RULES NEWSLETTER
PART 3
Dear Member,
As there have been several changes to the Rules of Golf this year and various questions have been asked of committee members after competition rounds, it was agreed at a recent committee meeting that we would address some of the more common scenarios that occur when playing the Indiana Course, with a series of regular Rules Newsletters, of which this is the third in the series.
Part 1 (for those who missed it) can be found here and Part 2 can be found here
We all acknowledge that the Rules of Golf can be complex, at times perplexing, even occasionally irritating, but we hope that this series informs, enlightens and even, hopefully, entertains!
But more was yet to befall them, continued the Oldest Member, as he signaled for another Coke and told the waiting staff to charge it to George´s bar tab.
The 8th and 9th passed by unexcitedly, and our trio teed off on number 10. They strode off down the fairway talking with great gusto about the glory days of Leeds United.
When they reached Bob´s ball, he played yet another sweet lay-up shot, in perfect shape, just short of the barranca, but as they reached Chris´ ball, Chris looked down and said, “this is a Srixon, and I´m playing a Callaway. I know that´s John´s all the way over the bunkers, so, whose is this, and, where´s my ball? Oh, don´t say I’ve been unlucky again!”
Bob said, “oh ‘eck, I´m playing a Srixon, a number 2. I don´t have me proper glasses with me today, don’t say I’ve played your ball”.
“Well, this is a number 2”, replied Chris, “we’ll have to go walk up and check if you’ve played my ball”.
They walked up and confirmed that Bob had indeed played Chris’s ball by mistake, so they picked that ball up and returned to the spot Bob had hit from.
“At least, I outdrove you”, said Bob, as they were walking back.
“Aye, lad” said Chris, “but, not having your glasses is going to cost you 2 shots. You should have gone to Specsavers!”
When they reached the spot where Chris’s ball had finished, Bob said “remind me what to do”.
“Go to Specsavers”, replied Chris immediately.
“No, not that, you wazzock”, said Bob, “what do we do now”?
“Well, I get to replace my ball where it originally was and play from there as if you hadn’t hit my ball, you blind wazzock” grinned Chris.
“And, then, you get a 2 shot penalty for playing a Wrong Ball under Rule 6.3c, so you’re now playing 4 from where your ball is”.
It just goes to show, though (mused the Oldest Member), that you should never tempt fate by laughing at other golfers misfortunes, because Chris then promptly hit his ball in the same barranca that Bob had carefully laid up in front of, and when Bob made it up and down from yet another perfect lay up, they both ended up making very different 6’s and, still, there was very little between the three of them.
To be continued…
