Playing By the Rules

Happy New Year! Ringing in a new year wouldn’t be complete without at least one resolution being adopted. For golfers, truly becoming familiar with the rules of the game can be a great way to start the new year, and also serve as a means to enhance your understanding of the sport as well. Look no further than the professional ranks for a lesson or two about understanding, or in some cases misunderstanding, the rules, and the resulting ramifications.

Back in October, a few weeks after 16-year-old Michelle Wie turned pro on the LPGA circuit, she was disqualified from a tournament for not fully understanding the rules of the game, as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA). While competing in the Samsung World Championship in Palm Desert, California, Wie took a drop after her tee shot ended up in a lantana bush. The problem, she discovered later, was the location of her dropped ball, which ended up being closer to the hole than her original lie; three inches by her account and nearly a foot by official rulings. The resulting error should have been scored a two-stroke penalty. But since the rookie golfer never recorded that mishap, she was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard, which cost her $53,126 in prize money.

Granted, most weekend warriors are not going to split hairs regarding official rules. They are out there for the enjoyment. Since golf is the one sport where participants regulate their own play, rules have been developed to ensure that all participants play the same game. The rules have continually evolved since the first code was written back in 1744. However, remnants of the original 13 rules can still be seen today. Consider these from 261 years ago:

• You are not to change the ball which you strike off the tee.
• If a ball be stop’d by any person, horse, dog, or anything else, the ball so stop’d must be played where it lyes.
• He whose ball lyes farthest from the hole is obliged to play first.

To further aid in understanding the rules of golf, there’s a recently published book called Can I Get A Ruling? Golf Rules Revealed Through Others’ Mistakes. Written by Dave Marrandette, this candid look at various golf rules and their interpretation offers golfers of all caliber food for thought when on the course.

Marrandette points out that not many golfers have a working knowledge of the rules. He writes: “The ‘rules’ the average amateur follows in day-to-day play are frequently different from those adhered to by the ladies and gentlemen of professional and high-caliber amateur golf. This is partly due to circumstances and partly due to self-imposed indulgence. In reality, we modify the rules to suit the conditions of our play.”

In addition to pointing out case after case of professionals who didn’t know the rules and literally paid the price for their naiveté or ignorance, the author reminds us that the rules of golf reflect the spirit of the game. “In no other sport are players expected to police themselves concerning the rules. Every time he plays, each player tests not only the level of his physical ability, but also the level of his honesty and integrity,” writes Marrandette. (Can you imagine NBA players policing themselves? Perhaps with knives and guns!)

If nothing else, the author’s book is enlightening and educational. It’s anything but a mundane overview of the rulebook. Countless real world golfing situations are recapped to illustrate the intricacies of the game. There are also a few stories similar to Michelle Wie’s misfortune.

Dave Marrandette’s book Can I Get A Ruling? Golf Rules Revealed Through Others’ Mistakes is published by Clock Tower Press of Ann Arbor, Michigan. For information on the book, visit the publisher’s Web site at www.clocktowerpress.com.

The 19th Hole (and a few chip shots)
While on the topic of rules, every two years an update to the official rules book is published jointly by the USGA and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club. The USGA governs play in the U.S., its territories and Mexico, while the latter provides guidance for everywhere else in the world. Called the “Decisions on the Rules of Golf,” this year’s edition contains 111 changes. One change could have significant impact on tournament play. The use of distance measuring devices, most notably laser range-finders and GPS-based systems, will now be decided by local rulings, meaning that a tournament committee could allow their use during competition. A general interpretation is that tournaments held on courses that have GPS systems in their carts won’t have to disenable the systems, unless they so choose.

Along with the new year comes a host of golf shows. Here’s what’s on tap for the next few months. Running Feb. 10-12 at the Oregon Convention Center will be the Portland Golf Show. Later that month, the Southern California Golf Show takes place Feb. 24-26 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Two more shows are scheduled in March. The Northern California Golf Show is set for March 3-5 at the San Mateo County Expo Center. Then, green is the theme of the Seattle Golf Show, which takes place March 17-19 at Qwest Field Event Center, adjacent to the Seattle Seahawks’ football stadium, Qwest Field. All of these golf shows offer a lot of fun and interesting activities for visitors, not to mention a chance to purchase the latest gadgets and equipment. For more information on these upcoming golf shows, visit www.varsitycommunications.com or www.seattlegolfshow.com.

Rick Stedman is an avid RVer, golfer and writer who lives in Yakima, Washington. He can be reached at rick.stedman@charter.net