Scoring and penalty strokes

I've gone rounds without losing a ball but lately all my mechanics are off and plunked 6 into the water (beyond hope). One fellow I play with is a guy that keeps his own score and "tells" you yours. He corrects you and argues all the time about your score. Usually when we play together, I don't worry about the real score as I usually beat him by several strokes on the back 9. However, with my mechanics being off lately, his "score keeping" has really annoyed me and disrupted my ability to get back on track. On one hole, I hit a decent drive and it hit the cart path and careened into the water hazard. After dropping another ball behind where the ball entered the hazard I hit a 7 iron and put it on the fringe of the green about 20' from the pin. I two-putted and claimed a 5. He corrected me with a 6. In this instance, was my 1-stroke penalty counted wrong?

BBoyle

If you got down in 2 from the fringe, you made a 5.

Players that always announce scores while they play, and argue over yours, can be hard to play with, yes. Unless you have a match with them, they are allowed to do this, but at what level is up to you to tell them how often you want to be notified.

You are only "required" to square up the scores after the last ball is holed out on each hole and prior to teeing off on the next, so if you want this, emphisize that fact prior to teeing off on the first hole, and you might get away with it. Might even rattle him a bit to your advantage.

If there is no match going, then tell him you are going to be playing a practive round today, and will not be keeping score, but he is free to keep his to himself.

Otherwise, you already know you option of not playing with this fellow.

__________________
I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

I don't do this very often, but if I get paired up with a guy who wants to be distracting, I start helping him with the aspects of his game in return for his information on mine. After a couple of holes, we usually reach a mutual understanding.

BTW, based on you post, you scored a 5........GJS

Thanks for the confirmation on the strokes taken. After playing this game for all these years, I needed a reality check just to be certain I had forgotten how to score penalties.

The guy referred to in my first post is a guy I've known since college. We play 4 or 5 times a year. He keeps count of my score and of another good mutual friend who was in grad school with us when we play as a threesome. On one earlier outing, during play on the front 9, this guy kept correcting my score count. On the next hole when he asked, "what did you have?" I replied, "you tell me. You've told me what I had each hole so far." He replied, " I am not keeping your score." Good, I said. He left it alone after that. But he returned to his score keeping behavior the next time out. I've also applied the tips suggested by GolfJunkieSR. When this friend heads to address the ball in the fairway, I remind him about the bunkers, the water on the left and ask if he's taken the wind into consideration. If that doesn't distract him I ask if he's opening his stance on purpose. He usually has a problem with his game for a few holes after that. But you know, I don't like playing head games. Golf is tough enough as is without unsolicited tips ...I thought playing golf was for one's relaxation not another guy's amusement.

Did you ask him how he counted 6???

Why dont you tell him before you play that you will all keep your own scores and compare at the end? If he wants to keep your score as well then thats up to him but make it clear you dont want him to tell you.

If he continues to do it I wouldnt play with him. Simple as that. I think its clear that he knows this is annoying you

Yes, I asked him how he arrived at 6. He went through each of my strokes and we disagreed. He wrote it down as a 6. I scored it as a 5 and left it at that. As this was the first hole I decided not to pursue it further.

Probably the best solution would be to lay out the ground rules with him before the first swing or in the alternative, elect not to play with him at all. However, after nearly 35 years of friendship...it's difficult to end things over the miscounting of a penalty stroke. He certainly would be more fun to play with if he just kept to his own game and not worried about mine.

Here's the play.
Stroke 1: Off the tee and rolled into the water--ball gone.
Stroke 2: Drop new ball, now sitting for third shot.
Stroke 3: Actually my second swing--ball lands on fringe of green.
Stroke 4: Putt to within 2 feet of cup.
Sroker 5: In the cup.