[DJElizardo]

Gasman has been in my head lately - yesterday at Trader Joe's when I bought turkey bacon and today when I was searching for my ball in leaves. I could hear him asking why I was searching there when my ball was 20 feet back. So I went back and of course - my ball was 20 feet ahead. Get out of my head Gasman!

[duceswild]

Gasman has been in my head lately - yesterday at Trader Joe's when I bought turkey bacon and today when I was searching for my ball in leaves. I could hear him asking why I was searching there when my ball was 20 feet back. So I went back and of course - my ball was 20 feet ahead. Get out of my head Gasman!

Sorry, once im in there, there is no getting me out.

[DJElizardo]

Sorry, once im in there, there is no getting me out.

As long as it's just you - I can deal with it. Hopefully, no one else will get in there.

[fiettariaps]

As long as it's just you - I can deal with it. Hopefully, no one else will get in there.

Just so he's only in your head.

[Fvmfrctt]

Very interesting. You all have your different ways of dealing with the situation.

We deal with it according to the rules of golf. (Rule 27.1 and 27.2) You get 5 minutes to look for a golf ball. All players in the group usually look for the ball and when the time is up, if the ball still isn't found then the player takes one of the 3 options allowed according to the aforementioned rule.

Even in a friendly knock, all players would hunt for the ball as a general courtesy to the other player. If he or she decides not to bother looking then that's up to them.

I'm guessing that you guys don't always bother because you sometimes have to play with strangers (as discussed in another thread here tonight), so maybe that doesn't seem so important?

[DJElizardo]

I'm guessing that you guys don't always bother because you sometimes have to play with strangers (as discussed in another thread here tonight), so maybe that doesn't seem so important?

I think that's part of it. Public courses can get very crowded so people tend to get impatient even before the 5 minutes are up - especially if the person is losing on ball on many holes.

[loikrso]

I'm guessing that you guys don't always bother because you sometimes have to play with strangers (as discussed in another thread here tonight), so maybe that doesn't seem so important?

I think it has more to do with the 6 hour rounds. Everyone searching means nobody is getting ready to hit.

If it won't delay play, I always help people look. But if I'm on the other side of the fairway and my own ball is potentially hiding from me, I'll pass so that I can be ready to hit when play resumes.

[Izzy]

When paired with someone you don't know, do you help them look for their errant shots? Is it a requirement as a courteous playing partner? If so, how hard do you look? What if they hit A LOT of errant shots? Do you expect help looking for your own errant shots from someone you don't know?

An all question thread. Almost.

Kevin

[DJElizardo]

If my ball is near where they lost their ball - I'll help look, but I won't cross the fairway to look. If I notice they are losing a lot, I'll pay more attention to where they hit. If they are looking on every hole and we're falling behind, I will say we need to play a bit faster and perhaps they should drop one. I don't expect anyone to help me look for my own ball, but may ask if they saw where it went.

[wooclosmercob]

When paired with someone you don't know, do you help them look for their errant shots?

Yes, but after I am done with my own tasks.

Is it a requirement as a courteous playing partner?

As a courteous playing partner: Yes. As a playing partner: No.

If so, how hard do you look?

No harder than they do.

What if they hit A LOT of errant shots?

The search effort will become less and less enthusiastic!

Do you expect help looking for your own errant shots from someone you don't know?

No.

[pE71J5Sw]

This is an "it depends" answer.

I'm almost always walking so if the other golfer is in a cart, I'm usually so far behind it doesn't make sense for me to go over, especially if I'm on the other side of the fairway. If the other golfer's walking, I'll definitely go help. And I do try my best to find it. Sometimes we have a difference of opinion of the spot it was lost, but it's not a problem (usually) since s/he knows I'm just trying to help. And finally, I will help as often as needed.

An almost all-answer reply. Right?

[duceswild]

I usually help them look unless they are spraying them a lot. It also depends which side of the fairway I am on.

[Meenepek]

Sure I'll help them, especially if it's a busy day, and I know where mine is. It's a good opportunity to help them out, get to know them, and also find the treasures that lurk in the woods (golf balls, clubs, poison ivy, animals, etc)

If they help me find an errant shot, I try to show my appreciation; if not, no biggie, I'm pretty well practiced at finding my errant shots in the woods.

[Alice_Medichi34]

what Diane said...and it depends on how strange the stranger is...

[duceswild]

Have you ever noticed that when your helping somebody find their ball they always go 20 yards past where you saw it go in?

[DJElizardo]

Have you ever noticed that when your helping somebody find their ball they always go 20 yards past where you saw it go in?

And you don't?

[fiettariaps]

A friend gave me a great tip for looking for balls: start where you think it is and walk back towards where you hit it.

Sadly, it almost always works.

[Alice_Medichi34]

It's an illusion. Ever hit the ball on the green and think you got a 3 footer just to find out 15 is more like it

[TriamiCaw]

what Diane said...and it depends on how strange the stranger is...

I agree with Diane

[Uzezqelj]

As a walker, I'll help someone look if I don't have to walk clear across the hole to do it.

I generally watch where people hit because 90% of the players I get teamed up with think they hit it 50 yards farther than they actually do and I really don't feel like waiting in the hot sun for them to finish looking where their ego thinks they hit their ball.

When they begin searching, I'll tell them where I think their ball is and then I'll just continue on. If I happen to be walking on the same side of the fairway, I'll ask what kind of ball they're playing and then I'll often walk over to where I saw the ball go to see if I can find it.

And yes, I sometimes get a kick out finding their ball fifty or sixty yards farther back from where they're looking.

If the guy is cool, I'll commiserate with him in regard to the distance and offer him some excuses like "the rough really grabs the ball" or something like that. If, on the other hand, the guy is a real tool, then I'll just smile to myself and keep walking as he loudly tries to convince himself and whoever else is within shouting distance that this couldn't possibly be his tee shot.



-JP