f 70) and I can cover most "normal" situations without problems; but no, I would not venture myself to be a Rules Official at a national event which John Speary (PGA Sun Country Section Director), calls "Hours of Boredom with Moments of Terror". Listen, you do not want to give Tiger Woods and Co. an incorrect ruling! Or, for that reason, to John Doe, who is in the final match of the Albuquerque City Championship, it doesn't matter, the outcome is important to everybody.
The Rules Seminar was presented by none other than Genger Fahleson (Dir. of Rules Education at the USGA) and two PGA Professionals who are called to officiate tough events: Bob Korbel (Port St. Lucie, FL) and Mike Healy (Sarasota, FL).
Many of you are familiar with "TV Rulings" and it is always interesting. When there is something strange for the average golfer, I get calls to discuss the decision. Mostly, all decisions are right, and I can only recall one that was wrong, but it was only due to the "fact finding part": during the 1994 U.S. Open, the President of the USGA gave the wrong ruling to Ernie Els, the eventual champion, by allowing him to drop away from an obstruction that was movable, and not immovable, as everyone thought. Since then, in all "Notice to Competitors" sheets, the USGA prints which objects or equipment will be deemed movable or immovable.
One ruling for which I got a bunch of calls ("Hey Pro! How can he drop back in the fairway?"), was in 1989, also during the final round of the U.S. Open. In this occasion, Tom Kite (pictured)the 54 hole leader, pulled his second shot, into deep rough, several yards off the fairway. His ball ended up in casual water, but, when the nearest point of relief was measured, he was back in the fairway! He pitched close and parred the hole, nonetheless, Curtis Strange came from behind and won his second straight U.S. Open (Note 1: the Rules of Golf do not differentiate between rough and fairway, both of which are covered by the definition "Through the Green". Note 2: Kite eventually won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1992). Some rules changes are attributed to unusual situations found during play, and perhaps some are changed as a result of a top player's performance. For instance, some changes in the last 25 years, include that a caddy may not stand behind the player, in direct line to his line of play, while the player is making a stroke. I'm not sure on whether Johnny Miller's closing 63 at Oakmont C.C. during the 1973 U.S. Open that won him the Championship, had anything to do with this decision or not (Andy Navarro, his caddy, used to stand still behind Johnny Miller's ball, blocking distractions); but I do know that the next year, at Winged Foot C.C., the USGA toughened the course so much, that Hale Irwin won the Championship with 7 over par! (and no, there weren't any 63's at Winged Foot). Perhpas next time you see Miller on NBC narrating a golf tournament, you may want to call him and ask him if he had anything to do with the USGA's decision to not allow caddies behind the player, I'm sure he'd like to know that you think he "had something to do with it!" Above, in the first paragraph, I have inserted a link to The Rules of Golf Quizes (click on the word "Rules") you don't need to go to anything but the basic ones (10 simple questions). It will be fun. The "expert" here, missed one in the first quiz, so here is a tip: READ THE WHOLE QUESTION!
Friday, March 6, 2009
RULES QUIZ...
I just came back from a 3 day Rules of Golf Seminar and a 3 hour, 70 questions test on the fourth day. I can brag about this: I am pretty decent at the basic Rules of Golf (I scored 66 out o
f 70) and I can cover most "normal" situations without problems; but no, I would not venture myself to be a Rules Official at a national event which John Speary (PGA Sun Country Section Director), calls "Hours of Boredom with Moments of Terror". Listen, you do not want to give Tiger Woods and Co. an incorrect ruling! Or, for that reason, to John Doe, who is in the final match of the Albuquerque City Championship, it doesn't matter, the outcome is important to everybody.
The Rules Seminar was presented by none other than Genger Fahleson (Dir. of Rules Education at the USGA) and two PGA Professionals who are called to officiate tough events: Bob Korbel (Port St. Lucie, FL) and Mike Healy (Sarasota, FL).
Many of you are familiar with "TV Rulings" and it is always interesting. When there is something strange for the average golfer, I get calls to discuss the decision. Mostly, all decisions are right, and I can only recall one that was wrong, but it was only due to the "fact finding part": during the 1994 U.S. Open, the President of the USGA gave the wrong ruling to Ernie Els, the eventual champion, by allowing him to drop away from an obstruction that was movable, and not immovable, as everyone thought. Since then, in all "Notice to Competitors" sheets, the USGA prints which objects or equipment will be deemed movable or immovable.
One ruling for which I got a bunch of calls ("Hey Pro! How can he drop back in the fairway?"), was in 1989, also during the final round of the U.S. Open. In this occasion, Tom Kite (pictured)the 54 hole leader, pulled his second shot, into deep rough, several yards off the fairway. His ball ended up in casual water, but, when the nearest point of relief was measured, he was back in the fairway! He pitched close and parred the hole, nonetheless, Curtis Strange came from behind and won his second straight U.S. Open (Note 1: the Rules of Golf do not differentiate between rough and fairway, both of which are covered by the definition "Through the Green". Note 2: Kite eventually won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1992). Some rules changes are attributed to unusual situations found during play, and perhaps some are changed as a result of a top player's performance. For instance, some changes in the last 25 years, include that a caddy may not stand behind the player, in direct line to his line of play, while the player is making a stroke. I'm not sure on whether Johnny Miller's closing 63 at Oakmont C.C. during the 1973 U.S. Open that won him the Championship, had anything to do with this decision or not (Andy Navarro, his caddy, used to stand still behind Johnny Miller's ball, blocking distractions); but I do know that the next year, at Winged Foot C.C., the USGA toughened the course so much, that Hale Irwin won the Championship with 7 over par! (and no, there weren't any 63's at Winged Foot). Perhpas next time you see Miller on NBC narrating a golf tournament, you may want to call him and ask him if he had anything to do with the USGA's decision to not allow caddies behind the player, I'm sure he'd like to know that you think he "had something to do with it!" Above, in the first paragraph, I have inserted a link to The Rules of Golf Quizes (click on the word "Rules") you don't need to go to anything but the basic ones (10 simple questions). It will be fun. The "expert" here, missed one in the first quiz, so here is a tip: READ THE WHOLE QUESTION!
f 70) and I can cover most "normal" situations without problems; but no, I would not venture myself to be a Rules Official at a national event which John Speary (PGA Sun Country Section Director), calls "Hours of Boredom with Moments of Terror". Listen, you do not want to give Tiger Woods and Co. an incorrect ruling! Or, for that reason, to John Doe, who is in the final match of the Albuquerque City Championship, it doesn't matter, the outcome is important to everybody.
The Rules Seminar was presented by none other than Genger Fahleson (Dir. of Rules Education at the USGA) and two PGA Professionals who are called to officiate tough events: Bob Korbel (Port St. Lucie, FL) and Mike Healy (Sarasota, FL).
Many of you are familiar with "TV Rulings" and it is always interesting. When there is something strange for the average golfer, I get calls to discuss the decision. Mostly, all decisions are right, and I can only recall one that was wrong, but it was only due to the "fact finding part": during the 1994 U.S. Open, the President of the USGA gave the wrong ruling to Ernie Els, the eventual champion, by allowing him to drop away from an obstruction that was movable, and not immovable, as everyone thought. Since then, in all "Notice to Competitors" sheets, the USGA prints which objects or equipment will be deemed movable or immovable.
One ruling for which I got a bunch of calls ("Hey Pro! How can he drop back in the fairway?"), was in 1989, also during the final round of the U.S. Open. In this occasion, Tom Kite (pictured)the 54 hole leader, pulled his second shot, into deep rough, several yards off the fairway. His ball ended up in casual water, but, when the nearest point of relief was measured, he was back in the fairway! He pitched close and parred the hole, nonetheless, Curtis Strange came from behind and won his second straight U.S. Open (Note 1: the Rules of Golf do not differentiate between rough and fairway, both of which are covered by the definition "Through the Green". Note 2: Kite eventually won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1992). Some rules changes are attributed to unusual situations found during play, and perhaps some are changed as a result of a top player's performance. For instance, some changes in the last 25 years, include that a caddy may not stand behind the player, in direct line to his line of play, while the player is making a stroke. I'm not sure on whether Johnny Miller's closing 63 at Oakmont C.C. during the 1973 U.S. Open that won him the Championship, had anything to do with this decision or not (Andy Navarro, his caddy, used to stand still behind Johnny Miller's ball, blocking distractions); but I do know that the next year, at Winged Foot C.C., the USGA toughened the course so much, that Hale Irwin won the Championship with 7 over par! (and no, there weren't any 63's at Winged Foot). Perhpas next time you see Miller on NBC narrating a golf tournament, you may want to call him and ask him if he had anything to do with the USGA's decision to not allow caddies behind the player, I'm sure he'd like to know that you think he "had something to do with it!" Above, in the first paragraph, I have inserted a link to The Rules of Golf Quizes (click on the word "Rules") you don't need to go to anything but the basic ones (10 simple questions). It will be fun. The "expert" here, missed one in the first quiz, so here is a tip: READ THE WHOLE QUESTION!
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