I misplaced a guess to a sandbagger. Did I’ve to pay?

Aaron from San Diego writes: Final week, I bought paired with a single at my native course. As we have been limbering up by the first tee, he requested if I wished to play a pleasant match. He mentioned he was “a few 7,” which is my handicap index, so I figured, OK. Just a few holes in, although, it was fairly clear this man was a lot better than he mentioned he was. He bombed it about 280 off the tee. I don’t assume he missed a fairway, and he may putt. Backside line: I bought crushed. Our match wasn’t all that huge — $10 a aspect — however this man had clearly lied to me. I paid him, however may I’ve gotten away with calling off the guess?

Pricey Aaron:

Ah, golf, the nice sport of honor. Besides when it isn’t. By no means thoughts what we’re usually advised. There may be nothing inherently “honorable” about propping a ball on a peg within the floor. Having fun with an amazing pastime doesn’t in itself make you an sincere particular person. We golfers are simply folks. And whereas most of us comply with the principles, a few of us don’t. Any claims on the contrary — that taking part in the sport is one way or the other proof of noble character — makes the Etiquetteist’s eyes roll again involuntarily in his head.

Bernie Madoff was a golfer. ‘Nuff mentioned.

The way to spot a hustler is one other matter. One college of thought holds that it’s best to by no means wager in opposition to a stranger with a worn-out spot on the toe of his or her path shoe, a telltale signal, the pondering goes, of a pro-caliber transfer. The Etiquetteist has a less complicated rule: by no means guess in opposition to anybody named Lee Trevino, or anybody who says that they’re “a few 7.”

Actually, although, there’s know means of figuring out.

All we are able to do is play the sport with integrity and hope that others do the identical.

Which brings us to your query. Primarily based in your description, it sounds such as you bought sandbagged, although we are able to’t be sure. What we are able to say for positive is {that a} guess is a guess. Nobody pressured you to make it. Reneging on it could have put you within the mistaken. As a lot it because it will need to have stung to open your pockets to a man who seemingly fooled you, it could have price you extra to not pay him. You’d have damaged your phrase, and your phrase is definitely value greater than $30. Chalk it as much as a (comparatively) cheap lesson discovered.