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.