Ugueth Will Shiv You wrote:
Golf etiquette is something that is so misunderstood it's funny, especially with weekend hackers. It gets even worse when strangers are paired together. I'm not talking about "being quiet in someone's backswing" or "repairing your ballmarks"; instead, I'm referring to things that directly impact pace of play.
In most weekend situations, Ready Golf should be the assumed policy, IMO. Gimmies should also be gratuitous in most situations. No need to be nervous around other golfers you don't know. Nobody cares if you missed a 2-footer or not. Just pick the damn ball up and move on to the next hole. People are waiting.
Later on, one of the guys sliced his drive onto this island that was entirely weeds, trees and fescue. Couldn't find it. So I look over and he's standing there holding the ball shoulder height and taking an official pro drop in this middle of this jungle. Then he has to punch out sideways just to get onto the fairway where he's still 50 yards behind my drive. Why do people do this? This isn't the PGA, if you go OB and you have to take a drop just go ahead and find yourself a good lie with some sort of look towards the hole. You're already getting a penalty as it is, there's no reason to further compound that by tossing the ball into a divet where you're still standing directly behind a tree. The game is hard/punitive enough as it is, there's no reason to completely give your round away and turn a hole into a 15 minute 10 stroke marathon just because you had a bad shot.
I play with a very liberal interpretation of the rules. If you get up to your ball and it happened to land in a divet or some other ridiculous lie just go ahead and give yourself a better lie. If you're ready, hit. Play from the right tees, tees that give you proper distance on the approach shots assuming you have a good drive. If every drive leads to a pitching wedge, move back to the next tee. Conversely, if every drive leads to you standing 200 yards out on a par 4, move up.
If someone gives you a gimme go pick your ball up, don't go put it anyway. That's why its called a gimme. I tell people after I give them a gimme that if they put it anyway and miss its no longer good.
If you lost a ball take a quick look, but that's it. No more than a couple minutes. If you are sure that it was in play, but you can't find it, take a free drop.
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LTG wrote:
Trae Young will be a bust. Book It!