2010 #8 Repairing Hole

THE SCENE

You are putting on hole #2. Your ball goes in the hole but as you reach in to pick it up you see a ragged edge on the side of the hole. You pat it back into place, then smooth it until it looks perfect. You look up and smile. But one of your fellow competitors says in a sing-song voice, “That’s a 2 stroke penalty, ya ya di ya ya.” Then she pointed her finger at you. “That will ‘influence the movement of our balls’.”

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

A. Laugh at her antics and tell her she is wrong.

B. Look at Rule 1-2 which says you can’t exert influence on another’s ball,

then take a 2-stroke penalty

C. Ask the Pro when you get in and adjust your score accordingly.

A  AND C ARE CORRECT

The Pro will tell you that if you repaired the hole as a curtesy to those following you, or just to care for the course, there is no penalty. However, if you did it for the purpose of making someone’s ball either go in or fail to go in, there is a 2-stroke penalty.

See Rule 1-2

1-2. Exerting Influence on Ball A player or caddie must not take any action to influence the position or the movement of a ball except in accordance with the Rules. *Penalty for Breach of Rule 1-2: Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes. *In the case of a serious breach of Rule 1-2, the Committee may impose a penalty of disqualification. Note: A player is deemed to have committed a serious breach of Rule 1-2 if the Committee considers that his act of influencing the position or movement of the ball has allowed him or another player to gain a significant advantage or has placed another player, other than his partner, at a significant disadvantage.

And see this from Decision 1-2/3.5

A. If the player smoothed the edge of the hole as a courtesy to the players in following groups or for the care of the course, he was not in breach of Rule1-2. However, if the player’s primary purpose in smoothing the ragged edge was to influence the movement of his opponent’s, fellow-competitor’s, or partner’s ball, he was in breach of 1-2.

REMEMBER: It is okay to smooth a ragged edge of the hole, as long as you are doing it as a curtesy.

2010 #7 Lessons from your Husband

THE SCENE:

You are playing in a Sunday Couples’ Tournament. It is an individual stroke play competition. As you take your stance on hole #1 your husband says, “Hey, wait. You are not ready. Stand behind the ball...”

You mentally shake your head. This is an old problem. To shut him up you just swing back and hit the ball. But you are so up-tight that you pull your ball to the left, and it goes out of bounds.

Your husband says, “Now look what you’ve done. You need to stand behind the ball, pick out your target, ...yada yada yada...”

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Tell him:

A. to shut up

B. to give you a lesson after play on the practice tee

C. that you can’t relax when he is giving you instructions

D. to look at Rule 8

THE ANSWER IS:

D is correct. 

Many husbands seem to have a teaching addiction when playing golf with their wives. They just can’t help themselves. You have tried the first 3 options with no success. So, as D says, tell him to look at Rule 8.

Rule 8   Advice: Indicating Line of Play

8-1 Advice

During a stipulated round, a player must not

a) give advice to anyone in the competition playing on the course other than his partner.

The penalty for breech of the rule is 2 strokes.

So call your husband on it. Give him a 2-stroke penalty.

REMEMBER: If your husband or anyone you are playing with tries to give you lessons on the course, tell them they have earned a 2-stroke penalty.

2010 #6 WRONG SCORE CARD

THE SCENE:
Erma was playing in an 18 hole tournament. The driver of the other cart was keeping the scores for all 4 players but Erma kept a backup. When they had finished play, the driver read off the totals for each player. Erma nodded. Those scores agreed with hers and she signed the driver’s official score card. She was pleased. With that score she might win the tournament.

During lunch, the assistant pro came to her table and told her that she had scored better than she thought. Her score had been added wrong. It was actually one less than that turned in.

Erma shook her head and pulled out her backup score card. She re-added her scores and came up with the same total. The pro compared the cards. On hole #7 she had a boggie 4. The driver had given her a 3, which was wrong. Erma said, “But the total score I signed for was correct.”

WAS THERE A PENALTY INVOLVED?
A. The hole score was less than reported, so Erma should be disqualified
B. The total was correct, so there should be no penalty.

A is correct. Erma was disqualified.
The player is not responsible for the total score. She is responsible for the score on each hole.

See Rule 6-6 Scoring in Stroke Play
c. Alteration of Score Card
No alteration may be made on a score card after the competitor has returned it to the committee.
d. Wrong Score for Hole
The competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole on his score card. If he returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken he is disqualified. If he returns a score for any hole higher than actually taken, the score as returned stands.

Does that sound harsh? It is but it is not new. In 1957 Jackie Pung walked out to accept the trophy for winning the U.S. Women’s Open when it was discovered that she had signed a score card that was incorrect. Her actual score was good. She would have won. But her score card was wrong, so she was disqualified.

REMEMBER: After play, before signing a card to attest that your score is correct, compare the individual hole scores, not just the total score.

2010 #2 In Anger You Hit a Ball Back at the Following Group

THE SCENE:
You are playing in front of a group of men. All day long they have been hitting into your group. You are keeping up with the group in front of you. You are not playing slow. There is no reason for their behavior. And here comes another ball. It lands and rolls right up to your foot. Without thinking, you take your stance in front of their ball and hit a beautiful shot right back at them. Your partner gasps. “That’s a penalty!”

What would you do?

When you finish your round your should tell the pro what you did.

The Pro will tell you there is a penalty and she will probably show you the following decision:

1-4/4 In Anger Player Strikes Ball Played by Player in Following Group

Q. A is nearly struck by a ball played by a player in the following group. In anger, A hits the ball back towards the group. Has A played a practice stroke or a wrong ball?

A. No. However, in equity (Rule 1-4), A should incur the general penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

REMEMBER: No matter how bad the group behind you is behaving and no matter how angry you get, you can’t hit a ball back at them. If you do you will be penalized.

2007 #2 Who Can Replace Your Ball?

THE SCENE:
You are raking the sand in the bunker on hole #15 when Audrey asks for permission to mark your ball on the green. You say of course and when you walk onto the green she hands you your ball and points to her ball marker which is marking your ball.

What would you do?
A. You place your ball in front of the marker then give Audrey her ball marker.
B. You give the ball back to Audrey and ask her to replace it.

Either A or B is correct.
Actually either procedure is allowed. Three people can replace your ball: You, your partner, or the person who lifted it.

Rule 20-3 in your Rules of Golf book answers the question:
20-3 Placing and Replacing
a. By Whom and Where


A ball to be placed under the Rules must be placed by the player or his partner. If a ball is to be replaced, the player, his partner or the person who lifted or moved it must place it on the spot from which it was lifted or moved

But do make sure that if she marked the ball in an unusual way (not directly behind the ball) that you replace the ball accordingly.

REMEMBER: If someone marks your ball for you, it is all right for you to replace it, yourself.

The USGA Etiquette .........Spirit of the Game

ETIQUETTE

Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules.

All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be.

This is the spirit of the game of golf.

Until a couple of years ago etiquette on the golf course was encouraged but not mandated. Now, if you fail to follow the etiquette guidelines you can be disqualified, or even prohibited from playing on the course.

So be nice to one another.

2004 #12 Borrowing Clubs

THE SCENE:
You are playing in a team event. You and your 3 partners are heading for the green on hole #7 when you realize your putter is missing. You chipped in on hole #6 (hallelujah!). So the last time you remember using your putter was on hole #5. You must have left it there.


What would you do?


A  Putt with your driver? (It has the straightest side)


B  Borrow a club from a team mate?
 
The Correct answer is A.
 
Many of you think that you are allowed to borrow a club from a partner, or team mate because Rule #4-4b says:
Partners May Share Clubs.

But if you read the small print that follows it says
Partners may share clubs, PROVIDED that the total number of clubs carried by the partners so sharing does not exceed fourteen.

That doesn’t mean that you can have 14 clubs and your partner can have 14 clubs. It means the total carried by both of you can’t exceed 14 - if the two of you are going to share clubs.
 
Otherwise you will be penalized 2 strokes for each hole where you borrowed a club, with a maximum 4 stroke penalty.

REMEMBER: Unless you want a 4-stroke penalty, don't borrow a club. Putt with your driver, or another club.

2004 #9 What does ‘Attest’ mean? And why should you do it?

The Scene:
You just shot your best round of the year on the Charger. You pull out your score card and ask the scorer in the other golf cart to attest it. She says, “Test what?” You say, “You know. You sign my card ‘attesting’ to the fact that my score is correct. Then I’ll sign it and turn it in.” She says, “No. You don’t need to do that. We don’t do that here.”

What would you do?
A. Insist that she sign your scorecard?
B.  Turn the scorecard in un-attested?

A is correct. 

Even if it makes her angry, she needs to sign your scorecard. If she doesn’t, you could be disqualified and that great score would never be posted.

Open your Rules of Golf book to the rule that lists the player’s responsibilities. Look under 6-6 in the two sections a and b. You will see:

Rule 6, THE PLAYER.
6-6a Recording Scores.
On completion of the round the marker shall sign the card and hand it to the competitor
6-6b Signing and Returning Card
He (the player) shall ensure that the marker has signed the card, countersign the card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.

There is no penalty for a breach of 6-6a (no penalty for the marker) but the penalty for the player for a breach of 6-6b is DISQUALIFICATION!!!
So it is your responsibility to see that your card is signed and attested. If you turn in a card without both signatures you could be disqualified. In this  Niners group you probably wouldn’t be. But you could be. So get in the habit of doing it right and you’ll never have to worry about that
 
REMEMBER: After play, before handing in your scorecard, sign it yourself AND have it signed (attested) by the scorer in your group.