Golf Question: Birdie or Albatross (2 Viewers)

[shorticus]

OK so today my buddies and I are golfing. My buddy hits his tee shot the center of the fairway (Par 5 and he’s about 239 out). As he goes to hit his next shot, someone on the ninth green (which is directly adjacent to us yells) in his backswing. He proceeds to hit the ball into the water. He replays his next shot from the previous and he holes out. Is this a birdie or an albatross in your group? Typically in these situations when someone’s yells in the back swing (who’s not involved in the game), we would allow them to hit again, but this mostly happens off the tee and almost never happens from the middle of the fairway. Just curious as to everyone’s thoughts on would this be a birdie or would this be an albatross in your group?

FYI, for handicapping purposes, this would be a birdie.

 

[TheChipVault]

This is golf.. and it must be played as it lies for handicapping. It was unfortunate that someone yelled but it happened. Birdie it is.

 

[Jonesey07]

IMO it depends on if it’s a competitive or casual round.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

OK so today my buddies and I are golfing. My buddy hits his tee shot the center of the fairway (Par 5 and he’s about 239 out). As he goes to hit his first shot,

I assume you mean his second shot?

someone on the ninth green (which is directly adjacent to us yells) in his backswing. He proceeds to hit the ball into the water. He replays his next shot from the previous and he holes out. Is this a birdie or an albatross in your group? Typically in these situations when someone’s yells in the back swing (who’s not involved in the game), we would allow them to hit again, but this mostly happens off the tee and almost never happens from the middle of the fairway. Just curious as to everyone’s thoughts on would this be a birdie or would this be an albatross in your group?

FYI, for handicapping purposes, this would be a birdie.

Very unfortunate, but the rules of golf are clear. How close was the yeller? Maybe I'm more focused than others, but there are always distractions on the golf course. We're not the pros who are used to mostly silence when they take their shots. We ought to be able to handle the odd yell that is bound to happen now and then. I'm actually surprised that you even have a general rule for this situation.

I think your buddy was just using the yell as an excuse to take a free shot after hitting a bad one into the water. No albie, but he does have one heck of a fun story to tell.

 

[Colquhoun]

I agree that it's a birdie.
I feel that if you're keeping score, you play the rules 100%...or don't keep score and play a casual game.

 

[Dodger]

for handicapping purposes, this would be a birdie.

You answered your own question.

 

[teeoffsports]

It is sadly one of the most unfortunate birdies you could ever make.

Although it does provide a great story for him to tell of how he should have made an albatross, haha.

 

[BirdCage]

We forget all the good shots that occur with noises nearby - lawn mowers, birds, music, golf cart engines, talking, etc.

Twas a birdie via an incredible shot after a poor shot.

 

[shorticus]

IMO it depends on if it’s a competitive or casual round.

Casual.

 

[Jonesey07]

Casual.

Ok, next question would be had he stuck that shot to 20 feet then made the putt would you have given him an eagle on the card or a par?

 

[panthershutch15]

I voted albatross because you already stated for handicap purposes it would be a birdie.

If he sprayed the next shot 30 feet right of the green, then chipped on and 2 putted, you would have put him down for a par, not a double...

I don't golf competitvely at all, just casual. It rarely happens where everyone is like "hit another" because of something distracting happening, but it does happen, and when it does everyone just counts the distraction shot as not occuring. Most recently we had a loud cart message alarm go off right in someone's backswing and then he shanked it as a result, and is not someone who randomly shanks it. Just yesterday someone yelled "BOOM!!!!" from the green right next to us while we were pitching in...We were doing 2 man scramble and didn't bother having him re-hit that one.

But, If I were him and anyone ever asked if I had an albatross, it would be one of those "yes, but...." situations. Like if you get a hole in one on a 75 yard hole at a par 3 course... "yes, but..."

 

[Colquhoun]

I'm a little surprised at some of the answers already. If you're not going to play by the rules as written, why keep score at all?
And where do you draw the line at what is an acceptable rule deviation? If you lip-out a putt after hearing a bird, was that a sinked putt? What about a fire siren in the distance?
I guess you can choose which rules you want to abide by, and which you don't...but then don't put much attention into the score, good or bad.

 

[shorticus]

Ok, next question would be had he stuck that shot to 20 feet then made the putt would you have given him an eagle on the card or a par?

This is an excellent point!

 

[Jonesey07]

I'm a little surprised at some of the answers already. If you're not going to play by the rules as written, why keep score at all?
And where do you draw the line at what is an acceptable rules deviation? If you lip-out a putt after hearing a bird, was that a sinked putt? What about a fire siren in the distance?
I guess you can choose which rules you want to abide by, and which you don't...but then don't put much attention into the score, good or bad.

I see where you're coming from.

I will counter with pros have a distinct advantage over the average player in a couple areas, most notably with spotters and a gallery to help find balls.

If i hit a ball and it's just off the fairway but I can't find it i'm penalized but the pros very rarely lose balls unless they go in the water.

 

[shorticus]

I'm a little surprised at some of the answers already. If you're not going to play by the rules as written, why keep score at all?
And where do you draw the line at what is an acceptable rules deviation? If you lip-out a putt after hearing a bird, was that a sinked putt? What about a fire siren in the distance?
I guess you can choose which rules you want to abide by, and which you don't...but then don't put much attention into the score, good or bad.

I think this is interesting cause I do believe that a lots of groups (both for profit organizations and just friend groups) incorporate rules that don’t fully abide by the rules of golf.

 

[MrCatPants]

So how far up was the water? If playing competitively would he have taken stroke and distance? Or was he replaying from initial position regardless?

It's a birdie - and also he has to buy everyone a drink at the clubhouse.

 

[shorticus]

If i hit a ball and it's just off the fairway but I can't find it i'm penalized but the pros very rarely lose balls unless they go in the water.

Gallery ball rule. I learned about this yesterday.

 

[Colquhoun]

I think this is interesting cause I do believe that a lots of groups (both for profit organizations and just friend groups) incorporate rules that don’t fully abide by the rules of golf.

Sure, I get it. If a group has a one mulligan-per-day rule, that's fine...a casual game and all are in agreement. But I think it could get out of hand if abused, and I think giving someone a better score based on a distraction, however unfortunate, is going a bit too far.

 

[shorticus]

So how far up was the water? If playing competitively would he have taken stroke and distance? Or was he replaying from initial position regardless?

It's a birdie - and also he has to buy everyone a drink at the clubhouse.

I’d say the water was about 50 yards up, and the carry over the water was about 220.

 

[MrCatPants]

I’d say the water was about 50 yards up, and the carry over the water was about 220.

for handicapping it's a birdie. for casualness/in group competition depends on how these things are handled. Technically for handicapping, I imagine he would have taken the 50 yards and his drop.

 

[shorticus]

Sure, I get it. If a group has a one mulligan-per-day rule, that's fine...a casual game and all are in agreement. But I think it could get out of hand if abused, and I think giving someone a better score based on a distraction, however unfortunate, is going a bit too far.

That’s fair.

My group has always had an agreement that no one has to hit off of tree roots for protection of the body and the club. Just so no one tries to be a hero. We added a new guy to our golf group who was adamant that you had to take an unplayable if you don’t want to hit the shot. We are a few years in and it’s still a point of contention.

 

[shorticus]

for handicapping it's a birdie. for casualness/in group competition depends on how these things are handled. Technically for handicapping, I imagine he would have taken the 50 yards and his drop.

So this is interesting. Had the distraction not happened, I wonder if he would have taken the distance and we are talking about a potentially completely different score.

 

[MrCatPants]

So this is interesting. Had the distraction not happened, I wonder if he would have taken the distance and we are talking about a potentially completely different score.

Unless the hole or his entry point has some odd situation going on, imagine he would have taken the drop. 50 yards is 50 yards.

 

[Cratty]

Birdie. Otherwise where do you draw the line? If the yell was a bit farther, a bit quieter, a bit more delayed... etc.

Put an asterisk next to the hole score and label it as "not fair", but take the hit anyway.

 

[ChipEnvy]

I’ve never had a hole in one, but I feel this story is relevant. 3rd tee in the early morning, I pump my tee shot on a 165 par 3 OB. We have a rule that you get a breakfast ball off the tee on the front 9, so I said I was using it… Re-teed, and jarred it. I couldn’t write a 1 on the card. So I call it my “Hole in 3”.

If your buddy eagled it, I would give it to him, but an Albatross is so rare, you can’t write it down and feel good about it. On the bright side, he got a great story out of it.

 

[shorticus]

I’ve never had a hole in one, but I feel this story is relevant. 3rd tee in the early morning, I pump my tee shot on a 165 par 3 OB. We have a rule that you get a breakfast ball off the tee on the front 9, so I said I was using it… Re-teed, and jarred it. I couldn’t write a 1 on the card. So I call it my “Hole in 3”.

If your buddy eagled it, I would give it to him, but an Albatross is so rare, you can’t write it down and feel good about it. On the bright side, he got a great story out of it.

Great story and definitely a weird situation! Either ways, apparently a great shot!

 

[buzzmonkey]

Haven't golfed in years, but back in the day if we were just doing a casual round, we would all give each other ONE mulligan per round. But again, this was a casual game that we did keep score for and it was agreed on BEFORE the round started. And once you used it it was gone for the round.

 

[shorticus]

Haven't golfed in years, but back in the day if we were just doing a casual round, we would all give each other ONE mulligan per round. But again, this was a casual game that we did keep score for and it was agreed on BEFORE the round started. And once you used it it was gone for the round.

I used to play in a local golf association. In instances where the range at a course we were playing would close, we would give everyone a breakfast ball on the first tee. Currently, playing on a local Eagle-Am Tour and no such occurrence happens.

I see both sides of the coin, but ultimately, I feel like it’s an incredible birdie. It’s like someone said earlier, it’s a “birdie but” story.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I've never heard the term "albatross". Is it akin to an "eagle"?

 

[Cratty]

I've never heard the term "albatross". Is it akin to an "eagle"?

3 under par, probably the rarest golf shot.