TOPICS NEWSLETTER - South Florida PGA Golf

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 A-6 Jim McLean G School-Doral
Kyle Mills, PGA A-8 Miromar Lakes Golf Club
Mary Page, PGA A-1 Pelican Sound Golf&River Club
Nathan Tyler, PGA A-8 Quail Valley Golf Club
Camilo Villegas, PGA A-3 PGA Tour
Jonathan Davis, PGA A-6 Okeeheelee Golf Course
Troy Francis, PGA A-8 Hunters Run Golf & Racquet Cl.
Eric Massingill, PGA A-8 PGA Golf Club
James Schultz, PGA A-8 Bocaire Country Club
Scott Scidmore, PGA A-8 Country Club of Naples
NEW APPRENTICES
The South Florida PGA would like to welcome the following new apprentices to the Section:
Vincent Downie B-8 Eagle Creek Golf & CC
Frederick Gansz B-8 Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course
Jonathan Chapman B-8 Naples Grande Golf Club
Daniel Heaslip B-1 Windstar on Naples Bay
Brian Schuler B-4 Plantation Preserve GC
Chris Shaul B-8 Westminster Golf Club
Daniel Steinsdoerfer B-8 Golf Club at Magnolia Landing
PGA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
The South Florida PGA would like to congratulate Kevin Carlson, PGA on becoming certified in Instruction
through the PGA Certified Professional Program and Brian Hughes, PGA for completing
the requirements for PGA Master Professional and distinguishing himself as an expert in Instruction.
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 PASSED
Jonathan Chapman Naples Grande Golf Club N-0
Shawn Costello Broken Sound Club - Old Course R2
Jonathan Davis, PGA Okeeheelee Golf Course R3
Alejandro Fernandez Crandon Golf Academy R2
Troy Francis, PGA Hunters Run Golf & Racquet Cl. R3
Bradley Gardner Bonita Bay Club R3
Shawn Hall Ballen Isles CC R2
Pleasant Hughes Everglades Club R3
Brian Newman Del Tura Country Club R3
Travis Olson Old Marsh Golf Club R1
Chad M Perkins Country Club of Naples R1
Jose Reyes Orangebrook Golf Course R1
Brian Schuler Plantation Preserve GC N-0
James Schultz, PGA Bocaire Country Club R3
Scott Scidmore, PGA Country Club of Naples R3
John Scott Miromar Lakes Golf Club R1
Christopher Stanko The Fox Club R1
Jonathan Story Countryside G & CC R1
Dylan Thew Frenchman’s Creek Country Club R2
Chris Trout Cypress Lake Country Club R1
Nathan Tyler, PGA
Nathan Wiegratz
Quail Valley Golf Club
Foxfire Country Club
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
2

chip shots
section news
PRO’S ON THE GO
PRO TO FROM
Laurie Hammer Life Member A-1 – Delray Dunes G & CC
Bradley McCallum A-1 – Delray Dunes G & CC A-8-Delray Dunes G & CC
Richard Dickenson B-1 – Seven Bridges @ Springtree B-8 – Plantation Preserve GC
Louis Bartoletti
A-13 – Seven Bridges @ Springtree A-4 – Plantation Preserve GC
Nicholas Stokke B-1 – Valencia G & CC B-8 – Valencia GC
David Snyder A-1 – Boca Country Club A-4 – Georgia Section
Brian Kelley A-4 – Ballen Isles CC A-1 – Colonial CC
Craig Morton B-1 – The Colony G & CC B-8 – The Colony G & CC
Kenneth Smythe A-1 – Osprey Point Golf Course A-14- The World Golf Institute
Gary Axelrod A-4 – Boca Country Club A-1 – The Woodlands
Carey Ruffer A-6 – Mizner Country Club A-1 – Southwinds Golf Crs
Reid Johnson A-1 – The Floridian, Palm City A-8 – The Floridian
Douglas Main Life Member A-9 – Michigan Section
Scott Schmidt A-4 - Riviera Country Club A-1 – Carolinas Section
Kim O’Neil A-13 – Sun N’ Lake Golf Club A-1 – North Florida Section
Andrew Zullo A-4 – Bay Colony GC, Naples A-4 – Shadow Wood Country Club
Trevor S. Johnson A-1 – Bay Colony Golf Club A-8 – Bay Colony Golf Club
Scott Newhouse A-4 – The Club at TwinEagles unattached
Arthur Waldon IV A-13 – Riviera Golf Club A-8 – Minnesota Section
Travis Wilson A-1 – Gateway Golf Club A-8 – Gateway Golf Club
William Safrin
A-1 – Naples National GC (Dual) A-1 Dual Member – New England Section
Brian Moll A-1 – Plantation Preserve GC A-8 – Plantation Preserve GC
Bill Friesing A-1 – CC of Coral Springs A-14 – The World Golf Institute
Darrin Fedorchak 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 EARNS CHAMPIONS
TOUR CARD
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
3

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.
4

tournament news
Challenge Cup Matches
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.
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
Senior 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.
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.
5

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 Baker,
Skip Mountcastle, not pictured: Buddy
Mountcastle
Image (L to R): Gary Baker, Roger Kennedy, Senior
Chairperson
6

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
round 69 to take the title by
two strokes. Laura Kanouse of
Overall winners Derron Peyton and Ashley Burke with
The Fountains CC PGA Director of Golf Joe Roux
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.
7

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 of The PGA of America. 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
8

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.
9

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
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.
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
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, Coca-
Cola, Bebo’s Bar-b-que, Conquistador, Rio Mar, Dorado del Mar, Titleist and
Liberty Cablevision.
Aaron West, PGA
Island Chapter President
10

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
11

ules 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
12

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