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Jimmy Walker admits to “backstopping” (not marking balls on the green)
Posted on 6/11/18 at 2:10 pm
Posted on 6/11/18 at 2:10 pm
LINK
quote:
Up until now, "backstopping" has existed as a giant conspiracy theory, a collection of grainy screengrab videos that pop up from time to time on Twitter. In those clips, tour pros appear to purposely not mark their golf balls in order to give opponents a potential advantage, a safety net -- albeit small -- to slow down a shot containing too much pace. But as any lawyer knows, it's hard to prove intent. Unless someone admits to it. That's exactly what happened on Saturday when Jimmy Walker responded to such a video posted by longtime European and Australian Tour pro Mark Clayton. Clayton called "Ben An and John Huh helping each other" a "joke," but Walker didn't see the big deal and admitted to purposely not marking his ball in certain situations in a series of replies.
quote:
Walker admitted to going as far as asking other players if they wanted him to mark his ball or not -- at least, to those he gives preferential treatment to based on friendship or fortune. On one hand, you could argue that Walker is showing good sportsmanship to his playing partners, but on the other, not protecting the rest of the field isn't fair.
quote:
The rule in question here is 22-1, which says in part that "In stroke play, if the committee determines that competitors have agreed not to lift a ball that might assist any competitor, they are disqualified." Yep, pretty serious.
4
Posted on 6/11/18 at 3:33 pm to The Pirate King
So, I just want to confirm that I am reading this correctly.
The ball is on the opposite side of the hole, and a golfer chooses to leave the ball on the green so if the other golfer hits to shot too hard... it may hit the unmarked ball and make a second putt easier?
The ball is on the opposite side of the hole, and a golfer chooses to leave the ball on the green so if the other golfer hits to shot too hard... it may hit the unmarked ball and make a second putt easier?
Posted on 6/11/18 at 3:35 pm to Mahootney
I thought this was only done during chipping? And how often do the balls touch? It can't really be that much of an advantage right?
Posted on 6/11/18 at 3:41 pm to ell_13
quote:
I thought this was only done during chipping? And how often do the balls touch? It can't really be that much of an advantage right?
Right, with the hundreds of shots around the green during a professional event, you see very few balls even hit ball markers, which I would imagine are there instead of the actual ball 80% of the time. It's almost like it's more of a respect thing than actual assistance.
Posted on 6/11/18 at 3:44 pm to ell_13
quote:
I thought this was only done during chipping? And how often do the balls touch? It can't really be that much of an advantage right?
It gives players the chance to be aggressive in trying to hole the chip. If your ball hits the other ball it has a better chance of staying closer to the hole instead of running past 5-10 feet. It could be a big advantage in saving par
Posted on 6/11/18 at 4:43 pm to agreenway6
Interesting. I was always told if you had a chance to mark your ball prior to a shot and that shot hit your ball, it was a 2 stroke penalty on yourself. You hear all kinds of whacky stuff during tournaments though. Some are laughably incorrect.
Posted on 6/11/18 at 4:50 pm to JJ27
quote:
I was always told if you had a chance to mark your ball prior to a shot and that shot hit your ball, it was a 2 stroke penalty on yourself.
This is true if both balls are already on the putting green. If the 2nd ball is off the putting green, there is no penalty.
Posted on 6/11/18 at 4:54 pm to The Pirate King
For context, this is the example of backstopping that started this whole controversy. I don't think what occurred in that video is appropriate when millions of dollars are on the line.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 6:09 am to medtiger
i just don't understand how that would help the second shot though. is it a visual thing? can they not see the marker you put in place of the ball? seems like made-up controversy.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 9:22 am to tharre4
quote:
i just don't understand how that would help the second shot though.
Player 1 left his ball on the green on the high side of the hole, so that in case player 2 hit his chip a little too hard, it could potentially hit player one's ball and stop right next to the hole.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 9:27 am to tharre4
quote:
seems like made-up controversy.
Other than its explicitly against the rules.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 9:31 am to medtiger
I once knew a team that got Dqd from a 4 ball for doing this. It happened early in the round and the guys they were olaying with told them to mark the ball from then on or they would inform the rules committee. The guys backstopping did it like 4 more times and were Dqd after the round. They didnt think it was against the rules.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 9:43 am to Mingo Was His NameO
The rule states that "if competitors have agreed" they are penalized. So maybe you can safely ask the other player to leave his ball to assist you, but if he agrees you both will be subject to penalty. And a player may request that you wait for him to mark his ball before you hit.
All in all, in the pros at least, this is not an issue, I have never heard of pros agreeing to leave a ball for a backstop, although I have seen it in amateur play.
All in all, in the pros at least, this is not an issue, I have never heard of pros agreeing to leave a ball for a backstop, although I have seen it in amateur play.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 9:48 am to Tigertracks
quote:
All in all, in the pros at least, this is not an issue, I have never heard of pros agreeing to leave a ball for a backstop, although I have seen it in amateur play
Do you watch the PGA Tour? It happened in Memphis, literally like 4 days ago.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 10:45 am to Tigertracks
quote:
The rule states that "if competitors have agreed" they are penalized. So maybe you can safely ask the other player to leave his ball to assist you, but if he agrees you both will be subject to penalty. And a player may request that you wait for him to mark his ball before you hit.
So what if both players miss the green, player A chips up and asks player B "you want me to mark that?" and player B just says "Nah you're good" and hits, that isn't a penalty, right?
There's no real intent to offer "help" to player B. More or less just letting player B go if he's ready and not taking up more time by walking up to the ball and marking.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 12:17 pm to The Pirate King
This goes on daily.
But, I was crazy to suggest JT might have helped his best-friend Jordan Speith see some lines on Sunday at the Masters.
But, I was crazy to suggest JT might have helped his best-friend Jordan Speith see some lines on Sunday at the Masters.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 12:23 pm to AtlantaLSUfan
quote:
But, I was crazy to suggest JT might have helped his best-friend Jordan Speith see some lines on Sunday at the Masters.
If you can't see how these are completely different then you're severely retarded. Back stopping has no downside to the guy that doesn't mark, he gets to replace his ball.
Posted on 6/12/18 at 12:32 pm to AtlantaLSUfan
quote:
But, I was crazy to suggest JT might have helped his best-friend Jordan Speith see some lines on Sunday at the Masters.
The two were entirely different. You were claiming he was intentionally hitting the ball outside of Speith's no matter if Jordan had hit yet or not.
Backstopping is intentional.
Posted on 6/13/18 at 1:58 pm to Tigertracks
quote:im sure this controversy is taking over in clubhouses ACROSS THE WORLD...
ll in all, in the pros at least, this is not an issue
What a waste of time during us open week
Posted on 6/13/18 at 5:27 pm to The Pirate King
#protectthefield
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