Random Golf Thoughts

Just reading @callaway92 on the Links Thread there re driving onto a green and not calling fore. I had a similar in Grangecastle recently on the Par 5 18th where playing partner's ball landed about 20 yards short and ran up onto the green. Now it did pass out the players on the green but the pin was left side and this ran on the right side.

We never shouted fore and got the glare and grumps afterwards from the guys on the green who hung around signing their cards just to emphasise the point. For me, Fore is a term of danger so when he didn't shout it, I also wouldn't see it as necessary as it literally ran along the green 10 yards away from them.

Is "Fore" an interpretation for people or should it always be used no matter the situation?

It's an easily reachable par 5 with two good whacks, so maybe it was more a case of them thinking that your partner should have just waited rather them being really concerned for their safety.

Personally I wouldn't be bothered by it and I don't think I would have shouted fore while they were putting / presumably never in any danger.

A hand in the air as a sign of an apology usually works to diffuse similar situations, and just make sure you get the first word in on the green to apologise that we didn't think it would run on etc etc...

Would work in the majority of cases I imagine but you'll always get a few who just want to be annoyed.

In my eyes, Fore is there to signal danger (perhaps not seeing where your ball is gone or if you see if putting people at risk)

Ball rolling onto the green is not danger - and moreso is something that can create something to laugh about.

Hardly gonna shout fore for lads to cower with hands on their heads when a ball is rolling onto the green. I think it’s just people being cunce for the sake of it.

If my ball is going to pitch within 50 yds of the green I will wait to hit.

To hear a ball pitching while putting is off putting.

In all cases if the ballis off line or going towards anyone ,fore is mandatory

But one of the pace of play problems is guys waiting because they, might just might, trickle on, or as you say pitch 30 or 40 yards from the green.

It's nonsense, you know if you can fly it there or not, if you can't fly it there and at best will trickle towards the front of the green play away and speed things up. Now context is always important, if there's no one behind and it's quiet on the course them maybe take your time. Weekend comp, keep the pace up and keep moving. And we all know that after waiting for the green to clear from 230, we proceed to chunk it in front of ourselves!

Now some course have different etiquettes, but where pace of play is seen as a problem, you'll get some looks for waiting for the green to clear when you can't get there.

As I said most people know what's dangerous or not. Possibly dangerous, do not hit, anything else come on let's speed up!

Not sure how conceding a match could be seen as a sign of respect etc

I’m guessing they didn’t try to reschedule the match with the other team?

Things like that can often be one person suggesting it and then others afraid to say no for fear of coming across potentially poorly

Sounds like a score of a regular champagne scramble.

Ya maybe, when it’s 2 to score every hole or something

But in this one with all 3 having to finish on the last 6 holes it must have been a day where they all clicked ha

But aren't handicaps there to make things equal? Then why should the lower guy win?

Exactly, the 9 HC is the better golfer or is at that moment in time and I think that should be the tiebreaker.

Say a 5HC breaks par to shoot 42 points and a 28 handicapper chips a bit better and has 6 bogies and 12 doubles to shoot 42, I think the 5HC has played significantly better relative to their own skill level than the 28 who has played for him what would be nicely, not a career day or anything.

Think there's a far bigger conversation point there than just the countback scenario?

A guy shooting level par and a guy shooting mid 90s, both returning 42 points, aren't at the same level and shouldn't be in the running for the same prize/recognition imo.

Thankfully our club has brought back categories. Really good rounds of golf shouldn't be getting lost in really good rounds of handicap golf (I'm in no danger of doing either fwiw).

The logic of deciding a winner based on last 9, 6, 3 holes etc is that it gives the nod to the person playing best over the last holes and thereby "likely", if continued, to produce the better score. I know that is not certain but seems to me it is a reasonable basis to make the decision.

It’s bad form from Rathsallagh - However I wouldn’t pin any blame on the new pro anyway (not that you are)

Won’t name club, but there is one where the club owed the Head Pro a fortune in unpaid vouchers (and t-shirts, jumpers etc.) for competition prizes and he never saw the money (and left). Assume he still hasn’t ever been paid for them. So for the vouchers, the new head pro in Rathsallagh has no part of this. If anything it might be worth giving him a buzz to see if he could do you some sort of a deal?

Thats why some places now have moved towards GUI (Golf Ireland) vouchers instead. Makes more sense

Is Carton House much use?

Monty and O Meara both €70 next Wednesday (might try ringing them to knock few more quid off)

Thank you - Must have a look

I’m off 8 and a fairly long hitter for a handicap. Friend is very casual - so must have a look if it’s a suit!