# Match play, rules et al.



## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

I have read up on the match play rules (usga.org) and really know them decently.. yet I still managed to make three penalties over my last 4 matches. One which didn't count... read on..

In the first situation I and my opponent both had a Titleist 1. Mine was a 1 proV1x and his a black prov1. (yeah yeah, first mistake)

I was 2 up going to 14.

We both were in the rough on a par 3, and I walked up to the first ball which had a bad lie and saw "Titleist 1". He was at the further one with a better lie. I asked him "is that your ball" and he said yes.

So I hit the best i could which wasn't a good result. Then he hit his decently. I then marked my ball, at which point i realized it was his ball. At that point I had to announce I lost the hole. It was bad timing and I ended up losing the hole, instead of likely winning it. I was only 1 up with 4 to play, instead of a likely 3 up.

In the second case, and it was evil, I had hit a par three to about 2 feet. My opponent said, "go sink your birdie".. I kinda assumed it was a conceeded putt, so I tapped it in.. with the flag still in the hole. He (correctly) said I just had a penalty, and a 4 on the hole. He 2 putted for a three. You need to ask if a putt is good.. then put the ball in your pocket! After the hole is done, redrop the ball, and hit your birdie!


In the third (lucky) case I had hit a poor bunker shot on #8 which landed on the facing grass hill. I then smacked the sand in disgust after my follow thru... as the ball rolled back into the bunker (it never came to rest). I then went up and hit it again, unahppy that the ball came back into the bunker. I rolled in the putt for a halve. On the 9th fairway the opponents caddy had mentioned what I did to his player, and the opponent asked me at the halfway house if it was a penalty. I didn't realize what I did at the time, as the ball originally made it out of the bunker, but I agreed it was a penalty and the hole was lost...

however, and to this day i don't know how he found out, on the 16th tee the Course Pro drove up and asked what happened. He said since the opponents caddy knew on the 8th hole and didn't say anything until AFTER we teed off on 9th (in fact after #9) the penalty was voided (player/caddy are a team). You need to bring up a penalty before the next tee is hit (unless you don't discover it until later). I was down 2 going to 16, but then I was down 1, and I won the match.


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

I also called someone on a penalty on the first hole which was next to the driving range. 

My opponent had hit his second shot short of the hole in the rough. He took his wedge and started walking along the tree line.

As I hit my 2nd shot I then looked over and saw him shagging the range balls back into the range with his wedge. It wasn't smacking them back, he was hitting shots. 

I told him that I had to call him on that, he was basically practicing his wedge shot with range balls during a (still in play) hole.

He wasn't happy at all, but I asked him if it would be ok if I practiced hitting a couple of 6-irons before I hit my 2nd shot. Of course he then understood.

folks, please know the rules and enforce them. Its too bad if someone doesn't know the match play rules, but you should not let them slide.

In fact, another match play rule says that if 2 players agree to waive a penalty on a player, they both can be disqualified from the match.

Finally, be sure a caddy or 3rd person is present on any penalty discussions and agreements, and it's noted on the score card.

Oh, and lastly, DO NOT tee off the next hole until the disagreement is resolved. If you agree to discuss it later, then once you tee of the next hole, it's over, no penalty. Never let a player play two balls.. one as it there was a penalty, one without.. that's a no-no too.


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## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

If you both played the wrong ball, you should have both replayed your shots. Even if you hit the wrong ball first, if he hits the wrong ball as well he gets the penalty too. I believe you both should have dropped as close as possible to your original position. You may want to recheck that with a rules official in case it happens again. Also, mark your ball better


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

Thanks for the reply, exactly highlighting the need for people to read the rules and learn them. 

In match play if 2 people play the wrong ball, the first person to have played the wrong ball automatically loses the hole. End of discussion.

In a friendly match do whatever you like, but in a real match play, that's the rule.

If you see your opponent near both balls and are unsure which one he's hitting, then wait until he hits then check out the remaining ball. If he hit the wrong one, you win the hole. (im not talking deviousness, telling him the wrong ball is his). It's 100% the responsibility of a player to identify his ball.


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## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

Shows how much match play golf I play. I was in a similar situation once, but in stroke play. We both got a 2 shot penalty. I wish I could get hold of the rulebook sometime. I'd make quite a few changes, including that one. There's no call for foul play in golf.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

blue3715 said:


> Thanks for the reply, exactly highlighting the need for people to read the rules and learn them.
> 
> In match play if 2 people play the wrong ball, the first person to have played the wrong ball automatically loses the hole. End of discussion.
> 
> ...


I can't imagine playing in either a match or a tournament and not putting an identifying mark on my ball. I even put my ID on them when I'm playing a casual round now. I've gotten so used to seeing my red dots that it feels funny to play a ball without them. And all the guys I play with regularly know my mark and wouldn't give me credit for locating my own ball if it doesn't have them.  

In the putting incident, if my opponent hasn't said specifically "That's good", I ask again for clarification, or I mark my ball and then if he did concede the putt, he will likely say something.

I guess all you can do is learn from your mistakes... match play is a very different breed from stroke play.


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

ive never had to ask twice if he said "that's good".. but it doesn't hurt to confirm it before picking up.

p.s. Another quick rule.. if he says "thats good", and you still putt it and miss, it doesn't matter. Your hole is over as soon as he said it was good.

Now, if you have a partner (2 vs 2 match play) and you hit the putt after its conceded, but before your partner putts, can cost you the hole.


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

I still lost my recent match, no rulings required. Nothing like hitting 12 of 14 fairways, and only 2 greens. The worst irons I hit all year. Doesn't help that I didn't get to play for 6 weeks.

I also neglected to do much with my backyard mat, the obvious culprit. I had started a slight out to in swing and started to hit some fat, leaving em short and/or left. 

Still managed an 88, but at a 9 hdcp, it's pretty sad/bad. The four 3-putts didn't help either.


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## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

I played a 9 hole match (league) Fri nite, and won 5 and 3 (obv brag post lol)


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

9 hole match, interesting. Never seen those before. 5 & 3 is good. You won 5 of 7 holes.. that's pretty strong.. no sandbagging I hope!


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## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

We are a 9 hole league (play the front one week, the back the next) so we play 9 hole matches for the match play (except the final, then it's 18). 
Yes, we halved the 1st hole, and then I won 2,3,4,5,and 6. No, I didn't sandbag, but he didn't play very well for him.


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