Don't you hate it when...

[Libre]

... somebody lifts or touches your ball?
It happened today.
Lady in my group is out ahead of me (she's playing from the red tees, and hitting first) and walks up to my drive (she had hit her 3rd shot beyond my drive) and proceeds to lift my ball, and say, as I arrived on the scene, (and I quote) "This isn't my ball, this is a pinochle." (pronouncing Pinnacle like the card game)
I informed her it was indeed not her ball, because it was mine, and she then dropped it back approximately where it was lying in the first place.
I ask you, WHY must ANYBODY lift a ball to I.D. it?
I will contort my body into very twisted positions to attempt to see the brand or markings on a ball but NEVER will I touch a ball in play - exept sometimes my own, and only under desperate circumstances.
After that, I had to practically run up to my shots, to protect them.
She kept making like she might lift or even hit my ball.
Couple times she hit balls that were just lying there - probably lost, but might have been from players on adjacent fairways. only to realize later that she was no longer playing her own ball.
She had no concept of how to behave on the course.
In addition to lifting my ball, she:
Trampled all over everyone's lines on the green;
Hit out of turn incessently;
Kept talking loudly while I was in my backswing (was able to stop the swing once);
Argued with her husband the whole time;
Shouted tips to him right while he was swinging (KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN - KEEP YOUR ARM STRAIGHT);
Left her bag on the fringe of 9th green while she went to ladies room at the turn.
I brought it to the 10th myself - in consideration of the group behind me. Neither she nor her husband thanked me for doing it or even mentioned it - they must have thought it just levitated itself over.
Her husband was almost as bad. Not quite, but almost.
I couldn't get mad, they were friendly folks, pretty good players, offered me a sandwich, and besides I was having a good round in spite of it all.

But lifting my ball. That was the worst.

[JEFF4i]

Sounds like you had a great day.

On the fairway, doesn't bother me too much. In the rough it does, as I feel that I am not getting the lie I was delt, it's usually better.

[Sandpiper3]

At least you still played well, on a day where you dont play as well those people are even more annoying!

I had a similar problem today, some woman on an adjacent fw hit over into ours, right near my ball, as I was waiting for a guy i was playing with about 15 yards short of mine, I couldnt walk up to protect MY ball. So she just walks right in front of him hitting for first of all, looks at, then address' MY ball, he's backed off and I yell over "thats MY ball, yours is over there"...

She looks up, looks back down at my ball, and hits it and walks off. Just hit my ball and kept it! I was like wtf, ended up getting the ball back from a marshal about an hour later as she asked him to bring it back to me, she said "it wasnt good luck anymore".... most effed up thing ive ever seen on the course, takes my balls, keeps it, then gives it back cuz to her it lost its mojo (ergo admitting she took it!!!!!!!!!!!!).

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

She looks up, looks back down at my ball, and hits it and walks off. Just hit my ball and kept it! I was like wtf, ended up getting the ball back from a marshal about an hour later as she asked him to bring it back to me, she said "it wasnt good luck anymore".... most effed up thing ive ever seen on the course, takes my balls, keeps it, then gives it back cuz to her it lost its mojo (ergo admitting she took it!!!!!!!!!!!!).

That's frickin hilarious man!

[Sandpiper3]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

That's frickin hilarious man!

Easily the stupidest thing ive ever seen on a golf course. At least when I got my ball back she didnt scratch it up, it was like same condition as when I still had it.

BTW, i just dropped a new ball approx where we thought mine was originally no penalty (as we all saw her take mine, and proved it by checking hers). That is correct yes?

[JEFF4i]

Yep, that's the correct play.

Oh, and before anyone contests me on this, I had it happen during a tournament and it was confirmed that was the right play by the Head Superintendant for all 4 city courses, and a panel of pros.

So yeah...

[Eracer]

I was one of those annoying, stupid people yesterday. Really dumb...

One of the guys in our group hit a shot into the rough right next to a water hazard, where it came to rest right about four feet from my ball. I have a blue sharpie line all the way around my ball, so it wasn't a question of ID. He had hit another shot onto the green, and I stupidly assumed that he had declared his ball in the hazard, and - trying to do him the favor of not having to cross the fairway to pick up his ball - picked it up for him. What the hell was I thinking? He could have been playing a provisional. Even if I thought he was foolish for hitting his penalty shot the original spot, instead of taking a drop, it wasn't my decision, and I should not have touched his ball without being damned sure that he wanted me to pick it up.

After the round I apologized again. He was cool about, but I still felt bad.

I guess what I'm saying is that people make mistakes, and if someone picks up your ball by accident, perhaps it would be best to gently remind them of the rules.

[Libre]

Eracer-
Your experience was really different - you were acting on a reasonable belief and really just trying to be helpful. And, you immediately realized your error and apologized. This lady was just clueless - picks up a ball just to look at it - without even really knowing WHAT she's playing (or what anyone else is playing).
I find it very uncomfortable to start to indoctrinate people about the rules - especially if I don't even know them and just playing this round with them. I don't care what the hell they do, really. Just, don't touch my ball - that's all I really ask.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Libre

Eracer-
Your experience was really different - you were acting on a reasonable belief and really just trying to be helpful. And, you immediately realized your error and apologized. This lady was just clueless - picks up a ball just to look at it - without even really knowing WHAT she's playing (or what anyone else is playing).
I find it very uncomfortable to start to indoctrinate people about the rules - especially if I don't even know them and just playing this round with them. I don't care what the hell they do, really. Just, don't touch my ball - that's all I really ask.

I know what you're saying. She sounded completely clueless. My post may have come across as saying that you should have given her some slack. I didn't mean that at all. I just meant that I can understand how some people make mistakes. I also didn't mean to imply that it's your job to teach her the rules. But golfers run the gamut from totally inexperienced to tour pro. And the inexperienced ones often do things that can piss us off.

[Fourputt]

The one item in the original post that wouldn't bother me at all was the playing out of turn. For my course, and 95% of the people I play with, that is perfectly normal these days. We play ready golf, whether it's a casual round or a tournament. If 2 balls are on opposite sides of the fairway, we might even hit at the same time. It's called maintaining pace of play, and that is far more important than who's away or who has the tee honor. The only exception is when a match is in progress, then order of play is a rules situation and should be adhered to.

But I do have an extreme aversion to anyone touching my ball. I don't even like someone else marking my ball on the green unless it's an unusual situation. I usually have them replace it as soon as I get to the spot, and I mark and lift it myself.

The other related issue I have is with a stranger deciding that my remaining 3 foot putt is a "gimme" and batting it back to me. That really frosts me, because that is the one part of my game that I want to experience as often as possible because I need the practice at real speed. I can make 50 consecutive 3 footers on the practice green, but it's when the pressure is on that they are easiest to miss, and I hate not being given the opportunity to putt them.

[footballking732]

i played 9 yesterday, and got matched up with a twosome.. im about to hit my tee shot on the first tee, and the guy yells out about 5 or 6 different tips to me, i had never met him before. "head up" "your shoulders are slumped" " move the ball a little back" etc.. i was furious, and i hit a bad tee shot, although it ended up decently..

then the guy hit the BIGGESt slice EVER.. and i mean ever.. it started at the 3rd green, and ended up 30 yds in the right rough.. now hes tryin to give me a lesson, when he cant even hit his own ball?

i excused myself after the 1st hole, and went and played ahead, because there is no way i could have handled his "tips"..

[MGP]

Originally Posted by footballking732

i played 9 yesterday, and got matched up with a twosome.. im about to hit my tee shot on the first tee, and the guy yells out about 5 or 6 different tips to me, i had never met him before. "head up" "your shoulders are slumped" " move the ball a little back" etc.. i was furious, and i hit a bad tee shot, although it ended up decently..

then the guy hit the BIGGESt slice EVER.. and i mean ever.. it started at the 3rd green, and ended up 30 yds in the right rough.. now hes tryin to give me a lesson, when he cant even hit his own ball?

i excused myself after the 1st hole, and went and played ahead, because there is no way i could have handled his "tips"..

I really hate that too. I do a lot of things in my golf swing that aren't "by the book" but I know my swing well and don't need much advice about it. I never give unsolicited advice either.

The funniest come back to unsolicited advice I've heard happened a few years ago. I was playing with a good friend who's a salesman and a real talker. We got paired up with another twosome and one of the guys was constantly giving "tips" to my friend (who actually was about a 6 index and a pretty decent golfer).

Finally, after getting the tip that sent him over the edge, my buddy said on the next tee... "You know, there's two things I won't give advice on -- Golf and Sex. Don't tell me how to swing and I won't tell you how to F*** your wife".

That cracked up the other guy's partner and me and finally after a few seconds the advice guy laughed too. After that he kept his mouth shut for the rest of the round. Funny stuff.

[rob0225]

Originally Posted by MGP

I really hate that too. I do a lot of things in my golf swing that aren't "by the book" but I know my swing well and don't need much advice about it. I never give unsolicited advice either.

The funniest come back to unsolicited advice I've heard happened a few years ago. I was playing with a good friend who's a salesman and a real talker. We got paired up with another twosome and one of the guys was constantly giving "tips" to my friend (who actually was about a 6 index and a pretty decent golfer).

Finally, after getting the tip that sent him over the edge, my buddy said on the next tee... "You know, there's two things I won't give advice on -- Golf and Sex. Don't tell me how to swing and I won't tell you how to F*** your wife".

That cracked up the other guy's partner and me and finally after a few seconds the advice guy laughed too. After that he kept his mouth shut for the rest of the round. Funny stuff.

That's fricken hilarious!! Can't wait for the next opportunity to use that one. LOL

[JEFF4i]

That's gold MGP.

Oh, and picking up a ball to identify it if there is no other way, is well within the rules.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

That's gold MGP.

Oh, and picking up a ball to identify it if there is no other way, is well within the rules.

Right .


Rule 12-2

"The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with the player."

and

"Except in a hazard, if a player has reason to believe a ball is his, he may lift the ball without penalty to identify it."

However, when a player-competitor touches the ball, I believe Rule 18-4 applies

"If a fellow-competitor, his caddie or his equipment moves the player’s ball, touches it or causes it to move, there is no penalty. If the ball is moved, it must be replaced.

My question is: If someone else lifts my ball, am I entitled to place it in a preferred lie, as close to the original spot as I can?

Oh, and MGP...solid GOLD!