Transgressions in Golf

Golf is a social game, usually a flight of 4 players and yet a very individual game - you and the course. In a friendly, you may compare scores with your playmates and that is a side competition or challenge (for a beer or for veterans, $2). It is precisely because of this 'challenge', each player would tend to focus and better his game and game plans, for personal satisfaction.
Of course, there are times, when a tournament is organised, the whole field would be competing for honours to win the top prizes.... not those $ million for the professionals. Still, it is the desire to win would spur each player to excel.
Being amateurs, we frumble, we make silly mistakes, we often tell ourselves, "if only".....
Golf is also a gentleman game and a game of integrity... and in a social, amateur setting, where there is no live TV crew to film your shots, it is even more important for individuals to be honest, alert and in compliance with the 'Golf Etiquettes", so that all would enjoy the rounds.
From my 2 years of experience in NZ golfing, because the system here allows you to fix your playmates, you are in familiar company and therefore it requires self-discipline and self regulation. My friend Muthu is recognised to be a very strict disciplinarian on rules. I respect him for that reputation.
However, sometimes, the human weaknesses of greed and "innocent" cheat come to play.
The occasional mistake in counting the number of strokes taken or played, would be excusable but if this is a 'deliberate' mistake, then it would make the person marking your scores, a very stressful job.
Other etiquettes not practised ....... standing in the line of putting; not taking turn to hold the flags if you are near to the pin or if your ball is marked nearest to the pin; not completing the hole by holing out or if it is putter length, it must be strictly putter length and not based on your own measure of "give me"; not taking time off to look for playing mates' stray balls from tee box to the green; "sudden appearance" of lost ball in the rough/fairway; not respecting the honour or the turn to tee off ; non-stop chatting whilst others are teeing off ...etc.
My friend Mak Kor would say,"Golf is a selfish game."
It is true but it is also a fair game where players are graded, from time to time, based on their play and score history, using the handicap system.
Again, the handicap system is sometimes manipulated by some... to mask the actually capability during non-competition rounds, so that a higher than actual handicap would enhance the chance of scoring high in a competition round.
In golf, you also see the true characters of your play mates. Sadly, over time, you tend to give more and more discounts to the integrity of some. Gradually, you may not enjoy spending the 4-5 hours hitting the ball with such company....