To Sign Or Not To Sign

[ATLGolfer]

you would no matter what. and if anyone said anything different you would just hand them your business card.

They can try to pry the long drive prize from my cold, dead hands.

 

[dhartmann34]

Yeah, I mean if the contest was "Long Drive" of the ball you use, then no you don't sign it. But if it's "long drive" over all, you sign it all day long!

 

[GregDan]

Yes, these "longest and closest" contests are open to all IMO while still adhering to the rules of the tourney.

If there is a rule where you have to use everyone's tee shot on a par 3........and you come to the par 3 17th and there is a hole in one contest. Are they not allowed to try for that contest?

These contests are meant to be FUN and an opportunity for everyone to give it their best go. A rule about being required a certain number of tee shots or whatever from each person should NOT detract from the FUN that can and will happen.

I agree with you. I don't feel like we should have to use a drive from everyone either. for this reason in particular. takes the fun out of it and everyone just having fun and doing their best. that's why I am not worried about it but just wanted to see what everyone thought.

 

[CBaker]

I think it comes down to the rules like a couple others have said. If there is a rule in place that states the drive has to also be the one used, then clearly no you wouldn't sign it. But if there is no such rule in place, then everyone is entitled to have a go at it, so you'd sign.

 

[Nate]

we are on a small boat, my friend

Very interesting question that I hadn't really thought about or been in that situation before. Next time I play a scramble I am going to ask that question if there is a limit on drives taken and what if this happened. I guess now thinking about it, I would sign however, would talk to the tournament director after to make sure what the ruling is.

 

[Agent Jay]

I agree with just about everyone else on this one. It's a contest, if you WIN the contest but want to use another shot due to strategy, that's fine, you still won!

 

[captaincaution]

Ok here's one for you to ponder.

In our league, we play one night from the forward tees. The long drive hile that night was reachable and one of the members of our group drove the green, just beating out a drive that was on the fringe. Since he was on the green and not in the fairway, does the long drive win?

 

[Mulligan9111]

so tell me this, would you still sign it if was the same situation but closest to the pin?

you hit a shot 6" but you had to use someone else's shot that is 40' away, do you still count it?

I would, yes. Mainly because I feel that flag prizes are just side contests for each individual golfer, and not part of the actual competition.

 

[GregDan]

Ok here's one for you to ponder.

In our league, we play one night from the forward tees. The long drive hile that night was reachable and one of the members of our group drove the green, just beating out a drive that was on the fringe. Since he was on the green and not in the fairway, does the long drive win?

another good example. by the rules, no. because the ball didn't come to treat in the fairway. unless the rules were strictly just the longest drive.

 

[captaincaution]

another good example. by the rules, no. because the ball didn't come to treat in the fairway. unless the rules were strictly just the longest drive.

Always longest drive in the fairway.

 

[CBaker]

Always longest drive in the fairway.

Tough luck. tell him not to hit so far next time. haha

 

[#Cookie]

Ok here's one for you to ponder.

In our league, we play one night from the forward tees. The long drive hile that night was reachable and one of the members of our group drove the green, just beating out a drive that was on the fringe. Since he was on the green and not in the fairway, does the long drive win?

Ball on the green counts IMO. I view the green as an extension of the fairway as it's not like they "missed" the fairway.

Sorry but it would be ludicrous if someone hits the green on the long drive hole but gets "beat" by a tee shot 25 yards back in the fairway.

 

[GregDan]

I would, yes. Mainly because I feel that flag prizes are just side contests for each individual golfer, and not part of the actual competition.

so for longest putt how do you play that? just do a ball outside the flag currently there and try to make one?

not trying to be smart assy but I just feel there shouldn't be special rules for each contest.

 

[captaincaution]

Ball on the green counts IMO. I view the green as an extension of the fairway as it's not like they "missed" the fairway.

Sorry but it would be ludicrous if someone hits the green on the long drive hole but gets "beat" by a tee shot 25 yards back in the fairway.

That is what we as a group felt was the correct way to go about it.

Prize BTW is a sleeve of golf balls with our company logo. Mostly just for bragging rights haha.

Imagine this at Chambers Bay where the greens are indistinguishable from the fairways.

 

[Mulligan9111]

so for longest putt how do you play that? just do a ball outside the flag currently there and try to make one?

not trying to be smart assy but I just feel there shouldn't be special rules for each contest.

Your team has the choice of what putt they choose to try to make. If it was a case where you were forced to use someone's shot who was inside the current flag prize and you hit a shot that was further out, then I'd say you were SOL on the longest putt flag. And to be fair here, 99.9% of the time groups are going to want to take the ball that's closest to the flag regardless of whether it's a longest putt made flag or not.

In the end it's all about having fun.

 

[ATLGolfer]

another good example. by the rules, no. because the ball didn't come to treat in the fairway. unless the rules were strictly just the longest drive.

If I drive the green, you better believe I'm taking the prize.

It would be different if I was in the rough or a bunker. But the green totally counts.

 

[GregDan]

Your team has the choice of what putt they choose to try to make. If it was a case where you were forced to use someone's shot who was inside the current flag prize and you hit a shot that was further out, then I'd say you were SOL on the longest putt flag. And to be fair here, 99.9% of the time groups are going to want to take the ball that's closest to the flag regardless of whether it's a longest putt made flag or not.

In the end it's all about having fun.

you are right, it's all about having fun and that's the most important thing.

in my humble opinion though I think everything should be played the same way, the team decides which is the best shot to play and the other shots don't count. even if it's for a side prize, if it's not chosen, it doesn't count. I know everyone will disagree with me but I don't care. I think that's how it should be played.

 

[Smallville]

Sign and ask if the long drive ball had to used in order to qualify for the long drive.

Very interesting question that I hadn't really thought about or been in that situation before. Next time I play a scramble I am going to ask that question if there is a limit on drives taken and what if this happened. I guess now thinking about it, I would sign however, would talk to the tournament director after to make sure what the ruling is.

It's not really something you can do though.

Once you decide to sign it, you have to put it where your drive ended up. Anyone behind you (who didn't out drive you, but did hit it longer than the one before you, would get the shaft if the ruling was that yours didn't count.

I think it should count whether you use the drive or not, as long as it is in the fairway.

 

[Tadashi70]

It's not really something you can do though, Freddie.

Once you decide to sign it, you have to put it where your drive ended up. Anyone behind you (who didn't out drive you, but did hit it longer than the one before you, would get the shaft if the ruling was that yours didn't count.

I don't agree. Each scramble has their own rules. All I have heard was that you must use one drive from each. long drives are award to the individual not the group.

 

[Tadashi70]

so for longest putt how do you play that? just do a ball outside the flag currently there and try to make one?

not trying to be smart assy but I just feel there shouldn't be special rules for each contest.

so it's safe to say you don't think the guy should have won long drive? If in fact that is the case.

 

[Smallville]

I don't agree. Each scramble has their own rules. All I have heard was that you must use one drive from each. long drives are award to the individual not the group.

OK then. If you decide to sign it, you have to move the marker to your drive.

How then, does anyone who hit a longet shot than the one who was longest before yours show that they were longer, if they are still shorter than your drive?

They can't. There is only one marker and you have already moved it. (You said you would ask after the fact if it was allowed)


I do agree that you would be ok to use your drive, even if it was drive not used, but the way you would check after the fact would not work.

 

[Mulligan9111]

you are right, it's all about having fun and that's the most important thing.

in my humble opinion though I think everything should be played the same way, the team decides which is the best shot to play and the other shots don't count. even if it's for a side prize, if it's not chosen, it doesn't count. I know everyone will disagree with me but I don't care. I think that's how it should be played.

Best thing to do in the future is to ask the tournament director or the head pro at the golf course to clarify that for the entire group before play begins. Every scramble I've played in has announcements before play begins, so they could mention it in those announcements as well as make a note on the tournament rules page that's handed out to everyone.

 

[Smallville]

Best thing to do in the future is to ask the tournament director or the head pro at the golf course to clarify that for the entire group before play begins. Every scramble I've played in has announcements before play begins, so they could mention it in those announcements as well as make a note on the tournament rules page that's handed out to everyone.

No one reads those. We read the thing before the tournament goes out just so that they have been told. Can't help if they didn't listen or if they didn't read.

I have taken to telling people who want to do a longest putt on a par three to reconsider because they are going to end up with a longest putt that is only a few feet since people assume that is a closest to the pin sign, not a longest putt sign.

 

[GregDan]

I don't agree. Each scramble has their own rules. All I have heard was that you must use one drive from each. long drives are award to the individual not the group.

in my mind, no. but it's not a big deal. from how everyone else sees it, there is nothing wrong with it, he hit the longest drive in the fairway. that team just happened to not use that drive.

 

[Mulligan9111]

No one reads those. We read the thing before the tournament goes out just so that they have been told. Can't help if they didn't listen or if they didn't read.

I have taken to telling people who want to do a longest putt on a par three to reconsider because they are going to end up with a longest putt that is only a few feet since people assume that is a closest to the pin sign, not a longest putt sign.

That's why I said "as well as" before mentioning that, that way it's mentioned multiple times both verbally and written. As you said though, people will usually do what they want in the end and there is really no controlling that unless you personally witness them do something the wrong way.