Rules Q&A

Hi -

As I mentioned previously, I put those league rules that I could divine into a Word document, which you can find in the list of links on the right-hand side of the blog (or here if you're too lazy to look way over there). This prompted a few questions or requests-for-clarification from my avid readers. Here, then, are rules clarified and myths de-bunked. I'll add them to the new rule book when I get a chance.

Question: Does week 1 count in the standings?
Answer: Heck yes! Like Allen Iverson, we do not need practice.

Question: When determining the weekly hole challenges, do we determine what the contest is before we tee off or after?
Answer: This one has a complicated, two-part answer.

1. Those of us who cheat, tee off first.
2. Those of us who do not cheat, call the contest first.

Question: The rule book says "winter rules" are in play. What are the league's specific winter rules?
Answer: (I had to consult the original rules from the minutes of the charter meeting of "Ye Olde Universitie [sic] Employee Committee for the Enjoyment of the Golf Game" to answer this one. It is open to some interpretation, though, so I am going to interpret it for our league.) For the benefit of speedy play, the league does, indeed, allow players to use winter rules. This means that - anywhere on the course, a ball may be marked, lifted, cleaned, and replaced within six inches of the original lie. However, a ball may not be nudged with a club to improve its lie.

I see very few (if any) golfers employ these methods in league play, and I caution you all that this may not be a useful practice. For one thing, it does not allow you to get a true sense of your abilities. For another, if you take advantage of this regularly, it will not help your handicapped score, anyway. If you use it irregularly, it brings into question the integrity of the match play. Nonetheless, it is allowed.

Question: What is the league rule on out-of-bounds shots? It seems different people use different rules.
Answer: Our league rule stipulates that when a golfer hits a shot out of bounds, the penalty is one stroke and, for the next shot, the ball should be dropped in the rough nearest where the ball went out of bounds. In such a situation, a golfer may choose to re-hit from the same spot as the errant shot with the one-stroke penalty, if the loss of distance is minimal and hitting from the same spot will help speed up play.

For example, if your tee shot (stroke 1) goes out of bound, you are assessed one penalty stroke (stroke 2) and you drop the ball in the rough nearest where your ball went out of bound (or from the tee box if that's quicker and easier). You are now ready to hit stroke 3.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them. I will then consult the Elders and get an answer for you.

Week 1 Results Posted

Week 1 is in the books, and the 2009 season is underway! What's not reflected in the scores, though, is that we played 40 rounds of golf with no reported hamstring, groin, or quad pulls. Results and standings can be linked from here, or in the link list on the right.

All forty slots were filled this week (as opposed to only 32 golfers in week 1 last year). The lesson I learned from this is that Commissioner Season starts in March - not mid-April. Thanks to the team captains for getting everyone there, and for getting subs for those who couldn't make it.

Congrats to Travis Thoeny (34) and Jason Thomas (38) for their sub-40 rounds. I made an early-season mistake last night and forgot to have their scores called into the paper. Assuming the newspaper still exists next week, I'll do my best to remember.

Congrats also to John Loescher, who must have a putting green in his basement for winter practice, or maybe studied under the Zen-tutelage of Phil Jackson in the off-season. In a week when only three golfers bettered their average, John came in 6-under.

The scoring average this week was 48.85 (a high number to which I contributed significantly). Last season we started out with a 48.2 average, so we have some catching up to do. Back at it next Tuesday. So far, the forecast looks dry - partly cloudy and high of 65.

The Miller and Loew groups have the late tee times next week. "Partly cloudy" turns to "too dark to see" around 8:00 this early in the season. Feel free to arrange for earlier tee times next Tuesday. Just let me know when you'll be going out if you change them. Thanks.

Important New Rules

There are two new scoring rules this year (as voted on at last season’s banquet, right after the burlesque entertainment was finished).

• Golfers who have not yet established a handicap will be given a net score of 33. (This was previously 32.) That means that if your opponent does not have an established handicap, and you score your average (a net 32) you win your match, and a point for your team.

• Golfers who are unopposed win by the higher of (a) 2 strokes or (b) the number of strokes by which they have beaten their handicap. By the previous rule, an unopposed golfer automatically won their match by 2 strokes. This unnecessarily punished a golfer who shot out of his gourd and netted, say, a 26. By the old rule, that unconscious golfer would have won by two strokes. By the new rule, he would have won by six (thereby earning several more post-round cocktails from jubilant teammates).

Stay tuned - later this week I will add a post clarifying some league rules and doing a little myth-busting.

Week 1 Pairings

Here we go again . . . Opening Day! The McEvilly team will be teeing off at 4:30, and the Mortiz team is also looking into grabbing a pre-league tee time to avoid the dark. Otherwise, here are the match-ups. See you Tuesday (so far, a sunny but cool afternoon is predicted)!

4:52 & 5:00	Miller vs. Williams
Doug Hoerr	13		Dick Moll	16
David Miller	10		Dave Rieves	5
Ed Meachen	11		Matt Blouin	13
Charlie Hoslet	13		Bob Crowe	16
5:07 & 5:15	Nelson vs. Thoeny
Mike Williams	New		Rob Zimmerman	22
Steve McDonnell	9		Travis Thoeny	3
Brad Nelson	16		Ed Molter	11
Andy Tomaszewski	New		John Loescher	17
5:22 & 5:30	Kraus vs. Loew
Andy Taylor	New		Doug Smedema	New
Lynn Paulson	8		Chris Weber	7
Mike Kraus	13		Scott Gomez	7
Steve Smith	15		Shawn McGettigan	11
5:37 & 5:46	Dvorak vs. Wolfe
Phil Julson	19		David Wolfe	18
Jason Thomas	6		Paul Barnett	12
Jeff Dvorak	11		Mike Sanders	16
Mike Warren	11		Adam Hopkins	17
5:53 & 6:00	Moritz vs. McEvilly
Bob Lomasney	13		Herb Stanford	20
Paul Schuettler	12		Pat McEvilly	11
Bob Moritz	11		Dave Delveaux	10
Tom Hidde	13		Ed Corcoran	17

Substitute List - Quick Update

Hi -

I misfiled two emails I got from substitutes, and have had to make corrections to the published sub list (which is now up-to-date). The corrections are summarized here.

• Dennis Hill is interested in subbing this season and has been elevated to the Super-Sub designation.
  
• Eric Engbloom will not be able to sub this season. His name has been removed from the sub list.
  

That's all, folks. Eight days.

2009 Rosters and Substitutes

Team Rosters Set
As opposed to last year, when we practically had to pull people away from their burger and fries at The Village Bar to golf with us, all ten team rosters appear set for the beginning of this season. Captains are listed first in the list below (with the exception of the Loew team who, I believe, plan a November election to see who will be captain. Meanwhile, I think Jack's still pulling the strings.).

• DVORAK: Jeff Dvorak, Phil Julson, Jason Thomas, Mike Warren
• KRAUS: Mike Kraus, Lynn Paulson, Steve Smith, Andy Taylor
• LOEW: Scott Gomez, Doug Smedema, Shawn McGettigan, Chris Weber
• McEVILLY: Pat McEvilly, Ed Corcoran, Dave Delveaux, Herb Stanford
• MILLER: David Miller, Doug Hoerr, Charlie Hoslet, Ed Meachen
• MORITZ: Bob Moritz, Tom Hidde, Bob Lomasney, Paul Schuettler
• NELSON: Brad Nelson, Steve McDonnell, Andy Tomaszewski, Mike Williams
• THOENY: Travis Thoeny, John Loescher, Ed Molter, Rob Zimmerman
• WILLIAMS: Dave Rieves, Matt Blouin, Bob Crowe, Dick Moll
• WOLFE: Dave Wolfe, Paul Barnett, Adam Hopkins, Mike Sanders

Attrition from last year:

• Team captains Bruce Marble & Jack Loew are hanging it up.
• Joe Elliott will now be available as a sub, but will no longer be a full-time member of the Williams team.
• Dustin Vredeveld, who filled in last year for Jason Thomas, will not return.
  

Available Full-Time
There are three players who are interested in joining a team as a full-time regular. If you have any need for their services, let them and me know. They are listed here, alphabetically.

• Frank Austin (a new colleague of Dave Rieves in the Athletic Business Office)
  
• Dave Poznanski (has been a sub in the league)
• Ron Weiss (former captain of the Weiss team)

Super-Subs
There are also some subs who have indicated they will be available for significant golfing this season. They are listed here, alphabetically.

• Frank Austin - See above. Definitely available right away.
  
• Rich Hoebel - Rich has been subbing in the league for a while. He can golf up to every-other-week.
• Will Nagel - Will is Ed Molter's son and blistered the course as a sub last season. Once spring semester is over, he'll be available most of the time. I'm sure Ed has dibs, though.
• Dave Poznanski - See above.
  
• Jeff Sartin - Jeff is a colleague of mine in state government. He's available from the get-go, though would prefer the earlier tee times through May, so as not to disrupt his chaotic Spring social schedule.
  
• Ron Weiss - See above.

I've published the full roster of substitutes in the link section on the right of this page, with phone and email information for the subs listed above, and many more.

Dear League President:

Last week I received the 2009 Golf League Agreement form from Glenway PGA Pro Bill Scheer. Along with it came a letter, the interesting/relevant bits of which I’ll share below, quoted and edited for readability.

• The golf fees have had a slight increase over last year. We are now adding tax to the fees instead of including it in the rate. Basically it goes like this… The rate stayed the same as last year, but tax is now added. (T)he afternoon league rate will be $14.50 plus tax which comes to $15.30.
• The City of Madison Golf Operation has been running on a deficit the last few years, and hopefully the extra income from this increase will help make us profitable again. There have been many cuts to the golf maintenance budget, but we still plan on offering excellent playing conditions at affordable prices.

I think we'll all be fine unless they raise beer prices.

Also, I'd kindly ask you skilled golfers not to land long shots on the green, so as to help defray the costs of green repair. See you on the 28th.