Lack of integrity maybe?

[weeman]

Lately I've been out watching more tournaments in my area than playing and have noticed some rather bothersome things at a couple of these events.

Here are the two instances that really stand out to me. At the SOKY Championship during the final round Devan Owens clearly foot faults on a 20 foot putt on the second-to-last hole and no one calls him on it. Then this last weekend at the Derby City Classic, Tyler Horne lined up in an illegal stance while putting and no one called him on it even when I whispered to someone in the group and they acknowledged it. But here's the part that bothers me; the only reason they didn't call the infraction was that the offending players missed their putts.

Seeing as I am not a certified official I could not make these calls myself but everyone in the groups that I was following could have but actively chose not to. The impression I got from the other players was that breaking the rules was not an issue unless it was on a shot that improved someone's score. So my question to everyone is where do they stand on this sort of integrity or lack-there-of in the game now?

 

[S.Cann]

Well, the penalty for a foot fault is a warning a rethrow, correct? This would give these guys another shot at making the putt...

 

[kevinmzane]

In this case, wouldn't it be in thier best interest NOT to call it? Maybe not an integrity issue, but a rules issue?

 

[ian.]

i remember watching a discgolfmonthly.. maybe vibram from a couple years ago.. where nikko and barry were going at it... barry called a foot fault on a missed putt and then nikko stepped up and nailed it..pretty sure he ended up winning that tournament too.. now that i think of it i think i have seen barry/nikko do that on a couple different videos lol

 

[Pwingles]

2 things
Firstly i agree with you about situations like that and others lacking the stones to say anything unless its in their best interest

Secondly, i have inthe past been guilty of doing the same thing, so i fully understand why people do it, doesnt make it right though. Id like for this to be a sport where we strive to police ourselves the majority of players simply wont. Either out of fear of rocking the perverbial boat, or fear of being "that guy" or for the reason you listed.

 

[weeman]

i remember watching a discgolfmonthly.. maybe vibram from a couple years ago.. where nikko and barry were going at it... barry called a foot fault on a missed putt and then nikko stepped up and nailed it..pretty sure he ended up winning that tournament too.. now that i think of it i think i have seen barry/nikko do that on a couple different videos lol

I think this was from the Music City Open last year but I'm sure they've had numerous encounters about this same rule. If I remember right Barry calls a foot fault on himself even when he makes the putt and on the rethrow, he misses. That's the integrity or whatever else you want to call it that should be shown even if it adversely affects your own score.

 

[Connor Jones]

I think this was from the Music City Open last year but I'm sure they've had numerous encounters about this same rule. If I remember right Barry calls a foot fault on himself even when he makes the putt and on the rethrow, he misses. That's the integrity or whatever else you want to call it that should be shown even if it adversely affects your own score.

Nah, he actually makes both putts, turns to barry and says something along the lines of, "How's that, Barry?"

Excellent moment in DG ..

 

[Eco81]

i remember watching a discgolfmonthly.. maybe vibram from a couple years ago.. where nikko and barry were going at it... barry called a foot fault on a missed putt and then nikko stepped up and nailed it..pretty sure he ended up winning that tournament too.. now that i think of it i think i have seen barry/nikko do that on a couple different videos lol

^^^^^^
I think in the same tourney barry called a falling putt or foot fault on himself and nikko did hit the putt when barry called him for a foot fault or illegal stance and then blew up i think with a couple bodies or something

i think more people dont know the rules then do know the rules and therefore do not know what is and isnt an infraction

 

[notapro]

I don't think that's a lack of integrity, at all.

I only have an issue if the rules are broken, and someone benefits from it.

The thing that gets me is calling foot faults to get another chance at a putt, or intentionally foot faulting once a round for free. :\

 

[Dan Ensor]

You think not calling the foot fault is a lack of integrity? Couldn't they have called the foot fault on themselves? There's a time limit for calling those sort of things ... I don't know. I don't feel like you need to call every little thing. I often let things slide if they were unintentional or did not affect the throw. I'm not going to call a foot fault because you stepped on your mini on a wide open fairway shot.

I'm usually more lenient that I would prefer, though. Playing ma2 I feel like I shouldn't be knit-picky. On the one hand, I want everyone to play by the rules so that all scores are fair. On the other, I know that the calls I could be making wouldn't be called in any other group. I'm torn between being a stickler and letting people enjoy their walk in the park.

 

[Will Burke]

I remember that one cause I didn't call it. Truth is I wasn't going to call it if he made it or not. Reason being it was 2 holes from the finish, it was hot and as far as I could tell we were one of if not the last card out. So I say lack of integrity, no. Laziness: oh yeah.

 

[b-mart]

To me, disc golf is a laid back sport. Sure there are people who take it (too)seriously and you naturally want to do well in a tournament, but I don't see those inches making that big of a difference. Especially in this case, when it didn't help them. I don't think the original poster should worry about it either if they aren't even throwing in the tournament, because the people around who also noticed weren't worried about it. It's not like you were at worlds.

 

[Johnny Conservative]

I think that I would have done the same as the examples in the OP. I would not want to accused of trying to beat someone with the rulebook instead of with my game.

 

[SteezeOG]

I'm going to play in some event with my Walter Sobchak costume from Halloween last year. Then when I see someone foot fault I'm going to scream "Over the line!" Then talk about how this isn't Nam it's league play. That should make me some new friends.

 

[DeadEye]

Lack of integrity? More like lack of wanting to be a DB. I only call foot faults on people who blatantly go over the line time and time again and they seem oblivious. Once or twice around on accident, I'm not calling it, cause I know **** happens.

 

[jtreadwell]

This is like declining a penalty in football. It's perfectly acceptable for a team to not hold an opposing team to a penalty if it would provide another chance to succeed like repeating 3rd down 5 yards back when they otherwise would have to punt. I see no issue in not calling a foot fault on a missed/botched putt/throw. It could benefit you to not call it, OR if the guy gets called on another one later it could hurt you by giving him a warning not the stroke he would have gotten. It's not a question of integrity, but strategy. Sorry if this doesn't fit the laid back attitude of DG, but if its a tournament, its on.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

What about purposefully foot faulting on a putt that you know you're going to miss in attempt to draw that call for the chance to re-putt? I see it all the time, I'm not going to call someone on it if they miss...

 

[jtreadwell]

What about purposefully foot faulting on a putt that you know you're going to miss in attempt to draw that call for the chance to re-putt? I see it all the time, I'm not going to call someone on it if they miss...

I figger you only get one of those per game, and if you make a mistake and fault again, well, you just got a stroke buddy! Again, strategy. You can exploit the way the rules are written but don't be shocked if you're held to the letter of the law if you do.

 

[weeman]

I remember that one cause I didn't call it. Truth is I wasn't going to call it if he made it or not. Reason being it was 2 holes from the finish, it was hot and as far as I could tell we were one of if not the last card out. So I say lack of integrity, no. Laziness: oh yeah.

Will, it was on 15 when he made that bogie. I'm referring to his first straddle putt when his right foot was clearly closer than his mini to the basket. I'm sure he didn't do it intentionally cause he could have looked down real quick after missing and made the call himself.

There is the point that these players can make their own calls on these sorts of things but from what I noticed is that everyone is so focused on what's happening with their upper body that where they stand or how they stand is non-important. Perhaps then it is their own fault if they don't call it on themselves when the opportunity arises. Also, just because they could get a second chance at the shot doesn't mean that it will necessarily be a good one.

 

[weeman]

This is like declining a penalty in football. It's perfectly acceptable for a team to not hold an opposing team to a penalty if it would provide another chance to succeed like repeating 3rd down 5 yards back when they otherwise would have to punt. I see no issue in not calling a foot fault on a missed/botched putt/throw. It could benefit you to not call it, OR if the guy gets called on another one later it could hurt you by giving him a warning not the stroke he would have gotten. It's not a question of integrity, but strategy. Sorry if this doesn't fit the laid back attitude of DG, but if its a tournament, its on.

So getting a penalty in football would be the equivalent of calling the infraction in disc golf but seconding it would be like accepting the penalty and not declining it. At least that's how I'm reading what you posted. If not calling it or calling it to gain a strategic advantage over your opponent is what you're trying to do than I see that as just playing to win via loophole and not actually with a disc.