How do you Count Penalty Strokes for New Players?

[Sawgrass]

There are challenging Rules, frustrating Rules, complicated Rules. Maybe some Rules you wish weren't Rules, or wish said something else.

But there are no pointless Rules that I can see. I'd suggest explaining their purpose to the beginner after the round rather than damning the Rules in general.

[DavePelz4]

[quote name='Sawgrass' timestamp='1421437045' post='10758727']
There are challenging Rules, frustrating Rules, complicated Rules. Maybe some Rules you wish weren't Rules, or wish said something else.

But there are no pointless Rules that I can see. I'd suggest explaining their purpose to the beginner after the round rather than damning the Rules in general.
[/quote]

And there are many rules that can benefit the player if they know them and apply them properly.

[Mr. Bean]

[quote name='Sawgrass' timestamp='1421437045' post='10758727']
There are challenging Rules, frustrating Rules, complicated Rules. Maybe some Rules you wish weren't Rules, or wish said something else.

But there are no pointless Rules that I can see. [b] I'd suggest explaining their purpose to the beginner after the round rather than damning the Rules in general.[/b]
[/quote]

Now, there's a challenge to the person introducing this game to a beginner!

[GLF4EVR]

The last 5 years we have a 4some that plays every weekend (that we can). One guy when we started would have been lucky to shoot 120. In the beginning we were letting slide on many things. However we would make a point to tell him what the actual ruling is. Next two years he is thinking about what to do with the situation & what the actual rules are. Most of the time we still would give him an option that would better suit his play.

Last couple of years he plays the majority of the time by the rules. However we will still cut him slack in some situations. At the end when his score is tallied up he will know in his head what he actually shot. He has legally broke 100 several times & came close to breaking 90 4 times last season. For us it is all about enjoyment of the game, plus always trying to move at a quick pace. The vast majority of our rounds last year were 4 hours or less. So long as we didn't get help up by anyone, but we tend to usually be the 1st group out.

[vbb]

The we handle pace while playing with a friend who is new to the game is to just make 8 the max score per hole, then pick up. This way we can count penalties and such up to 8 so he's learning what the real rules are. So in the scenario in the OP, he'd hit one into the junk, drop two, may hit three into the junk, then say "I'm taking an 8" then drop his fourth up near the rest of us just to play it out for practice.

He played in his first tournament and shot like a 120 or something, but at least he knew the rules and how to realistically count his strokes.

[Hit em good]

Counting all the penalty shots on a new player is like playing basketball with a retarded kid and calling him for double dribble... You gotta let some stuff slide..

[2bGood]

I hope I don't end up behind you guys who insist a new player count all strokes and play be every rule.

I play by the rules, but if I am out with a new golfer or a casual golfer, I am very mellow about what they count (or even if they keep score). Have fun first, and build in all the rules later.

The reality is most golfers don't play more than a dozen rounds a year and would never break 100 by the rules.

[chili_dip]

When I was learning to play, my dad would give me double par. So on a par 4 I could take 4 swings from the tee box, fairway, rough or whatever. After 4 I would pick up and drop the ball around the green and have 4 chances to hole out. It kept up the pace and gave me an opportunity to practice around the green.

[larrybud]

My wife will be playing her 3rd season this year. She still mostly plays par 3 courses, and now we keep score most of the time. When she first started out, we didn't keep score at all, at least, not of strokes. At first, we started keeping track of the number of times she hit the ball in the air.

When that because much more commonplace, we'd start to keep track of how many doubles or less she would make in 9 holes.

Now we keep track of how many bogies and less she makes, and actually keep score more of the time. At first I wouldn't write down penalty strokes, but in the middle of last year she insisted. I still keep track of penalties (this course has the first 4 holes with ob left, and she's a lefty), but I write them out separately, because I think the goal for her should still be to advance the ball in the air. She can get on good streaks with being 1 or 2 over within 4 holes, and she's really good inside 50 yards, and good around the green. We also keep track of putts.