COMMUNITY

So are you a legit 14.5 handicap or does that include a bunch of gimmies? NOt that it bothers me either way, I was just curious.

So long as there is no money on the line or it's not a tournament, I don't care what others in my group do.

If two in the water, 3 attempts to get out of the sand (plus the penalty strokes for grounding in the bunker as your 'practice swings') and picking up 'inside the leather' is a bogie and that is how you play - rock on. I won't say a word about it (I've actually seen this). But don't touch my ball when I'm 6" from the hole and tell me it's good enough.

Putting ground is the most respected ground on the course in my opinion and so I will say something if you don't repair your ball mark (kindly like "here - you can borrow my repair tool"), I will tamp down your shuffle marks, and I will insistently say "NO! don't touch it" if you think you are going to roll my ball back to me with a 'that's good enough' comment when it's 3" from the hole.

If I'm not playing against you, I'm playing against the course and my hdcp so let me play my game, you play yours with non-counted penalty strokes and all.

</rant>

I like them. Can be easily summed up into one: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." The cool thing is that our game is one of the few that aspires to that level of sportsmanship.

Great article Norman, I'm going to print about 25 copies and put them in my bag, I'll be giving this away to some people. Very useful.