Worse incidents of Cheating in amateur golf

[Gg Owen]

We all ran into this or heard horror stories of incidents.What is some unbelievable acts of cheating you've encountered during your golfing rounds or events?

[SeeMore Putts]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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[revkev]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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That wasn't in a tournament was it?

 

 

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[Big money]

I've witnessed incorrect scores/improving lies/guys mysteriously finding lost ball with a perfect wide open shot and many many more.All in everyday play all the way into local city tourneys.And some incidensts were from well regarded members of society (lawyers/doctors/judges/business owners/and even a priest)

[SeeMore Putts]

That wasn't in a tournament was it?

 

 

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No, otherwise I would have said something. I was a onesome playing with a twosome. I thought if his buddy doesn't have a problem with it, I'll never see this guy again so I'm not going to make a big show of it.

 

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[silver & black]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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Lol..... that s*** is a normal evening on my Wednesday league.

[revkev]

I've rarely seen cheating in tournaments - I've certainly seen it in rounds where I was playing for money outside of a tournament. It upsets me in those cases.

 

I could care less in a casual round. Do what you want there.

 

 

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[Miboy62]

What I see the most, is when you say on a putt, pick it up.

Unless they actually putt the ball, that stoke is missed when they give their score.

[PlaidJacket]

Sad to say but I'm guessing many of us have witnessed cheating. Honestly, in my group of regulars it's not an issue or even a thought. Nobody would cheat. Tournaments..... now that's a different story for some. Again, I just don't get cheating but it happens.

 

I recall many years ago in the late 80's where two guys got kicked out - DQ'd in a tournament at the club. It was The Big partnership tournament played over three days. There were these two guys (members even) that had a shady reputation. These two guys were caricatures of sleazy golfers. Lot's of gold jewelry and stuff. One guy always wore a pair of alligator golf shoes and San-a-Belt pants no less. LOL

During the second day of the tournament they were reported to the committee for miraculously finding a lost ball (that probably slid down a pant leg or something) or moving a ball from behind a tree. Stuff like that. At the time it couldn't be proved. So... during the final round one of the Pros followed them from a distance with binoculars and caught them red-handed. When the guys were preparing to turn in a score card they were confronted about the issue and DQ'd. They had also been watching scores being posted prior to turning in their card thereby pencil whipping their way to victory. It was a train wreck. I don't really recall every detail it's been so long ago; but they were both kicked out of the Club and one guy was fired from his job the next week. They both moved out of town thank goodness.

Getting caught cheating in a golf tournament is a death sentence IMO.

[Canucklehead]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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"My handicap doesn't let me take more than a 6 on par 5s"

 

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[GolfSpy_BNG]

My brother in law played in a 4 ball tournament with me several years ago that had putter length gimmies.  Ever since that day he doesn't play any other way and his putter length in now over a foot longer than his putter.  He will even walk up to borderline putts and hit them, miss, then rake it back and try again like it was a gimmie to begin with.  I confronted him a few times periodically but his excuse is always,  I play against myself not anybody else and I play how I want.

 

I keep telling my wife I am about done playing with him but my dad and him are my only golfing buddies around anymore.

[tony@CIC]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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[NiftyNiblick]

Let's not jump to conclusions.

 

They're teaching "new math" in schools today.

[Charli]

Here's a story for you still makes me mad. Member guest, all four guys tee off and two balls end up next to each other. So both carts pull up and the guy steps up. Guy on the other team gives him yardage a couple practice swings and he lets it rip. Right after contact the guy giving yardage goes you hit my ball your out of the hole. I know he should have checked and it's probably not considered cheating but what a scumbag move

[Kor.A.Door]

Here's a story for you still makes me mad. Member guest, all four guys tee off and two balls end up next to each other. So both carts pull up and the guy steps up. Guy on the other team gives him yardage a couple practice swings and he lets it rip. Right after contact the guy giving yardage goes you hit my ball your out of the hole. I know he should have checked and it's probably not considered cheating but what a scumbag move

I want to say that in matchplay if you knowingly “cheat” like that you lose the hole. In stroke play it's a 2 stroke penalty I think. I could be wrong, but it seems it's something like that, now I will just go look it up and see.

[Kor.A.Door]

Playing in captains choice tourneys and the tee shot is under a tree or in a bush and magically they have a wide open swing to the green from 10 yards away from their original lie.

 

In casual rounds when we are just out having a fun time, I don't csre how anyone wants to score.

 

In tournament play cheating cannot be allowed, protecting the play for the entire field is the goal. Calling out cheaters is a must in those situations.

[Big money]

Golf is a small closenit community in some areas.If you get caught cheating you will be pretty much be alienated from most groups and local tourneys.Playing casual golf and just out having fun is no big deal.And dropping another ball instead of searching in the woods for 10

Mins is actually a great way too speed up play.And during casual rounds I hardly know anyone that would care how you play or what your score is

 

But cheat during an tourney or league play is considered real bad.

[GB13]

I was playing in a junior tournament two weeks ago. I shot a legitimate shot by shot 76. I was in a foursome, we all exchanged scorecards. I was playing well while the two other kids shot like 120 or something. Well the other one shot probably 85-90. He lost 5 balls but played okay otherwise. I didn't have his scorecard so I didn't know what he said he shot. Well anyway at the awards, third was 77. I got second at 76. After that they say, "and with a 71 (insert name)" and then here comes the kid that shot 85-90. Not only was this cheating, this was awfully blatant. He didn't just shave 1 or 2 shots and could say he miscounted. He shaved 1 or 2 a hole!! I couldn't believe it, how could anyone cheat that much and get away with it.

I didn't say anything because if you need to cheat that much for your ego, I really don't want to get involved over it.

[Big money]

Was a member of local men's club that played very loose on the rules during a season that had suboptimal weather drought related conditions.They played by a paradise rule that let one improve their golf lie.During my bout with them I played my own game and never once improved my lie.We had a mid season event and I carded my lowest round ever of 73 strokes.If I took advantage of their local rules, I would've shot even par that day.The challenge golf brings is even more satisfying when you shoot a career round playing fairly by the rules of the game

[Kor.A.Door]

I was playing in a junior tournament two weeks ago. I shot a legitimate shot by shot 76. I was in a foursome, we all exchanged scorecards. I was playing well while the two other kids shot like 120 or something. Well the other one shot probably 85-90. He lost 5 balls but played okay otherwise. I didn't have his scorecard so I didn't know what he said he shot. Well anyway at the awards, third was 77. I got second at 76. After that they say, "and with a 71 (insert name)" and then here comes the kid that shot 85-90. Not only was this cheating, this was awfully blatant. He didn't just shave 1 or 2 shots and could say he miscounted. He shaved 1 or 2 a hole!! I couldn't believe it, how could anyone cheat that much and get away with it.

I didn't say anything because if you need to cheat that much for your ego, I really don't want to get involved over it.

You should have said something. Maybe not cause a scene, but you should have pulled someone aside and told them what you witnessed on the course. It may not have done anything this time, but at the next tourney they may watch his play to check. It wasn't fair to you, but it also wasn't fair to everyone who played in the tournament. If you know someone cheated, I feel it's your obligation to say something, regardless of the outcome.

 

Anyway. 76 is a really good score, good playing.

[gaussman1]

This happened some years ago in our member-member tournament, which is the big $$ Calcutta at our club. There was a team who had both had their indexes restricted by the handicap committee on more than one occasion, both for failure to post scores and for posting multiple high internet scores on the same day. The final hole of the event one of them was green side pitching off a steep bank near a hazard, and he needed to get down in 3 to get in the money. He took a couple practice swings, then took a big cut at it and completely whiffed. He then chipped out sideways and claimed the whiff was a practice swing. There were 50 guys + the pro shop staff all standing around the green. In front of everyone he insisted it was a practice swing, even after the pro came out and said it was clearly an effort to hit the ball. The guy stuck to his story, and the pro said he couldn't prove otherwise so no penalty and the crowd began to boo. The player ended up taking several putts to get the ball in and his team finished out of the money, but guys continued to boo as he putted out.

I would like to say they both quit the club, or were barred from future competition, but of course they continued to pump in fake scores and the next year won in a rout. After getting the money then they quit the club. If the club had been member owned they both would have gotten kicked out years before, but since it's owned by a corporate 3rd party they never would allow anything to be done as long as they continued to pay dues.

[sp0rtsfan86]

Not sure cheating per sey, but playing in match play championship. I had 6 foot for par, guy I'm playing against had 2 for bogey. He raked both balls and said something like mine was for par. I went along wiht it cause it was early and I play better when I'm down and out.

 

(down two with two left I tied him only to miss an 8 footer on hole 19 to lose the championship).

 

Other one was a "friend" in a money game breaking a limb not a branch a limb from a tree. Didn't play with him ever again.

[gaussman1]

Not sure cheating per sey, but playing in match play championship. I had 6 foot for par, guy I'm playing against had 2 for bogey. He raked both balls and said something like mine was for par. I went along wiht it cause it was early and I play better when I'm down and out.

 

(down two with two left I tied him only to miss an 8 footer on hole 19 to lose the championship).

 

Other one was a "friend" in a money game breaking a limb not a branch a limb from a tree. Didn't play with him ever again.

If he gives the wrong score and you know it you must correct him. I know it's uncomfortable but you simply cannot go along with it. You must call him out. I'm curious how that would be decided by a rules committee. It's possible you could both be DQed. Him for knowingly giving false score and you for allowing it.

[QuadBogey]

One of the worst ones I've ever seen happened just today!

 

On a par 5, 3rd with water on the left, this guy hits it right into the water off the tee. Reloads, hits another off the tee into the water. His 5th shot goes into the trees. Takes one to get out.

I stopped paying attention after that till we were on the green, where he chips on, two putts, and with the utmost confidence declares, "Put me down for a bogey."

 

 

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Saw similar in the second or third tournament I ever played in. The guy took 2 drops on a par 5 and then said he made double bogey.

 

 

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[Mr. 82]

I've seen several incidents of sandbagging in member guest tournaments, which IMHO is the worst form of cheating.

 

Played in my Dad's member-guest about 12 years ago where we played five 9-hole matches of best ball handicap with the other members of your flight. Two guys that were both around a 8 or 9 handicap, outdrove me by 50 yards right down the middle every time, and were putting for birdie on every hole. I think I was giving them strokes on several holes, as I was about a 6 handicap at the time. I think we lost 3 and 4 or something like that, as it wasn't even close. Out of curiosity I looked at the member in the group that beat us handicap in the sytem, and there wasn't even one score posted under 80 in the system, and all scores were bunched within 1 or 2 strokes of the other. I mean, come on. I'm a 4 handicap, and can shoot 73 one day, and come out and fart out an 86 the next day. But for an 8 handicap to never post anything in the 90s, or something in the 70s is pure BS. I think my Dad talked to the head pro about this guy, but ultimately nothing was ever done. That was the last member-guest my Dad ever played in.

 

I played in another member-guest with a friend here locally at his club, and we were flighted, again by handicap, and played 18 holes of stableford points on Saturday, with a best ball score for each team, and then your points were determined based on whatever handicap you reported before the tournament started. Basically, if your handicap was legit, if you ended the day +3 or +4 for your team, you were shooting lights out. The guys leading our flight went +12. Totally impossible on a legitimate handicap. Essentially they were saying they normally shoot 84, but that day they shot 72. I mean, come on. On Sunday the format was to play your own ball down, and both you and your partners scores would be counted as is and totalled up, and then your score would be factored against your Saturday results. The two day total would determine the winner of the flight, which in this case would get a check for about $1,500. My buddy was having a horrible day, and wanted to quit after about 2 holes, and therefore a non-factor. I told him not to worry about it, and just forget about it. Meanwhile, I was shooting lights out, and ended up with a 74. Didn't really matter, because my buddy ended up shooting in the 90's, which meant my score was meaningless. But the guys who had sandbagged to such an enormous lead on Saturday, just cruised to victory. The telling sign in all of this was that when their names were announced as winners of the flight, many loud calls of "SANDBAGGERS!!!" were heard from multiple voices in the crowd. No other winners of any other flight were met with anything but applause. I spoke to the pro at the club about the situation, and he just shrugged it off and did nothing about it.

 

Moral of the story for me is that sandbagging is the same as stealing if there is money on the line in a tournament. If the tournament directors or club pros don't do anything to prevent it, then they are just as culpable as the sandbaggers in this issue. I never played at that course with my buddy there ever again. What a complete scam.

 

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[Charli]

I have two good friends that improve their lie on every shot.... and we play for money. Thoughts? I never noticed because I'm focused on what I'm doing but it was pointed out to me by my partner this weekend. And we got stomped also

[robertson153]

I have two good friends that improve their lie on every shot.... and we play for money. Thoughts? I never noticed because I'm focused on what I'm doing but it was pointed out to me by my partner this weekend. And we got stomped also

I make it clear before the first tee shot if we're going to play it down everywhere or rolling it.

 

 

Blake

[SteddyGolf]

Few incidents I've seen:

 

- marking the ball in front of the ball then placing ball back down behind the ball tryng to gain a few inches on the green.

 

- utilizing green lifesavers to tee the ball up on the fairway.

 

- bumping the ball with your club to improve the lie then stating, “ yep Taylormade 2, it's my ball”.

 

- scraping out a trench behind the ball in a fairway bunker to create a tee type lie.

 

- forgetting the stroke count always in your favor.

 

- adjusting driver settings in the middle of the round

 

- illegal clubs (mostly wedges and two sided chippers)

 

- way to many clubs.

[SteddyGolf]

I have two good friends that improve their lie on every shot.... and we play for money. Thoughts? I never noticed because I'm focused on what I'm doing but it was pointed out to me by my partner this weekend. And we got stomped also

I would just bring it up in a casual conversation as a point of discussion. Maybe you read a comment in a forum about the behavior. They'll get the hint I'm sure and your friendship will stay intact. I imagine you are probably not playing friends for big money 💰 so best to assume positive intent before going full on face to face.

[Kanoito]

If playing for money or prize, follow strict rules. And I will call you out!

 

Otherwise do whatever you want.