Not all bets are fair from the start.
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Aaron from San Diego writes: Last week I was matched with a single at a local course. As we were warming up on the first tee, he asked me if I wanted to play in a friendly match. He said he was “about a 7,” which is my handicap index, so I thought, okay. After playing a few holes, though, it was clear this guy was a lot better than he let on. He hit the ball about 280 meters from the tee. I don’t think he missed the fairway and he could putt. Bottom line: I was crushed. Our tournament wasn’t that big – $10 per side – but this guy clearly lied to me. I paid him but can I cancel my bet?
Dear Aaron:
Ah, golf, a great and honorable sport. Except that’s not the case. Never mind what we’re constantly told. There’s nothing “glorious” about supporting a ball on a nail in the ground. Enjoying a good pastime does not in itself make you an honest person. We golfers are only human. While most of us follow the rules, there are some who don’t. Any suggestion to the contrary—that playing the game is somehow a sign of good character—will make etiquette experts roll their eyes.
Bernie Madoff was a golfer. “Nuff said.
How to spot a scammer is another story. One school of thought holds that you should never bet with a stranger who has scuff marks on the toes of his or her trail shoes, a tell-tale sign of a professional-caliber move. The Ritualist has an even simpler rule: Never bet with anyone named Lee Trevino or anyone who claims to be “about a 7.”
But actually, there is a way to know.
All we can do is play the game with integrity and hope others do the same.
Which brings us to your question. From your description, it sounds like you were sandbagged, but we can’t be sure. What we can say for certain is that bets are bets. No one forces you to do this. Violating it will lead you into error. Although it must be painful to open your wallet to someone who might be fooling you, it will cost you a lot more if you don’t pay him. You may break your word, and your word is certainly worth more than $30. Chalk it up to a (relatively) cheap lesson.
