enjoy or be 'one of'

 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 ! 

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.

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!!!!

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

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.

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 .

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 !