Local Rules and the Ball…

In my last article, I said that many organizations have a local rule concerning the obligation of using a Driver that is identified on an approved list. Most of the Drivers are on that list. But we may put also in effect a local rule asking for a ball to be also on a list. This may be a bigger problem than the Drivers.

THE RULE OF GOLF

Rule 4.2a stipulated that a player must play with a conforming ball. Any ball that appeared on the list is considered conforming forever unless the Rules of Golf make a change on the characteristics of a golf ball. Even if the ball was manufactured many years ago.

THE LOCAL RULE G-3

An organization may put into effect that the ball must be on THE LIST of conforming ball. Most of the balls manufactured a few years ago are not on the list anymore because manufacturer must have their ball approved each year. If you play in an evet with G-3 in effect and you are playing a Spalding Canada Cup or even a Titleist Balata, you will be disqualified under this Local Rule, but you are OK if this local rule is not in effect.

THE PROBLEM WITH USED BALL

– Practice balls: even if it is marked PRACTICE on the ball, it is considered the same ball as the one listed on the official list.

– REFURBISHED BALLS: these balls are conforming but if the organization adopted the Local Rule G-3, these balls are illegal. Some stores sell those balls at a very good price.

COMMENT

Golf clubs and junior organizations should never put that local rule in effect because any ball found in the woods must be identified and it happens very often that the ball is not on the list anymore.

HOW LONG CAN WE SEARCH FOR A BALL?

A few weeks ago, at the Wells Fargo Championship, Sergio Garcia was looking for his ball and a referee indicated to the player that his ball was lost because it took more than 3 minutes to find it. Garcia argued that the clock should have stopped when he was trying to cross a creek. The referee did not accept the argument.

HOW SHOULD THE TIME CLOCK WORK?

A player has 3 minutes for find his ball. The time starts when the player or his caddy is on site and searching. In the discussions, the referee did not consider the fact that a tv technician told Garcia that his ball was on the other side of the creek and Garcia took at least a minute to find a way to cross the creek.

In that case, the timer should have been stopped to give time to go on the other side.

COMMENT:

A few years ago, I had a ruling to give to Garcia and his temperament is not easy. It is very tough for us to take time to listen to him. But in the incident at Well Fargo, he was right, but I can only imagine how the discussion went. Referees are trained to listen, but we are all human….and we sometimes make wrong decisions.