Topics Newsletter Nov/Dec 2010

TOPICS NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 19, NO. 4 - NOV / DEC 2010

Challenge Cup Matches - page 5

Smiling Fore Life Program - page 4

Florida State Senior Open - page 6

WHAT’S INSIDE: Sr. Challenge Cup Matches Lexmark Special Offer Member Spotlight Rules with Drew Chapter News ...and more!

Bobby Goodman Pro-Am - page 6

chip shots

NEW MEMBERS

The South Florida PGA would like to welcome the following new members to the Section: Donald Hepp, PGA Kyle Mills, PGA Mary Page, PGA Nathan Tyler, PGA Camilo Villegas, PGA Jonathan Davis, PGA Troy Francis, PGA Eric Massingill, PGA James Schultz, PGA Scott Scidmore, PGA

A-6 A-8 A-1 A-8 A-3 A-6 A-8 A-8 A-8 A-8

Jim McLean G School-Doral Miromar Lakes Golf Club Pelican Sound Golf&River Club Quail Valley Golf Club PGA Tour Okeeheelee Golf Course Hunters Run Golf & Racquet Cl. PGA Golf Club Bocaire Country Club Country Club of Naples

NEW APPRENTICES

The South Florida PGA would like to welcome the following new apprentices to the Section: Vincent Downie Frederick Gansz Jonathan Chapman Daniel Heaslip Brian Schuler Chris Shaul Daniel Steinsdoerfer

B-8 B-8 B-8 B-1 B-4 B-8 B-8

Eagle Creek Golf & CC Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course Naples Grande Golf Club Windstar on Naples Bay Plantation Preserve GC Westminster Golf Club Golf Club at Magnolia Landing

PGA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

The South Florida PGAwould like to congratulate Kevin Carlson, PGAon becoming certified in InstructionthroughthePGACertified Professional Program and BrianHughes,PGA forcompleting therequirementsforPGAMaster Professional and distinguishing himselfasanexpertinInstruction.

HALF CENTURY CLUB

The South Florida PGA would like to congratulate PGA members Robert Shields Sr. on joining the Half Century Club of the PGA of America, an elite group of memebers who have served The PGA with honor for 50 years.

QUARTER CENTURY CLUB

The South Florida PGA would like to congratulate PGA members Timothy Evans, Patrick Gorman, TJ Tomasi, Brian Gilchrist, and Danny Mullaly on joining the Quarter Century Club of the PGA of America, an elite group of memebers who have served The PGA with honor for 25 years.

IN MEMORY OF

Gil Cavanaugh, PGA passed away October 20, 2010 at the age of 84. Gil is survived by his wife Jerry Lynn Cavanaugh. PGA member Thomas Adrian passed away July 3, 2010 at the age of 67. Thomas is survived by his father Arthur Adrian. Jack Ross, PGA pased away June 10, 2010 at the age of 85. Jack is survived by his daughter Judith Jurgenson. The South Florida PGA sends its condolences and prayers to these three families.

APPRENTICE LEVELS Jonathan Chapman Shawn Costello Jonathan Davis, PGA Alejandro Fernandez Troy Francis, PGA Bradley Gardner Shawn Hall Pleasant Hughes Brian Newman Travis Olson Chad M Perkins Jose Reyes Brian Schuler James Schultz, PGA Scott Scidmore, PGA John Scott Christopher Stanko Jonathan Story Dylan Thew Chris Trout Nathan Tyler, PGA Nathan Wiegratz

PASSED

Naples Grande Golf Club Broken Sound Club - Old Course Okeeheelee Golf Course Crandon Golf Academy Hunters Run Golf & Racquet Cl. Bonita Bay Club Ballen Isles CC Everglades Club Del Tura Country Club Old Marsh Golf Club Country Club of Naples Orangebrook Golf Course Plantation Preserve GC Bocaire Country Club Country Club of Naples Miromar Lakes Golf Club The Fox Club Countryside G & CC Frenchman’s Creek Country Club Cypress Lake Country Club Quail Valley Golf Club Foxfire Country Club

N-0 R2 R3 R2 R3 R3 R2 R3 R3 R1 R1 R1 N-0 R3 R3 R1 R1 R1 R2 R1 R3 R1

contact information SOUTH FLORIDA SECTION, PGA OF AMERICA 186 Atlantis Boulevard Atlantis, FL / 33462 PHONE / FAX 561-729-0544 / 561-729-0914 EMAIL sflorida@pgahq.com WEBSITE www.sflorida.pga.com PRESIDENT Stephen A. Cox, PGA VICE PRESIDENT Brian Peaper, PGA SECRETARY Warren Bottke, PGA IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Jeff Raimer, PGA SOUTHERN CHAPTER PRESIDENT Dick McNeill, PGA SOUTHEAST CHAPTER PRESIDENT Rick Heard, PGA SOUTHWEST CHAPTER PRESIDENT Bill Constantine, PGA ISLAND CHAPTER PRESIDENT Aaron West, PGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Geoff Lofstead ADVISORY BOARD Paul Anderson Dean Baker Rick Bayliss Ed D’Alessandro, PGA Ira Kaplan Jim Maitland Jim O’Connor Craig Perna Steve Sponder Harry Tempkins Roger Woonton

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chip shots section news

PRO

Laurie Hammer Bradley McCallum Richard Dickenson Louis Bartoletti Nicholas Stokke David Snyder Brian Kelley Craig Morton Kenneth Smythe Gary Axelrod Carey Ruffer Reid Johnson Douglas Main Scott Schmidt Kim O’Neil Andrew Zullo Trevor S. Johnson Scott Newhouse Arthur Waldon IV Travis Wilson William Safrin Brian Moll Bill Friesing Darrin Fedorchak

PRO’S ON THE GO

TO

Life Member A-1 – Delray Dunes G & CC A-1 – Delray Dunes G & CC A-8-Delray Dunes G & CC B-1 – Seven Bridges @ Springtree B-8 – Plantation Preserve GC A-13 – Seven Bridges @ Springtree A-4 – Plantation Preserve GC B-1 – Valencia G & CC B-8 – Valencia GC A-1 – Boca Country Club A-4 – Georgia Section A-4 – Ballen Isles CC A-1 – Colonial CC B-1 – The Colony G & CC B-8 – The Colony G & CC A-1 – Osprey Point Golf Course A-14- The World Golf Institute A-4 – Boca Country Club A-1 – The Woodlands A-6 – Mizner Country Club A-1 – Southwinds Golf Crs A-1 – The Floridian, Palm City A-8 – The Floridian Life Member A-9 – Michigan Section A-4 - Riviera Country Club A-1 – Carolinas Section A-13 – Sun N’ Lake Golf Club A-1 – North Florida Section A-4 – Bay Colony GC, Naples A-4 – Shadow Wood Country Club A-1 – Bay Colony Golf Club A-8 – Bay Colony Golf Club A-4 – The Club at TwinEagles unattached A-13 – Riviera Golf Club A-8 – Minnesota Section A-1 – Gateway Golf Club A-8 – Gateway Golf Club A-1 – Naples National GC (Dual) A-1 Dual Member – New England Section A-1 – Plantation Preserve GC A-8 – Plantation Preserve GC A-1 – CC of Coral Springs A-14 – The World Golf Institute unattached A-1 – The Club at Olde Cypress

GOLF LICENSE PLATE PROGRAM

The South Florida PGA has partnered with the Golf License Plate Program to help promote the plate to Florida residents. Did you know that for every Golf License Plate sold in the state of Florida $25 goes to the Florida Junior Golf Council in support of junior golf throughout the state? We encourage every facility in our Section to display information about the Golf License Plate program. Please contact the Section office if you’d like marketing materials for display. Also, grants are available for PGA professionals conducting junior golf camps, clinics, etc. and more information can be found by visiting http://www.fjgc.org/.

LEE RINKER TOUR CARD

FROM

EARNS

CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to Lee Rinker, PGA Director of Golf at Emerald Dunes Golf Club who finished tied for 2nd at Champions Tour Q-School at TPC Eagle Trace. Lee shot 68-69-66-72-275 to secure his card and exempt status on the Champions Tour for 2011.

Click here for full field results.

SEPTEMBER 2011 TRAVEL PRO-AM TO SPAIN

Entries are now being accepted for the 2011 Travel Pro-Am to Spain, Sept. 3rd-10th, 2011. This event will feature 6 nights at a 5 star deluxe hotel, and 5 rounds of golf, including Valderrama and Finca Cortesin.

The event is open to the first 18 teams of four. For complete details and entry form please visit the home page of sflorida.pga.com.

quote of the month “Golf is 90% inspiration and 10% perspiration.”

-Johnny Miller professional golfer

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education Fall Education Seminar On Monday, November 8th the South Florida PGA conducted the Fall Education Seminar Supported by Flexor at Atlantis Country Club. This seminar featured North Florida PGA Professional, Mike Bender, Director of Instruction at the Mike Bender Golf Academy and PGA of America 2009 Teacher of the Year, along with support Sponsor Flexor. Over sixty PGA Professionals attended the seminar and obtained valuable knowledge about the golf swing, and teaching players of all skill levels.

South Florida PGA Education Chairperson, Chris Toulson stated that “Mike Bender’s enthusiasm, experience, and knowledge was quite evident during his presentation to our members. It was a great pleasure having him down and we all appreciate his time and willingness to share.”

Thank you to sponsor Flexor and featured speaker Mike Bender for making the event a success. Images: bottom left: featured speaker Mike Bender, PGA. Bottom Right: Flexor Representative Scott Shepard.

Smiling Fore Life - Joe DiMaggio Since May local PGA Professionals Dave Cunliffe, Chad Kurmel, and Don Law have been visiting the Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital in Hollywood twice a month providing golf to pediatric patients on the fourth floor.

This new program called “Smiling Fore Life” was created as a way of getting PGA Professionals more involved in the community and growing the game of golf. Most of the patients that our PGA Professionals work with at Joe DiMaggio are oncology patients who cannot participate in other sport activities. Providing golf to them has given them an opportunity to get their mind off of their struggles and learn a game that they can take with them for life.

PGA Professional, Chad Kurmel says, “Being associated with the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital has been a wonderful experience. It allows us the opportunity to represent the PGA and South Florida Section brand to the hospital, staff, families and visitors.

It is fulfilling to know that we can take the worries and stress away from the patients and families for that one hour that we are there. It is a chance for some of them to learn the game and others to reconnect to the game. It has been a privilege to teach golf at the hospital and we look forward to continuing the program and working with the patients and families.”

In early 2011 the Section desires to expand this program to the Miami Children’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Children Hospital and the west coast. If anyone is interested

in getting involved please contact Meredith at the Section office at 561-729-0544.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is a world-class hospital that has earned the distinction of being the leading children’s hospital in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

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tournament news Challenge Cup Matches

South Florida PGA pros got off to a fast start October 12-13 at Bay Colony Golf Club enroute to a 14-10 victory over their North Florida PGA peers in the 30th annual 2010 Challenge Cup matches.

Tied at 6-6 after the first day’s fourball and foursomes matches, the SFPGA earned four wins and two halves in the first six singles matches the second day. Each team won three of the last six.

The South’s Joe Allinder, head professional at Spring Run Golf Club in Bonita Springs, was the only player on either team to win all three of his matches this year. Jon Arthur shot a hole-in-one with a driver on the 14th hole, a 288 yard par 4.

Special thanks to Jack Nicklaus Apparel for providing the SFPGA's Challenge Cup uniforms.

The South Florida Section’s Challenge Cup team.

Back Row (L to R): Scott Richardson, Dennis Meyer, Ken Martin, Jerry Tucker, Alan Morin, Chris Toulson, Geoff Lofstead Front Row (L to R): Jon Arthur, Jay Westerlund, JD Murray, Wes Smith, Joe Allinder, Derek Niszczak The South Florida PGA remained unbeaten in the Sr Challenge Cup matches, winning for the fifth time in a row by scoring a 19-11 victory over the North Florida PGA at the West Bay Club.

With the two PGA sections taking turns as hosts, the SFPGA now has a 20-8 advantage with two matches tied. The NFPGA has not won since 1999. No site or date has been chosen for the 2011 matches.

Senior Challenge Cup Matches

Image: The South Florida Section’s Senior Challenge Cup team.

(L to R): Tom Cleaver, John Calabria, Ed Humenik, Doug Reed, Roger Kennedy, Ken Martin, Joe Bostic, Billy Ziobro, Marion Heck, Gary Baker, Lynn Rosely, Steve Waugh

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tournament news Florida State Senior Open Local favorite Gene Fieger, who turned 50 in June, scored his first victory in senior golf Oct. 17th when he won the 34th annual Florida State Senior Open at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club. Twotime former champion Ed Sabo of Tequesta, playing in the group in front of Fieger’s threesome, closed with his second straight 68 and took second at 210. Ken Martin of Wellington, the first round leader, was third at 74-211 followed at 214 by Mike San Filippo of Hobe Sound, a three-time champion (2004 and 2007-08), and Mike Dopslaff of Naples, both with final round scores of 70.

There were 150 entries, pros and amateurs 50 years and older. Competition was in six age groups.

Image (L to R): Dan Smith, Low Amateur, Gene Fieger, Champion, Roger Kennedy, Senior Chair Person, George Willard, PGA Head Professional at the Naples Beach Club

Bobby Goodman Pro-Am

Image (L to R): Tracy Henning, Ron Bak- Image (L to R): Gary Baker, Roger Kennedy, Senior er, Skip Mountcastle, not pictured: Buddy Chairperson Mountcastle

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junior news

SFPGA Junior Tour presented by The Honda Classic Event #10 Presented by:

Supported by:

The South Florida PGA Junior Tour presented by the Honda Classic hosted Event #11 at The Fountains Country Club in Lake Worth. The North Course at the 54-hole facility provided for an excellent test of golf throughout the two day event.

Derron Peyton of Boynton Beach was able to hold off last event's winner Steven McPoyle of Lake Worth to win the Boys Overall Division. Peyton carded a final round 1-under 70 for a two day total of 141 to claim victory over McPoyle. Dominick Vennari of Stuart finished in third with a two day total of 144.

Claiming the girls overall division was Ashley Burke of Boynton Beach. Burke was able to come from behind with a final Overall winners Derron Peyton and Ashley Burke with round 69 to take the title by The Fountains CC PGA Director of Golf Joe Roux two strokes. Laura Kanouse of Boca Raton finished closely behind with a two day total of 145. Samantha Smolen of Lake Worth kept it close as well finishing in third with a two day total of 146.

The Boys 12-13 Age Division was not short on great play as Michael Conforti of Palm Beach Gardens won the event after firing a second round 67. Conforti finished the tournament with a two day total of 140. Andrew Kozan of Palm Beach Gardens, Stefano Butti of Palm City, and Daniel Whelan of Coral Springs also played well finishing tied for second with a two day total of 145.

In the Girls 12-13 Age Divison Emily Faulkner of Palm City carded rounds of 78 and 76 to win by three strokes. Coming in second was Story Shaw of West Palm Beach with a two day total of 157. Reagan Jahn of Jupiter finished third with a two day total of 161. Special thanks to The Fountains CC PGA Director of Golf Joe Roux and Jay Himelberger, Head PGA Professional.

The South Florida PGA Junior Tour is proudly presented by The Honda Classic and supported by Titleist, Don Law Golf Improvement Center, Allianz Championship, The Fun Group at Mirasol, and ParKit Golf.

Andrew Kozan practices his short game prior to round 2.

Ashley Burke lines up a putt on her way to the Girls Overall Title, her second of the year.

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Lexmark Pilots Retail Printing Solutions with South Florida PGA Section

The South Florida PGA Section office just kicked off a pilot project with Lexmark International to implement their Retail Solutions for Golf on a Lexmark X738de multifunction printer. This pilot is one of six being conducted with PGA Section offices and PGA Professional-staffed facilities. From these pilots, Lexmark hopes to gain insight into the Section and facility-level output needs as well as find ways of how Lexmark’s products and solutions can improve business flow, increase productivity and drive down printing costs. These pilots will also demonstrate the ease-of-use and effectiveness of Lexmark Retail Solutions for Golf and the positive impact on sales as a result.

Lexmark Retail Solutions for Golf enable facilities to produce attractive signage for merchandising, hospitality and event marketing – all printed in-house and in just minutes. Lexmark’s high-speed printers with hosted solutions give you instant access to a repository of customizable sign templates. These solutions can create banners, flyers, course maps with daily pin placements, customized scorecards and even weather forecasts. Plus, you can create visually unique signage for special events, food service specials, tournaments and other unique opportunities.

The South Florida PGA Section office is utilizing this solution on a Lexmark X738de color multifunction printer.

This product prints, copies, scans and faxes in both black and color, and also provides outstanding performance and value. It prints up to 35 pages per minute in both black and color, has duplex printing and scanning capability, and comes standard with an 80GB hard disk for expanded functionality.

“We are happy to participate in this pilot program and we hope South Florida PGA members will take advantage of Lexmark as The Official Printing Technology Provider ofThe PGAofAmerica. Our machine is fantastic, and the capabilities have already made our Section office more productive and functional,” said Geoff Lofstead, Executive Director of the South Florida Section Office.

Lexmark began their partnership with The PGA of America in June 2010 as its Official Printing Technology Provider. Over a three-year period, Lexmark will serve as the exclusive provider of printers and multifunction products, associated solutions and supplies to The PGA of America and PGA Professionals.

Lexmark will also showcase its most current technology to optimize the printing environments at The PGA’s Major Championship events.

With the support of the pilot locations and Section offices, Lexmark hopes to strengthen its relationship with The PGA of America and expand the use of its products and solutions across PGA Professional-staffed facilities and merchandisers. The performance of Lexmark’s technology is cutting-edge, the benefits are endless and the results are unmatched.

LEXMARK PURCHASE PROGRAM Lexmark’s special pricing program for PGA Professionals and their facilities includes Lexmark lasers, inkjets, multifunction printers and associated supplies ordered through the OfficeMax PGA Advantage Program. Through this exclusive pricing program, you pay only the dealer invoice price on products and supplies.

OfficeMax PGA Advantage Program participants may utilize the current ordering process for purchasing. If you do not have an OfficeMax account through the OfficeMax PGA Advantage Program and want to learn how to participate, visit the OfficeMax page on PGALinks. com under PGA Benefits-Facility.

Contact Lexmark: 1-877-LEX-PGA1 www.lexmark.com/pga

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Customized, award-winning, proven printers and solutions for The PGA.

Visit us at lexmark.com/pga to learn more about Lexmark’s special pricing program for PGA Professionals and their facilities.

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member spotlight

getting to know the kids and improving their game each day.”

Ryan found this opportunity on PGALinks.com while searching for summertime employment. “It’s really slow in South Florida around the summertime. When I found this chance to travel, I didn’t want to pass it up.”

For more information on the Bhutan Youth Golf Association, please visit www.golfbhutan.com.

Images: PGA member Ryan Billings with some of his students at the Royal Thimphu Golf Course in Thimphu

PGA member Ryan Billings, Hobe Sound Golf Club's Assistant Professional, traveled last year to Bhutan, a small Asian country of about 600,000 people, to teach the game of golf to children.

While there, Ryan had the opportunity to teach about 25 children per week the game of golf... on the only complete 9 hole course in the country.

Ryan traveled with the The Bhutan Youth Golf Association. The mission of the BYGA is to To share golf with the youth of Bhutan, and through the game teach Bhutan's children to express friendship, honesty, integrity, morality and self-motivation.

Ryan spent his summer teaching an after school golf program and developing relationships with Bhutan children."This was an incredibly rewarding summer. I loved

chapter news

Wednesday, November 17 th was the third and final Island Chapter tournament series event, held at el Conquistador.

Island Chapter newcomer, Max Alverio from Palmas del Mar won the event carding a 73. PGA Director of Golf from Trump International, Alberto Rios finished second with a (+3) 75, PGA Director of Golf at Dorado del Mar, Aaron West finished third @ (+4) 76, and PGA Director of Golf at Caguas Real, Brian Shaver rounded out the top four with (+5) 77. Thank you to El Conquistador and their PGA Director of Golf, Seth Henrich for their support.

On Thursday, November 18th the Annual Liberty Cablevision Pro-Am was held at Rio Mar CC, and the top 3 places went to Fernando Bobonis who finished third with a 74, Jason Tobar who finished second with a 73, and Aaron West who was the

overall winner. Thank you to Liberty Cablevision Puerto Rico and the 19 professionals who participated in the event. This event helped raise over $105,000 for local charities. A special thanks goes to the Rio Mar staff Rafael Prestamo, Herminio Figueroa and Victor Ramos for all their help and support with the event.

Finally the third major championship of the 2010 season took place Sunday, November 21, 2010. The re-scheduled Island Chapter Intra-Island Inter Club pitted (15) nine man teams from different clubs and organizations on the island. Finishing in third place was the team from Dorado del Mar Golf Club with a score of 545. In second place was The Plantation Club with a score of 544 and the winning team was Caguas Real with a score of 539 represented by professional Eduardo Figueroa. In the professional division Fernando Bobonis and Miguel Colon Jr. finished fourth with a 74. Finishing in a tie for seconder were Joel Ortiz and Max Alverio with (+1) 73, and the 2010 Island Chapter Intra Island Inter Club Aaron West (even) 72.

Thank you to sponsors Medalla, Don q, passoa, Cointreau, Svedka, CocaCola, Bebo’s Bar-b-que, Conquistador, Rio Mar, Dorado del Mar, Titleist and Liberty Cablevision.

Aaron West, PGA Island Chapter President

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education rules with drew

Serious Breach

SFPGA TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR ANDREW MILLER

Back in October the Nationwide Tour invited me to work the Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open presented

by Planters which took place at TPC Sawgrass on the Valley course. This was the last full field event on the schedule before the top 60 players on the Nationwide Tour competed in the Tour Championship the following week. This experience, similar to my other ones with the Tour produced some very interesting rulings that I wanted to share in this month’s segment.

During round three of the championship I was monitoring pace of play near the par three fifth hole when I noticed some players huddled on the fourth green with their caddies. The situation perked my interest so I decided to inch my cart down the hill towards the green. One of the players looked up, saw me and waved me over. I got out of my cart, walked over to the players and asked if they needed some help. One of the players told me he had marked the position of his ball, lifted it, cleaned it and then replaced his ball behind another players ball mark. He made a stroke at the ball from that position and then realized his mistake.

I said, “Ok, you’ve just played a ball from a wrong place and must continue play with that ball played from the wrong place adding a penalty of two strokes to your score.” The player nodded his head in agreement and said, “For whatever reason I was excited to hit my putt and just didn’t pay any attention to whose ball mark I was placing my ball behind.” I then asked, “Well, where is your ball mark?” He pointed to his ball mark which was a good 10 feet away from (further from the hole) where he had putted from.

I was sort of stunned at his response and a little embarrassed that I didn’t ask that question first. I told the player that since he had putted from a spot significantly closer to the hole than where his ball lay, he was guilty of a serious breach of playing from a wrong place. I saw the look of concern on the players face when I said the words, “serious breach” and immediately told him it was ok. I told him his stroke played from a wrong place did not count and that he must pick up his ball played from the wrong place and place it behind his ball mark adding a penalty of two strokes to his score. Normally a member of the committee is not available to determine on the spot if a player was guilty of a serious breach. So, if this were to happen to you or a member at your club, Rule 20-7 tells us that, “If a competitor becomes aware that he has played from a wrong place and believes that he may have committed a serious breach, he must, before making a stroke on the next teeing ground, play out the hole with a second ball played in accordance with the Rules.” The player must then report the facts to the committee upon returning his scorecard.

Later that day I was patrolling on the par five eighth hole when a player waved me over. His ball was nestled among some bushes and trees on a severe slope.

He told me he wanted to declare his ball unplayable and needed some help with his options. I told him he could either go back to where he had just played from (the tee), drop his ball within two club lengths no nearer the hole than where the ball lay or drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point between the hole the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped.

The first option really wasn’t good because that was over 300 yards away and the third option really wasn’t good either because the area where he would have had to drop was a dense forest. So he chose the second option and measured the two club lengths back up the hill toward the fairway. Before dropping he asked at what point would he be permitted to redrop? I told him he would be allowed to re-drop if his ball rolled more than two club lengths from where it first struck a part of the course. He nodded his head, raised his arm to shoulder height and dropped his ball. As the ball was trickling back down the hill towards the area from where he just took relief the player started to bend down and extended his arms as if he wanted to stop the rolling ball. I immediately told him, “No. Don’t stop the ball; it hasn’t rolled more than two lengths yet.” He pulled his hands back and let the ball come to rest just short of the area from which he was taking relief.

We went through the process of measuring to determine whether the ball rolled more than two club

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rules cont. lengths but I knew it hadn’t and he was going to have to either play the ball as it lay or deem it unplayable for a second time. It was definitely a bad break but Decision 28/3 tells us, “That if a ball dropped under Rule 28 comes to rest in the original position or in another position from where it is unplayable, the player must either play the ball as it lies or again invoke Rule 28.” He decided to play the ball as it lay.

Given the situation, what would have been the ruling had the player stopped his dropped ball? Decision 20-2c/4 tells us, “There is no penalty if the player or caddie stops a dropped ball after it has rolled to a position from which the player would be required to re-drop it under Rule 20-2c, provided it is reasonable to assume that the ball would not return to a position at which Rule 20-2c would be inapplicable. However, if a player or caddie acts prematurely and stops a dropped ball before it has reached such a position, the player incurs a penalty of two strokes under Rule 1-2 and must play the ball from the spot where it was stopped.”

The last situation I encountered wasn’t a rules inquiry but I wanted to share it with you to introduce one of the unwritten rules of golf officiating.

The situation took place on the eighth hole as I was watching a player, his fellow competitor and both their caddies deliberating over how to take relief from a sprinkler head. I maneuvered my cart into a position where the players could see me and I continued to watch. The third competitor in the group said to his caddie but loud enough for me to hear, “I don’t know why he is just sitting there and not helping them?” I didn’t say anything to the player because it was neither the time nor the place to explain the duties of rules officials.

As a rule of thumb, rules officials don’t get involved with rulings unless asked by the players. The only time a rules official would jump into a ruling without being asked is if he sees a player about to breach a rule. A seasoned official practices preventative officiating rather than watching a player breach a rule and then inform the player of his/her breach. In addition to preventative officiating, a rules official is there to interpret the rules of golf for the players and make rulings when necessary. Rule 6-1 states, “The player and his caddie are responsible for knowing the rules.” Can you imagine how slow a round of golf would be if Rule 6-1 wasn’t in the book? So, the next time you’re playing a competitive round of golf and you and your fellow competitors are deliberating on a ruling with a rules official standing idly by, don’t be surprised if he doesn’t get involved. He is acting under the assumption of Rule 6-1.

In closing I would like to wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to sharing more rules situations in 2011.

p.a.t. passers

Congratulations to those who passed their Player Ability Test October 1st at San Carlos Golf Club:

Kris Andreu Josh Belau Brittany Bertilson Manoj Bhatti Michael Cavaseno Warren Chappuis Keith Clawson Zachary Edenfield Donald Erdman Michael Frattarelli Dean Fry Alexandre Giguere Wyler Gins Joseph Glass Brett Graf Chris Hagy Joseph Hammer Kenneth Hendricks Kevin Hendricks Charles Hollinbeck Travis Hopson Eric Kasdin Scott Kash William Kuhn Robert Kusek Philip Lea Robert Lee Sam Logan Charles Miller Ryan Miller Connor Murphy Zachary Newman Andrew Pascoe Alvaro Puche Ricardo Ronderos Erin Ronsen Tony Serra Nicholas Silvin Sean Stewart Eberley Stonestreet Aaron Taylor Kody Tibbetts George Twyman Zack Walker Matthew Whalen Jacob Whitehouse

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