[ligeplodore]

Nike - We can't read your mind you know. You need to tell us you were talking about beginners. I agree with you that they should pick up, etc. That's the way I was taught too.

Yeah, I could have done a better job of saying that from the beginning.

However, to think EVERYONE should ALWAYS play by the rules to a T is absurd to me.

That is the message that I'm getting from some, anyway.

[moohassinny]

nope. some days of golf are just for fun and practice and some days are for money. money days are straight up. do you ever improve your lie in the fairway? wipe mud off of your ball?

No.

Darn filter says I need at least 6 characters in a reply. There, happy now?

[seatlyled]

Yeah, I could have done a better job of saying that from the beginning.

However, to think EVERYONE should ALWAYS play by the rules to a T is absurd to me.

That is the message that I'm getting from some, anyway.

That is the message you're getting. Some people always play by the rules. I know Fourputt does, many of my friends do and my father does as well. It's 2nd nature - if you're playing golf - you play by the rules. Why not.

[illignocearia]

Who said anything about ALWAYS?

I usually do play w/ something on the line, so it's not like I'm out there ALWAYS playing by "my" rules.

I was speaking more of the beginning golfers, or the high HCP golfers who probably aren't going to gain ANYTHING by playing by the rules to the T.

Those folks need all the help and confidence they can get so I don't see a problem for them to improve their lie. Or move the ball a foot or two to get out from behind a tree. This game is hard enough, why not let the high HCP'ers play how they want to? And if it moves them along quicker, all the better.

When I was a beginner and a high HCP'er, I would pick my ball up, and/or even skip a hole to get out of some guys' way. I would consider that good etiquette. BUT, I think I was breaking a rule or two for doing that, right?

I mean, are we on tour here, or what?

Youngsters or even oldsters who are just starting the game are a different topic. A lot of the time they shouldn't even be on a full size regulation course. If that's the only option open to them then maybe they should be teeing a ball at the 150 or 175 yard marker rather than trying to play an entire 6000+ yard course. That's more fun that hacking the ball 10 times and picking up before they ever get to the green.

My big problem with mulligans is that they become habit forming, People will continue to play a second, or even a third ball while the folks behind them wait. Those same players who you feel might benefit from playing a mullie, are equally unlikely to notice that they are holding up the course by doing so (I see this a lot as a starter - beginners have no idea that they are supposed to play at a certain pace). They are already taking more strokes than the average player, and now they add to that by hitting extra balls as well. The place for that sort of practice is on the range, not on the course. That is why many courses post rules that do not allow players to play two balls. If you are doing it when the course is uncrowded and staying aware of any players coming behind you, then go ahead and drop a ball occasionally if that makes you happy. Just don't make a habit of it on every other shot, and most important, don't hold up the course while doing so.

[ligeplodore]

That is the message you're getting. Some people always play by the rules. I know Fourputt does, many of my friends do and my father does as well. It's 2nd nature - if you're playing golf - you play by the rules. Why not.

I'm definitely NOT saying that you shouldn't play by the rules. Like I said, I usually have something on the line when I play. So, 90% of the time, I'm just like you and 4putt.

BUT, for SOME people, I don't think it's a bad thing that they DON'T play by all of the rules to a T.

Reasons being that they probably won't GAIN anything by doing it and they will only SLOW things up if they do.

I just love seeing a hacker who thinks he has to play by all the rules hit his second shot 25 yards from the tee box, and then playing 3 more shots from the trees because he can't get out of them. But as long as he's playing by the rules, right? Meanwhile, I'm sitting there waiting to hit watching crap like that go on.

I used to be a member of a course that was full of bad golfers. Heck, I used to be one of them. That scene above that I described was a weekly occurance for me. But I knew enough to know that I wasn't good enough to worry about all of the rules at that time and would either pick up, or drop a ball in the fairway and go from there.

[inchaaruutaa]

i agree with nike golf. i dont take them, but if the goal is to have fun and it makes the game more fun for you, then you should.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[ligeplodore]

Youngsters or even oldsters who are just starting the game are a different topic. A lot of the time they shouldn't even be on a full size regulation course. If that's the only option open to them then maybe they should be teeing a ball at the 150 or 175 yard marker rather than trying to play an entire 6000+ yard course. That's more fun that hacking the ball 10 times and picking up before they ever get to the green.

My big problem with mulligans is that they become habit forming, People will continue to play a second, or even a third ball while the folks behind them wait. Those same players who you feel might benefit from playing a mullie, are equally unlikely to notice that they are holding up the course by doing so (I see this a lot as a starter - beginners have no idea that they are supposed to play at a certain pace). They are already taking more strokes than the average player, and now they add to that by hitting extra balls as well. The place for that sort of practice is on the range, not on the course. That is why many courses post rules that do not allow players to play two balls. If you are doing it when the course is uncrowded and staying aware of any players coming behind you, then go ahead and drop a ball occasionally if that makes you happy. Just don't make a habit of it on every other shot, and most important, don't hold up the course while doing so.

I 100% agree w/ this.

If people are even four holes behind you, don't be taking mulligans and/or hitting two balls. In no time, the four holes that they were behind you turns into two, and then, pretty soon they're directly behind you and waiting on you because you were hitting two balls in previous holes.

There is NEVER an excuse for that to occur.

I've never been behind someone doing that but if I did I would be tempted to decapitate them w/ a bunker rake if I did.

[sherrferris]

You aren't going to improve your game if you are always playing from a perfect lie or hitting a pristine ball. The only way to play better golf is to play golf... not winter golf, or improve your lie golf, but golf as it's defined in the rule book. You play any way you want, but you won't get better at golf by practicing some other game.

I practice on the range or in the short game practice area. When I'm on the course, I play golf.

You might be shocked to find out that I can play care-free golf and still play by the rules. That way the game doesn't feel any different when I am playing a serious round.

Man I could have written that myself!

I absolutely agree!



-JP

[Pa33anger]

I don't take mulligans. I don't see the point.

[Elaltergephah]

i dont take mulligans... my friends would ridicule me endlessly and really question my hcp if i did...
if im playing a practice round i will hit multiple balls and i definately wont take score... plus whoever i get paired with ill declare its a practice round but i wont play multiple balls unless im by myself just for the sake of pace of play...

i dont take ppl who use mulligans seriously and i wouldnt expect someone to take my game seriously if i used them