We recently received an email from someone who goes by “Dtake”. We’ve covered cheating on the golf course before – mainly, people who cheat and then act like you’re the bad guy for calling them out on it – but this is a bit more of a specific situation and one that is a little more innocent on the surface:
There is an imaginary line connecting tee markers on a tee. Players have a two-club field (box) just behind the markers to tee up their ball. Why do players push the imaginary line limit by teeing their ball in front of the markers? I know it’s a small rules infraction. Do you say something to a friend and/or stranger?
–Dtake
It’s actually not a “small” infraction – it’s a two-stroke penalty in strokeplay. But, I’m assuming Dtake is talking about a friendly game among mates, which is where this situation gets a little more dicey.
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In fact, I ran into this situation quite recently, and it was in a game for money. A player in our group, my partner, was teeing off a literal inch in front of the tee markers on numerous holes on the front nine. Fortunately for me, one of our opponents that day has absolutely no problem calling out that stuff, and he knew the person (my partner) a little bit better. So he was able to lightheartedly point it out and there were no hard feelings.
And the thing was, it was clearly being done by accident… I think. I’ve seen it countless times with guys who don’t play all that much and are just completely clueless on this front. When it’s a close friend, I’ll never have any issue saying, “Hey, you know you’re teeing it up in front of the markers, right?” Most, if not all, take it well. To be honest, even if we’re playing for money, I don’t really care. If you think that’s giving you any sort of advantage, you’re crazy. But still, rules are rules.
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Now, if it’s happening with a stranger, perhaps in a competitive event, that’s another situation. You should definitely call it out as soon as it happens, ideally before the person hits. If you wait until after, if they have any integrity they are going to take the two-stroke penalty but probably be mad at you for not notifying them before. That’s why, with any of these “small” infractions, as Dtake called them, it’s best to nip them in the bud right away, even if it means the rest of the round is going to be awkward.
In a friendly game for no money with your mate who is an absolute chopper? Who cares. Tee off 10 metres in front of the markers. Play from the reds. Go drop it in the middle of the fairway and say you’re hitting two after you’ve deposited three balls in the bush. In any sort of serious, competitive environment, though, call it out as soon as possible.
