Two Etiquette Questions

[David Hillman]

Two etiquette questions that I've been wondering about, since yesterday anyway;

1) In my normal group, we often hit a putt and leave the ball in the cup, so we can get out of the way of the next guy putting. I never thought much about it, we've just always done that. We got paired up with two other guys yesterday, and they seemed annoyed by it. I'm not sure why. We stopped after a few holes, to be safe. Is this a big deal to anyone? I think it speeds play on the green a little, and makes for a little less foot traffic around the hole, too.

2) One of the guys we were paired up with had a GPS. He was frequently ( every par three, most fairways ) offering yardages to everywhere to everyone within earshot. I appreciate that he was just trying to help, but aren't you supposed to keep that to yourself, at least until asked? One case in particular, I was in the fairway, and had already picked a club ( we were in a cart, he was towing his clubs ) when he came up behind and said "Hold on... I'll get you a yardage...". I replied with my eyeball estimate, "It's 200", but he still came up alongside ( too close for me to hit ) and said "Hold on... 207 to the middle." It's one thing to offer help, it's another to make someone wait to hit so you can show-off your toy, innit?

 

[eclark53520]

1. I personally would not have a problem with

2. I dont know about rules, but that would definatly annoy me. I do not offer information unless asked.

 

[Irish]

unless its a tournament or a competition, GPS usage is allowed. Think he was just probably trying to be overly helpful...I'd humour him if it was my first time playing with him...

I always take my ball out of the cup and then move away from the hole,

 

[Par7]

As far as leaving it in the cup, not a big deal, but I've seen a putt bounce off a ball in the cup and out.

Its not illegal to offer yardages, would be annoying though.

 

[bluebledthesea]

We always remove our ball after we putt out. I don't know if this is etiquette or not, but it always seemed to be the thing to do unless everyone is taping in close to the hole.

 

[warbirdlover]

1. I suppose if there was a ball in the cup and someone "slam dunked" one the ball in the cup might cause the second putt to pop out. I'd just pull it from the cup if playing with strangers. Doesn't save that much time, really.

2. He was trying to be helpful but I'd just say something like "thanks, but I'm trying to get better at estimating the yardage without help" or similar.

 

[Eracer]

1. I suppose if there was a ball in the cup and someone "slam dunked" one the ball in the cup might cause the second putt to pop out. I'd just pull it from the cup if playing with strangers. Doesn't save that much time, really.

2. He was trying to be helpful but I'd just say something like "thanks, but I'm trying to get better at estimating the yardage without help" or similar.

I'm with WBL on both topics.

 

[David Hillman]

1. I suppose if there was a ball in the cup and someone "slam dunked" one the ball in the cup might cause the second putt to pop out. I'd just pull it from the cup if playing with strangers. Doesn't save that much time, really.

2. He was trying to be helpful but I'd just say something like "thanks, but I'm trying to get better at estimating the yardage without help" or similar.

Thanks all. That's what I was trying to do by telling him by "It's 200". Had I been actually hitting any decent shots, I'd have been more specific. As it was, yardage was irrelevent.

We don't do it all the time, but for example, if you've got a pin near the edge of the green, and all four balls on one side of it, and the first guy happens to drain his, say, 20 footer, it helps. He can either walk all the way around and come in from the back to avoid walking on lines, or pick his way through, or just back off 2 steps and let the next guy in grab it. Much easier and faster the last way. If it weren't for the "stepping on lines" deal, it'd make almost no difference, but we all try to avoid that, I think.

 

[Adam Pettman]

Punch him right in the eye and tell him he's a liar and that 200yards was precisely right.

 

[JEFF4i]

I'm with WBL on both topics.

I'm with Eracer on both topics.

 

[wirehair]

I'm with Eracer on both topics.

OK then, I'm with Eracer, WBL & Jeff.

 

[Crossfire]

OK then, I'm with Eracer, WBL & Jeff.

Im with Eracer, WBL and Jeff, Wirehair is kind of old and creepy so I am not with him.

 

[MCDavis]

Im with Eracer, WBL and Jeff, Wirehair is kind of old and creepy so I am not with him anymore.

Crossfire, you're just a slut. :laugh:

 

[Wi-Golfer]

I'm siding with Adam.

 

[Augster]

I am guessing and David and I won't be playing together anytime soon.

I absolutely HATE when folks leave the ball in the bottom of the cup. It forces me to wait, and wait, and wait for them to get it. Then when they don't, I have to walk over, take it out of the cup and toss it to them. Then walk back and start over with my putting routine.

This DOES NOT save time.

If you watch golf from now until the end of time, let me know EXACTLY how many times you see a player putt while the other player's ball is in the bottom of the cup. Right now the count is at ZERO and tournament golf has only been around for a few hundred years. I am guessing that count isn't going to go up anytime soon.

GPS? Why on earth WOULDN'T you want to know how far away you are before your shot? I have a laser rangefinder which works great. But if I'm playing with someone with a GPS I ask them what they have also.

The more information you have about a shot, the better the chance you will hit a good shot.

Do you read putts? You are not "reading a putt" you are gathering information to make an informed decision of where the ball might go once you strike it. Nobody just walks up to their putt, lines it up with the hole and hits it GUESSING that every putt is straight. No, you gather information on what line you want to hit the putt on at what speed to make it go in the hole.

Same as in the fairway. You can GUESS that it is 200, but why not absolutely KNOW that it is 207 via GPS every time? Then hit the ball 207 instead of 200.

Leaving your ball in the bottom of the hole has ONE legitimate use. Being a dick in match play.

Say you hole a putt from outside your opponent then make ZERO attempt to go retrieve it. I would say that about 100% of all competitive golfers WILL NOT putt with the ball there. Eventually your opponent will get annoyed and ask you to remove the ball from the cup.

When that happens you have effectively lowered your opponents percentage chance of making the putt because you have interupted his focus.