Linda,
In my mind, this [practice of posting other people’s scores (see Ask Linda #147-Posting incomplete rounds)] is quintessentially what is wrong with the game of golf, and women's golf, especially. (Could you imagine a guy posting his buddy's score or worse yet, giving him a 12 on every hole not played?!!) This playing partner, presumably a friend, was having a bad day… so what? This new Gestapo-esque mandate of turning in one's card assumes that all golfers are cheaters. What happened to the assumption that people are basically honest and that golf is a game of honor? They must have been playing for a LOT of money (!!..btw also against the rules but it goes on anyway.). It offends me that the game has been tainted in this manner and I think that it impedes any novice golfer who may want to pursue this great sport.
The next opportunity you get, I would like to see you address this issue. It's a game for Pete's sake…get over yourself!! I'm not saying that the rules of the game should go unheeded, but a little less minding of other people's business and a little more live and let live would make for more fun! We don't need more Rules Queens!
Thanks for letting me vent!
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
Before I write a response, I want to be certain I understand what issue you would like me to address. Am I correct in thinking that you disapprove of other people posting scores for you? If this is not the issue, please clarify.
Linda
Dear Linda,
That is only part of the issue, but you are correct, I do not agree with that policy. I think that there is a general mean-spiritedness that pervades the game and I am sorry to say it but I think that women are worse offenders than men. It is a "me up you down" attitude that is NOT under the aegis of "friendly competition". The letter you received was emblematic of that attitude. That writer did not think that her playing partner was really ill and wanted to be sure that her score got posted. Was that really her business? You may not agree with me and if so, I am fine with that, but I just thought that since people read your postings that this would be something to address. I do not recommend that the rules be flaunted but I do think that a live and let live approach is preferable and that people should be given the benefit of the doubt and that there should be less emphasis on what other players are doing, in general. This does not apply to scheduled events such as match play, etc, but in an informal game, I think that players should mind their own business.
I hope that I have clarified my position.
Thanks.
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
I'm hoping you're not suggesting that I recommend that players not post all their scores, since that would be a violation of the rules.
The reader who sent me this question is a member of a 9-holers group. These are high handicap players who play together once a week, and one person collects the cards and is responsible to post the scores. She simply did not understand what to do about posting a score for a player who did not complete her round. I hope she now understands that she cannot post that round since the player did not play at least seven holes, and that she also understands how to calculate scores for the holes not played.
We all have good and bad days on the golf course. I have, on very rare occasions (I can recall only two), left a golf course because I was playing too poorly to enjoy my round. However, I still posted 9-hole scores, since I had played at least seven holes. I know that the system will throw those scores out anyway, so I follow the rules of posting and don't worry about those high scores.
Posting scores is not a punishment. It is just a helpful tool to keep track of your progress, and provides an honest and unbiased method of fairly competing with other players whose skill level is not the same as yours. Players who don't post scores because they are either too high or too low are cheating the system and do not have a correct handicap. Some of them end up with a vanity handicap (artificially low) that allows them to gain entry into tournaments where they do not belong, and others end up winning handicap tournaments because their handicap is artificially high (cheaters who are affectionately called "sandbaggers"). I have little sympathy or respect for either of these types of cheaters. All players should post all scores from every acceptable round. This is the type of honesty that the USGA expects; this honesty will yield a handicap for each player that reflects his true scoring potential.
There is no rule that prohibits other players from posting a score for you, provided they have your permission to do so. The reader who sent in the question in #147 was responsible to post the scores of all the players competing that day, and had their permission. Clubs or organizations that require that you turn in your cards so that they can post your rounds are motivated by a desire to keep everyone’s handicap accurate. They are aware that some players are reluctant to post high or low scores, and they are choosing to override that reluctance in an effort to allow the handicap system to work as it was intended. If everyone would post all acceptable scores, and remember to apply Equitable Score Control (ESC) to those scores, then net tournaments everywhere would be noticeably more fair and consequently more enjoyable.
I don’t have a solution to how to get every player to post every acceptable score. Groups that post tournament scores or league scores for all participants are helping to remedy the problem, as are golf clubs that require that you submit your card after every round. I do not condone posting a player’s score secretly, but I would recommend that you encourage your friends to post every score from a round that meets the USGA requirements for posting [see Ask Linda #142-To post or not to post]. The USGA handicap system will only produce accurate handicaps if players are responsible. Unfortunately, no one has yet figured out how to legislate or enforce honesty.
Now let’s take a brief look at the issue of gambling. The USGA does not prohibit informal betting among friends. Below is a quote from the USGA policy on gambling that explains what type of betting is permissible:
"The USGA does not object to informal wagering among individual golfers or teams of golfers when the players in general know each other, participation in the wagering is optional and is limited to the players, the sole source of all money won by the players is advanced by the players on themselves or their own teams and the amount of money involved is such that the primary purpose is the playing of the game for enjoyment."
In layman’s terms, reasonable bets among friends when you are betting on yourself to win are fine.
If you would like to read the entire gambling policy, here is the link:
http://www.usga.org/rules/amateur_status/gambling/Etiquette-on-Gambling/
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
