Strokes: do you count them ALL?

[Jwrussell]

I'm in a golf mood. Went up to play Golf with my Dad this past weekend, just got some new equipment recently, really trying to get back into the swing (pardon the pun).

So here's an interesting question. Do you count ALL of your strokes, or are you one of those who who only KINDA keeps track? Does it bother you when playing with others who fudge their own scores?

Personally, as much as possible, I count every single stroke and penalty. Do I go back to the tee and hit again if I can't find a lost ball or figure out that it's out of bounds? No. That's stuff for tournaments, but beyond that, I count it all. I'll throw in a mulligan every now and then, but it's rare and usually when I'm playing with others doing the same. I figure, this is a game I play against myself, so really, not counting all of the strokes is really just cheating myself. On the other hand, I've played with people who have claimed scores in the 80's or 90's when I know their scores were north of 100 if they really counted all the strokes. Never understood it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging. I really don't care how you keep your score unless we have money on the line.

 

[Ted Nasty]

I count every stroke and never use mulligans. At the end of the round I want to know the score I posted truly is my score. For me, that's how I keep track of whether or not I'm getting better. I used to let it bother me when others put down false scores or used mulligans. I've learned the more that upsets me on the course the worse my own score would get so now I just shrug it off.

 

[Fox]

Count 'em all. The way I figure it is I always want to know how I am doing against the course. As for the stroke & distance penalty, most courses around here consider O.B. as a lateral to speed up play. Take the stroke, drop it and move on.

 

[drob03]

I keep score by how many balls I lose. If I find a ball then I get to subtract it from my score.

 

[iCraig]

Personally, as much as possible, I count every single stroke and penalty. Do I go back to the tee and hit again if I can't find a lost ball or figure out that it's out of bounds? No. That's stuff for tournaments, but beyond that, I count it all.

This is what I do as well. If I want a mulligan, I usually just drop a second ball and play that as well, but the actual score counted is the original ball.

I've got a friend who I play with regularly who isn't nearly as good as I am (not that I'm that good as it is, but I'm usually beating him by 15-20 strokes). He rehits from the tee box, takes a few mulligans here and there. I don't care and neither does he. He just likes to get out and play. If we were actually playing against each other, I'd hold him to his actual score, regardless of how unpretty it would be. :wink:

 

[tobii3]

Went up to play Golf with my Dad this past weekend

keep score? why ruin a great memory?

 

[Craig Mac]

I try to decide before I go out how I am treating the round. If tourney or a straight up money match it is strict by the rule book scoring. A score entered for handicap is treated the same way.

If I am playing with friends and mulligans are used or I am practicing and hitting extra balls I don't usually keep a score. Sometimes we do bet and we decide some may get strokes or mulligans, in that case we keep the "adjusted" score to settle the bet at the end of the round.

Most of my rounds lately have been so few I have had to practice beforehand and kept my true score just to see how I am playing. For the most part I play this way, but if I am playing with someone and we are stinking it up we usually don't keep score and just try to have fun.

And I agree with Fox

As for the stroke & distance penalty, most courses around here consider O.B. as a lateral to speed up play. Take the stroke, drop it and move on.

On busy days unless you are playing in a tournament this is the best way to keep up the pace of play

 

[wolfman]

Same here, I count them all. Need to know if I am improving or not. My goal this year is to break 100 so I need to count them all

 

[bdc30]

keep score? why ruin a great memory?

This is how I golf. If I'm on a course I've played before or where they have good signage/yardage markers I won't even carry a scorecard.

 

[orangedog]

I count everything, including penalties. I'm with Fox on treatment of OB shots.

Doesn't bother me if others don't do the same, unless there is money on the line as you mentioned... but most people straighten up when it comes time to gambling. Amazing how vice brings out the best in people...

 

[Patrick B]

I count them all, take my penalties, and always play the ball down. It's just easier to always do it one way, and I have to set the example for my daughter who plays high school golf.

 

[Stamper]

I'm in a golf mood. Went up to play Golf with my Dad this past weekend, just got some new equipment recently, really trying to get back into the swing (pardon the pun).

So here's an interesting question. Do you count ALL of your strokes, or are you one of those who who only KINDA keeps track? Does it bother you when playing with others who fudge their own scores?

Personally, as much as possible, I count every single stroke and penalty. Do I go back to the tee and hit again if I can't find a lost ball or figure out that it's out of bounds? No. That's stuff for tournaments, but beyond that, I count it all. I'll throw in a mulligan every now and then, but it's rare and usually when I'm playing with others doing the same. I figure, this is a game I play against myself, so really, not counting all of the strokes is really just cheating myself. On the other hand, I've played with people who have claimed scores in the 80's or 90's when I know their scores were north of 100 if they really counted all the strokes. Never understood it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging. I really don't care how you keep your score unless we have money on the line.

I play very much like you do. I golf for fun, in a very casual manner. I dress the bit, and observe rules and etiquette, but I don't let it ruin my day if I'm not on. If I'm out golfing its for fun right? I'm not a pro; not even close! So why cheat, who are you trying to impress? I find that accurate score keeping is the only way to gauge progress, or the lack thereof. :skew:

 

[jwintosh]

i wont go over 8 per hole.

 

[CaTeacher]

I'm with the majority here. I count everything, but don't care what others do unless playing for money. Unfortunately, I had to count to 95 yesterday. One of my buddies usually even puts down alignment aids during the round. More time for me to enjoy my cigar(s).

 

[Jwrussell]

i wont go over 8 per hole.

My Dad is this way. He doesn't have a set number, but he won't write down anything over X on a hole. Thing that annoys me is that he does that with my score as well. Doesn't matter as I keep my own score on my GolfShot app. I know what he's doing, he's thinking of the USGA ESC (Equitable Stroke Control), but that's supposed to be taken into account after the fact and calculated from your raw Gross score...at least as I understand it. So the above would be correct for a 20-29 handicapper and my top score would be a 9. But that's just for calculating handicap.

 

[twenty5]

I count 6 in this thread alone....