Is this asking for advice?

["Richard"]

A friend of mine hit his ball over the green and couldn't find. He asked me to help him. I marked my ball as I was in someones way (direct line) and went to go look for the ball. Everyone on the green putt out and when we found he ball we finnished the hole. When I replaced my ball I wanted to ask my friend which way the putt broke since I missed it while looking for an FC's ball. Had I been there to watch the putt I wouldn't have had to ask. Would I have broken any rules had I asked? Its not really asking for advice but I guess its the same as asking which club you used.

THanks

[Kilroy]

It is asking for advice. You can only ask your caddy. If it were a team match, you could ask your partner, but not an FC or opponent.

[1dash1]

Thotho:

The rule is clear, asking for information about the line of putt is advice. There's no excusing that. It was your choice not to be there when others putted. Moreover, the rules don't guarantee that everyone will get to see each other's shots. Missing out on someone else's putt is a common, everyday occurence.

The question I have is why was everyone else putting while you and your friend were hunting for his ball? If your friend really needed help, then the whole group should have assisted.

[LobWedge]

The question I have is why was everyone else putting while you and your friend were hunting for his ball? If your friend really needed help, then the whole group should have assisted.

IMO, their decision reflects well on the group for maintaining the pace of play. 2 guys putting out while 2 guys search makes more sense than having all 4 of them crawling through the underbrush seaching for 5 minutes, then you still have 4 guys that have to putt out. In effect they changed the foursome into 2 twosomes. Less time wasted and less strain on the groups following. Nice work thotho (and group).

[1dash1]

LobWedge:

Agreed.

However, I'd like to hear Thotho's version of the story.

["Richard"]

we have a hack in our group so we try to speed things up where ever we can. There is no rule that you have to play in order, you can play out of turn in stroke play. If we all looked for his ball I'm sure the people would have been pissed when they had to wait for 4 guys to 3 putt This way they only had to wait for two guys to 3 putt I wouldn't have 3 putt if I saw the putt however

[Big Johnny69]

thotho, did you not post in another thread that you bought a rules book? Just check through it. There is rules on advicea and pretty much anything else you can think of. I picked one up as well and am going to give it a good going over to familiarize myself with many of the rules I'm not sure on. Best purchase ever.

[dbleber]

It might be against the rules but when I play in a casual round with me friends, we talk about the greens and breaks all the time. Little comments like "I know this wants to go right, but man it looks straight". It's not uncommon for one of us to look and say, " yup that's going to move a bit right". Is it against the rules, yup, but as much as I love an respect the game of golf, to me there is a difference between playing with friends and playing in a competition. In my group we don't go out of our way to hit each other with petty rules, we just have fun and as long as the foot wedges and mysterious balls stay in the bag, were all happy. I guess I justify it with the no practice round argument. The pros get to go out and play a few rounds that don't count and have all the breaks mapped out before hand. When you go out on a Saturday to a new course all shots count, so a little chatter about the breaks is fine in my group.

[el tigre]

It might be against the rules but when I play in a casual round with me friends, we talk about the greens and breaks all the time. Little comments like "I know this wants to go right, but man it looks straight". It's not uncommon for one of us to look and say, " yup that's going to move a bit right". Is it against the rules, yup, but as much as I love an respect the game of golf, to me there is a difference between playing with friends and playing in a competition.

I agree.

It seems to me that the Rules of Golf are written under the assumption that every round is a competition between people - when in my experience that is usually not the case in stroke play.

Personally I rarely even play golf with friends because most of them don't play (or don't play as often as I do) - and even when I do play with friends I'm still playing my own game vs the course, rather than competing against anyone else. I have little or no interest in how my score compares to anyone else's - all that matters to me is how my score compares to my own notion of what I should have achieved. If I decide to utilize the opinions and observations of the guy standing beside me, what's the big deal?

[Big Johnny69]

Well said el tigre and dbleber.

[Gary Hill]

There is no rule that you have to play in order, you can play out of turn in stroke play.

Rule 10-2 Stroke Play
b. During Play of Hole
After the competitors have started play of the hole, the ball farthest from the hole is played first. If two or more balls are equidistant from the hole or their positions relative to the hole are not determinable, the ball to be played first should be decided by lot.

["Richard"]

Gary I thought you said (in the slow play thread/range finders) that there is no rule that says you have to play in turn and that everyone should play ready golf

[AAA]

There is no penalty for playing out of turn BUT if the Committee determines that the players have agreed to do so to give one of them an advantage, they are DQd.
Rule 1-3 Agreement to waive rules

[jonf]

I was thinking of that very thing today - they always clear the way for the winner on the final green, no matter who is farthest from the hole.

[sharkhark]

I am curious? Stone markers are not updated on yardages for some holes but not all. Can you ask other partners for advice on distance to hole?

["Richard"]

you are allowed to ask someone what the distance between two points is. Eg) how far is my ball to the flag. or How far is it to the dog leg? and so on. If you had a range finder you could find that stuff out yourself. You just can't ask his opinion like... hey If I pitch it will it get caught in the wind, do you think I should just punch it on with a 6? Or, do I look fat in these pants?

[kewarken]

you are allowed to ask someone what the distance between two points is. Eg) how far is my ball to the flag. or How far is it to the dog leg? and so on. If you had a range finder you could find that stuff out yourself. You just can't ask his opinion like... hey If I pitch it will it get caught in the wind, do you think I should just punch it on with a 6? Or, do I look fat in these pants?

I'm pretty sure you know the rule but I think your explanation might be a little unclear. You're allowed to ask publically available information. ie. you can ask "How far from this marker to the dogleg" but you can't ask "How far from my ball to the dogleg." (Unless your ball is on the tee)

cheers,

Kris

["Richard"]

oh, I honestly thought it was that you can ask between any two points. My mistake

[AAA]

I'm pretty sure you know the rule but I think your explanation might be a little unclear. You're allowed to ask publically available information. ie. you can ask "How far from this marker to the dogleg" but you can't ask "How far from my ball to the dogleg." (Unless your ball is on the tee)

cheers,

Kris

Decision 8-1/2 was revised in Jan 2006 to allow such information to be exchanged.

Information regarding the distance between two objects is public information and not advice. It is therefore permissible for players to exchange information relating to the distance between two objects. For example, a player may ask anyone, including his opponent, fellow-competitor or either of their caddies, the distance between his ball and the hole. (Revised)

[1dash1]

IMHO, revised Decision 8-1/2 was the key to the ruling bodies' acceptance of rangefinding equipment.

Before, they considered the distance from the ball to the hole as something that had to be gauged - a skill, if you wish to think of it as such.

Now, they consider the distance from the ball to the hole as something that may be referenced, this spot to that spot - information that anyone could obtain, if they had the appropriate storehouse of information.

Hence, rangefinders were illegal before, because they did something that was not allowed - replace the process of gauging distances. Now, they merely are considered an alternative form of getting what is otherwise public information.

* * * * *

However, there remain practical problems associated with the use of the devices: (a) whether the devices are reasonably available to all competitors and (b) monitoring illegal features of the devices. So, the ruling bodies left it to the discretion of the Committee in charge of the competition to decide whether to allow the use of Electronic Measuring Devices, by stipulating such allowance in the Conditions of Competition.

[kewarken]

Huh.... How about that? I stand corrected. I guess this has changed fairly recently then.

cheers,

Kris

[Kilroy]

Changes were made Jan 2006.

[AAA]

Huh.... How about that? I stand corrected. I guess this has changed fairly recently then.

cheers,

Kris

See the reply I sent you about two posts up the page

Decision 8-1/2 was revised in Jan 2006 to allow such information to be exchanged.