

What we don't do:
drop at distance with white stakes, its a retee or rehit
Fluff the balls in fairway (unless winter rules have been called or it is rainy/muddy)
Hot from behind white stakes

My favorite Game to Play with a foursome:
rotate players every 3 holes, best ball from the twosome wins the hole. Eliminates having to calculate handicaps for the course slope/rating as everyone rotates with everyone. Carryovers on tied holes...total of 18 points for the match. $10/head, 1st and 2nd place.

Fun Trash Side Bet: ($1 each, $2 birdie, $5 eagle - Team Trash, if one player gets it both players get it). All trash is for par or better and all is automatic except for 1.

1. Sandy: Par or better once you have landed in trap
2. Greenie: Closest to the pin on par 3
3. Polie (or poley): Your putt is outside the measurement of the flagpole. You lay one end of the flag on the hole and if your ball is outside the other end of the flagpole and you make the putt...you and your partner get a trash point.
4. Cleanie: You hit the fairway (clean) then hit the green (clean). No rough, sand etc. It is a CLEAN hole
5. Whammy: Same as Greenie, but on a par 5. Have to be there in regulation (3 shots) and closest to the pin.
6. Murphy: This is one of my favorites. All of the above are automatic. A Murphy you have to declare. Simple rule, you are going to get up and down from off the green. 2 shots (or 1 if you drain it). If you make it, your team gets a trash tick....if you DON'T get up and down, the other team gets it. Risk/Reward makes it super fun.

This is a side bet...everyone pays up the ladder...if top trash getter has 10 trash and bottom has 0, owes top guy $10. Same if 2nd place trash has $9, they owe top $1 and bottom player owes them $9....so forth and so on. Alternatively we just add each players trash to how ever many points they got in the above.

TONS of FUN!!!

 

[coldbud1994]

(In a non-tournament)

Do you stick to the rules, count every stroke? Or give yourself all kinds of breaks then mark a bogey?

Or in the middle somewhere?


I’m in the middle - I count almost everything.

If I hit a drive that is somewhere in the fairway or just off and there are leaves or something and I could find it if I spent 5 minutes looking, I’ll just drop and move on.

If I am just off the fairway on the hardpan and will probably break my club or wrist, I’m moving back to any kind of grass.

Otherwise, I’ll play it as it lies.

How about you?

Same

 

[Moogy]

Poor kids don't play golf at the CC three days a week.

He'll be playing there a lot more than that.

At least until the burn out sets in. Kid's friggin' 11 and being pulled out of a normal education for a game. We've lost our minds.

 

[JWolf74]

My friends and I do friendly gambling...thus there has to be some semblance of rules. Here are some that are outside the lines that we use:
1. Inside the leather on putts is good (speed of the game)
2. Play to 7 on holes. That is the maximum "posting" score for my group that can be used when posting scores for handicap purposes. We don't want to be putting for 9, 0r 10's on holes. Rarely would this happen (we are all 15-17 handicaps) but it WOULD happen every now and again. This is more speed of play than anything else.
3. Two balls off the first Tee, play best one (breakfast ball).

What we don't do:
drop at distance with white stakes, its a retee or rehit
Fluff the balls in fairway (unless winter rules have been called or it is rainy/muddy)
Hot from behind white stakes

My favorite Game to Play with a foursome:
rotate players every 3 holes, best ball from the twosome wins the hole. Eliminates having to calculate handicaps for the course slope/rating as everyone rotates with everyone. Carryovers on tied holes...total of 18 points for the match. $10/head, 1st and 2nd place.

Fun Trash Side Bet: ($1 each, $2 birdie, $5 eagle - Team Trash, if one player gets it both players get it). All trash is for par or better and all is automatic except for 1.

1. Sandy: Par or better once you have landed in trap
2. Greenie: Closest to the pin on par 3
3. Polie (or poley): Your putt is outside the measurement of the flagpole. You lay one end of the flag on the hole and if your ball is outside the other end of the flagpole and you make the putt...you and your partner get a trash point.
4. Cleanie: You hit the fairway (clean) then hit the green (clean). No rough, sand etc. It is a CLEAN hole
5. Whammy: Same as Greenie, but on a par 5. Have to be there in regulation (3 shots) and closest to the pin.
6. Murphy: This is one of my favorites. All of the above are automatic. A Murphy you have to declare. Simple rule, you are going to get up and down from off the green. 2 shots (or 1 if you drain it). If you make it, your team gets a trash tick....if you DON'T get up and down, the other team gets it. Risk/Reward makes it super fun.

This is a side bet...everyone pays up the ladder...if top trash getter has 10 trash and bottom has 0, owes top guy $10. Same if 2nd place trash has $9, they owe top $1 and bottom player owes them $9....so forth and so on. Alternatively we just add each players trash to how ever many points they got in the above.

TONS of FUN!!!

 

[Wobmam Rulez!]

When I golf for fun, keeping score and playing strictly by the rules isn't fun. I played in a friendly 6 some (yes, they allowed us to play with 6) and we played winter rules but every other rule, we abided by but we were playing for chump change ($.25 per whole).

If league play or outings (usually scrambles), play by the rules. I don't play in tournaments, I'm not good enough.

 

[Hawkfan_08*]

I am STRUGGLING the last, probably, 5 years. Probably has something to do with no kids and 20+ rounds a summer to staying home with 2 kids that I would have to pay for a sitter to stay home with them.

I found out the why a bit more today with my swing but that is not the point of this thread.

I consider myself to be a fairly solid putter and with the courses I play on (minus 1 and a few certain greens), if I can see the bottom of the cup, I know I can make it. Most of the time I one hand putt anyway from 5-7 ft and make it 85% of the time. So I will count it if I miss.

I have seen my handicap go from an 8 to a 12 and I really have no idea how it is even there. My drive is so completely jacked up that I am almost allowing a re-tee once every 9 holes because I am constantly trying to improve my swing pattern and sometimes trying to fix it leads to a 20 yard top or a straight hook into the trees when I am trying to adjust for my slice. Unfortunately for me, most of the time a 20 yard top or a 200 yard drive that could be 250+ without backspin and a massive slice will result in the same score.

Those can both lead to some strokes, I know, but that is all I really do. If I play my ball in a divot I will move it out. If I play my ball in some stuff that isn't taken care of or really damaged that isn't GUR, I will still take it out but not improve my lie or distance. I don't want to ruin the course more...

I will still take any score, even if it is above a triple but my goodness I better not get any of those. I play really fast. The other day I got through the first 8 holes in 43 minutes before catching the traffic. I was playing solo and was playing well. Wheels fell off after.

Tournaments I obviously abide by all rules. I wouldn't cheat.

 

[PalmettoTiger1]

I wasn't sure but I thought it was pretty good. His folks - super nice people - are talking about "home schooling" him so he can play more and get instruction. The reason for the "" is that they'll hire my wife for four days a week to tutor him so . They'll be pulling him out of a $25K/year private school.

To be fair if he is really motivated then letting him become obsessive about golf is a good thing

You cannot be really good at anything unless you are a little obsessive

 

[tarheelbybirth1]

He'll be playing there a lot more than that.

At least until the burn out sets in. Kid's friggin' 11 and being pulled out of a normal education for a game. We've lost our minds.

Not gonna argue but I hope it happens. Unlike a number of her clients, these folks always pay on time and if my wife is doing four days a week for them, she can drop the others.

 

[Knickslions69]

When I play I’m usually mid 80s. When I use trumps caddie I shoot in low 70s

 

[Rifler]

Trump rides...

 

[Nole-4-Life]

Winter rules,.. Roll your ball in the fairway, down in the rough, putt it out, count every stroke...

This but in my group we will generally concede putts under 2 feet.

 

[Moogy]

Not gonna argue but I hope it happens. Unlike a number of her clients, these folks always pay on time and if my wife is doing four days a week for them, she can drop the others.

It's abusive to that child.

You shouldn't hope that abusive behavior to a child happens so you or your wife can personally profit from it.

 

[Moogy]

People say "playing by the rules is no fun."

Then they lay out rules that they play by, and claim this is fun.

Interesting.

Regardless, as an example ... why is attempting a challenging shot out of a bad lie NOT fun? Why is moving the ball from a bad lie to a good lie "fun"?

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

I'll take a breakfast ball off the tee if needed. Fluff the ball if needed. I'm not breaking a club on a tree or root so I'll move it away from those. We play OOB as a lateral hazard and the free gallery drop if we can't find the ball and we know it's in play. We just play for fun and to get outside. None of us keep an official handicap.

Pretty much 100% this. I/We play for fun, not for score. And more than anything it’s all for pace of play. Nothing worse than dbags on a muni course contemplating and lining up every shot like it’s Sunday at Augusta. You suck bruv, move the f*ck along. I hope people hit into them every hole.

You may ask yourself, how do I measure myself against other golfers? By height.

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

People say "playing by the rules is no fun."

Then they lay out rules that they play by, and claim this is fun.

Interesting.

Regardless, as an example ... why is attempting a challenging shot out of a bad lie NOT fun? Why is moving the ball from a bad lie to a good lie "fun"?

I can’t speak for others, but personally I’m not good enough anymore. Before kids, I played every rule. Held a legit handicap. Golfed all over the world. I used to think like you.

Now, I suck. I simply don’t play enough and I really don’t like golf enough to go back and get good again. I’m out for hanging with my bros, the laughs, and the beers. Hell I just skip holes I don’t like. And as stated above, I have a hell of a lot more fun when pace of play is more like 18 in 2:45 vs. 4:30. No way I could maintain that pace hitting every ball down, searching through sh*t rough, following every rule (lateral vs OB), etc. with the state my game is in.

 

[Moogy]

I can’t speak for others, but personally I’m not good enough anymore. Before kids, I played every rule. Held a legit handicap. Golfed all over the world. I used to think like you.

Now, I suck. I simply don’t play enough and I really don’t like golf enough to go back and get good again. I’m out for the laughs and the beers. Hell I just skip holes I don’t like. And as stated above, I have a hell of a lot more fun when pace of play is more like 18 in 2:45 vs. 4:30. No way I could maintain that pace hitting every ball down, following every rule (lateral vs OB), etc. with the state my game is in.

How do I think? Read my initial comments on the matter and tell me how I think. I play laid back, for yucks and fun, drinking some beers golf quite often. What does that have to do with anything?

 

[Gibbs_dontbanmetom]

Count all strokes but if I can find my ball Im playing it. Also dumb stuff like if I land in a divot in the middle of the fairway I'm dropping it on a decent square of grass. (assuming I'm just playing and no competition)

What if someone purposely drives over your ball in the middle of the fairway with the golf cart. play that ball as it lies!

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

How do I think? Read my initial comments on the matter and tell me how I think. I play laid back, for yucks and fun, drinking some beers golf quite often. What does that have to do with anything?

I was replying to your comment about how is “playing it down not fun.” Calm down bud.

 

[WDDT]

What if someone purposely drives over your ball in the middle of the fairway with the golf cart. play that ball as it lies!

See that part about "also dumb stuff like...."


**** like that happens at scrambles when guys are dicking around and you get a club anyway.

 

[AFM22]

See that part about "also dumb stuff like...."


**** like that happens at scrambles when guys are dicking around and you get a club anyway.

 

[WDDT]

I was replying to your comment about how is “playing it down not fun.” Calm down bud.

Fyi he's a self proclaimed east coast elitest type lib.

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

Fyi he's a self proclaimed east coast elitest type lib.

Luckily, as a self proclaimed and independently verified midwestern elitist that eats Massholes for breakfast - I have no fear.

Edit to add: There’s a second golf movie reference (although altered for effect) in that beauty of a post. I’m killing this thread.

 

[Moogy]

I was replying to your comment about how is “playing it down not fun.” Calm down bud.

Me calm down? You calm down.

It was a simple question, and you droned on and on, never really addressing it directly.

I'll repeat it, in a modified way ...

Let's say you're out there casually golfing and you hit a tee shot on a par 4 ... you end up in an unrepaired divot about 135 yards out. At this point you have 3 main options: 1. play it as it lies, and aim your PW at the green; 2. play it as it lies and dink it out to get a better lie on your next shot; 3. move the ball out of the divot and aim your PW at the green.

Why is the 3rd option more fun? Option 1 seems fun to me, as I know there's a substantial likelihood I muck it up, but if I don't, I feel accomplished. "Look at me, I stuck that, and out of that horrible lie!" Option 2 seems fun, but less fun, to me because, I am playing within the rules, but I'm also conceding a stroke to get a better lie ... but, then again, if I'm weekend golfer'ing it, I don't care much about my score. Option 3 seems less fun than 1 or 2, because, if I'm keeping score, I'm just playing some made up game with made up rules, and getting nothing out of that. I didn't save time from Option 2 (a quick punchie takes no time), but I'm still trying to keep score, but making up scoring rules.

 

[Moogy]

Luckily, as a self proclaimed and independently verified midwestern elitist that eats Massholes for breakfast - I have no fear.

Edit to add: There’s a second golf movie reference (although altered for effect) in that beauty of a post. I’m killing this thread.

The children of the corn are cannibals? This explains the pervasive bad takes.

 

[Rifler]

This but in my group we will generally concede putts under 2 feet.

In a group setting we will do the same,.. By myself I putt out.

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

Me calm down? You calm down.

It was a simple question, and you droned on and on, never really addressing it directly.

I'll repeat it, in a modified way ...

Let's say you're out there casually golfing and you hit a tee shot on a par 4 ... you end up in an unrepaired divot about 135 yards out. At this point you have 3 main options: 1. play it as it lies, and aim your PW at the green; 2. play it as it lies and dink it out to get a better lie on your next shot; 3. move the ball out of the divot and aim your PW at the green.

Why is the 3rd option more fun? Option 1 seems fun to me, as I know there's a substantial likelihood I muck it up, but if I don't, I feel accomplished. "Look at me, I stuck that, and out of that horrible lie!" Option 2 seems fun, but less fun, to me because, I am playing within the rules, but I'm also conceding a stroke to get a better lie ... but, then again, if I'm weekend golfer'ing it, I don't care much about my score. Option 3 seems less fun than 1 or 2, because, if I'm keeping score, I'm just playing some made up game with made up rules, and getting nothing out of that. I didn't save time from Option 2 (a quick punchie takes no time), but I'm still trying to keep score, but making up scoring rules.

Now that I know what I’m dealing with here, let me put it simpler:

Me take option 3 because it more fun for me. Me bad at golf now. Different fun for you ok. Me not same.

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

The children of the corn are cannibals? This explains the pervasive bad takes.

Whatever keeps y’all from invading the Granite State is good for me!

 

[Moogy]

Now that I know what I’m dealing with here, let me put it simpler:

Me take option 3 because it more fun for me. Me bad at golf now. Different fun for you ok. Me not same.

You bad at golf don't explain why option 3 more fun for you. You could be bad at golf and take option 2 just as readily/easily.

 

[LiveFreeOrDie97]

You bad at golf don't explain why option 3 more fun for you. You could be bad at golf and take option 2 just as readily/easily.

Upon second look, I guess I actually kind of do option 2 since I’d poke it out with my 8 iron and then hit it. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because I don’t keep score so I don’t really think of the two being different.

I like you kid. You’ve got spunk. I don’t have time or interest to argue today but will look for you in the future. Fooooorrrrreeeeeee!

 

[Moogy]

Whatever keeps y’all from invading the Granite State is good for me!

The Granite State?! Why didn't you just say you were a literal motherf.vcker (and sisterf.vcker) in the first place?! You could have saved us some time and energy! Every time I cross the border into NH, the theme song from Deliverance echoes from the forests. Seeing all the kids with protruding lower jaws, club feet and drooping eyes makes me sad.

 

[kgwillison]

Does reading this ever make me feel better. I had begun to think everyone on TI was a multimillionaire with three homes, two boats and a country club championship to their name!

 

[tarheelbybirth1]

It's abusive to that child.

You shouldn't hope that abusive behavior to a child happens so you or your wife can personally profit from it.

LOL... home schoolers are abusive? WTF are you talking about? FTR, my wife is a certified k-8 teacher with a master's degree and 34 years of classroom experience.

 

[Finance85]

Friendly game I'll move the ball off a tree root or rock if my playing partners offer. Also triple bogey max, and OOB dropped as if it was a hazard.

Playing for money, or in a tournament, strict rules of golf.

 

[Moogy]

LOL... home schoolers are abusive? WTF are you talking about? FTR, my wife is a certified k-8 teacher with a master's degree and 34 years of classroom experience.

Taking an 11-year-old out of school, and taking him out of other sports ... so he can golf more ... that's abusive. Your wife's qualifications have absolutely nothing to do with anything.

 

[JohnHughsPartner]

I bet you play a lot of golf by yourself.

Could you imagine being paired with this cocksvcker? lol
And I’m pretty strict

 

[tarheelbybirth1]

Taking an 11-year-old out of school, and taking him out of other sports ... so he can golf more ... that's abusive. Your wife's qualifications have absolutely nothing to do with anything.

Why they home school him is completely irrelevant. Taking kids out of school so the parents can force feed them Christianity is certainly more "abusive" than taking them out so they can focus on a singular talent? That barely registers on that scale. Hell, the argument could be made that sending him to an elite private school is more abusive.

You don't seem to be the brightest bulb in the chandelier.