The 2020 golf season started late July. I worked in a few Amateur tournaments and many professional competitions from East Coast Pro Tour (ECPT) and Great Lakes Tour (GLT). The season is not finished yet on the GLT.
In all those tournaments, players need help for a cart path relief. Many players also want to know if they can remove loose impediments in penalty areas.
In Amateur tournaments, a few balls did not go in the hole because the ball rebounded on the flagstick. Unfortunately, the ball was not holed.
Rule 1.2b Code of Conduct
A few warnings were given to players because of the restrictions due to Covid-19, but I did not give any penalties. I had only one problem with a misconduct, but a warning was enough to solve the problem.
Rule 1.3c (4) Applying Penalties to Multiple Breaches of the Rules
The ball was in the rough, in taking his stance, the player accidently moved the ball (penalty: 1 stroke). He played the ball from the new spot (wrong place – 2 strokes penalty). Because the two penalties are related, the total penalty is 2 strokes.
Rule 4.1a Clubs Allowed in Making a Stroke
The adjustment screws, on a driver, were displaced. The player was allowed to fix them back to the original position.
Rule 4.1b …Replacing Clubs During Round
On hole # 3, the player breaks his driver’s shaft. He asked if he could go to his car to pick up a replacement club. I told him to wait between holes # 9 et # 10, but it must not affect in any way, the Pace of Play.
Rule 6.3c Wrong Ball
In 4 occasions in the season, players got a penalty of 2 strokes for playing a wrong ball. Even if the ball was played from a penalty area or a bunker, the player is always responsible for playing the right ball. I also had a case where 2 players in the same group played each other’s ball. Both players are penalized in Stroke Play.
Rule 7.3 Lifting Ball to Identify it
In order to identify his ball, the player rotated the ball without marking it. The ball did not move. The penalty is 1 stroke because the player is not allowed to intentionally touch his ball unless it is marked.
Rule 8.1 Player’s Actions That Improve Conditions Affecting the Stroke
Last week, in a tournament in Toronto, a player found his ball in the rough. He took out a few weeds that were attached to the ground. I had to give a penalty of 2 strokes to the player even if the player had not made his stroke yet.
Rule 9.4 Ball Lifted or Moved by Player
During search, the player accidently moved his ball. Under Rule 9.4b, there is not penalty and the player must replace the ball. The player forgot to replace the ball and made the stroke in a wrong place. He incurred a penalty of 2 strokes
More Rulings on the 2020 season in the next weeks…