Golf

GUI release protocols for return to club competitions

Different Strokes: Phase 2 guidelines broadened, word of mouth, know the rules and more

A view of members playing at Bunclody Golf Club after courses reopened in Phase 1. Photo: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

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Philip Reid
Mon Jun 1 2020 - 13:58

A little sugarcoating to sweeten the wait for those observing the 5km limit has come with a minor adjustment to the Phase 2 protocols in the Republic of Ireland, with golf allowed to be played in fourballs from June 8th rather than limited to three-balls as it was in Phase 1.

The slight adjustment means that fourballs will be allowed at 14 minute intervals (which was not due to come into play until Phase 3 on June 29th) from June 8th, while the re-introduction of competitive golf is also on the cards on that date when, also, the distance limit is increased from 5km to 20km as part of the easing of measures.

In a press release welcoming the slight relaxations, a joint statement from the GUI and the ILGU has asked members to work with their clubs in how competitions are administered, with much of the work done by volunteers. “The task of administering competitions, performed by volunteer committee members, may be more labour intensive in the current circumstances. Golfers must be mindful, as a result, that additional time is likely to be required to finalise results and update handicaps,” it noted.

Since golf was first allowed back, play has been limited to casual golf. From June 8th, clubs can hold closed competitions, with open competitions returning in Phase 3 on June 29th.

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In competitions players will not swap scorecards, marking their own scores instead, while flagsticks will remain in and clubs will have an option to introduce a local rule allowing players to place within six inches in a bunker given the absence of rakes.

[ Read the full protocols for play and for competitions here. ]

Women’s Golf Day goes virtual

The changed global golfing reality is reflected in the move by those behind the Women’s Golf Day to hold it virtually, with the live event-date – which is seen as an important tool in getting girls and women into playing the sport – pushed back to September 1st.

The Women’s Golf Day movement are instead holding virtual events to celebrate its original June 2nd date, with exclusive video content featuring some of the biggest names in golf with interviews, tips and insights.

Another part of the initiative will be the hosting on an online auction that includes items such as green fees at Pinehurst, Bethpage and also Irish-centred auction packages taking in fourballs at Connemara links, Dromoland Castle and Castleknock, another featuring green frees and accommodation at Waterville Links and many golf memorabilia, among them signed Solheim Cup flags from the 2013 and 2018 matches. All proceeds from the online auction will be donated to Doctors With Borders/Médicins Sans Frontiers (MSF), who are responding to Covid-19 on multiple fronts.

By the numbers

5/5: In what will be a first for the event, all five top-ranked players in the world rankings – Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson – have committed to play the Charles Scwhab Challenge at Colonial next week. The tournament, which will be played behind closed doors, marks the restart of the PGA Tour which has been on hold since The Players was called after just one round due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Word of Mouth

“Is the European Tour bankrupt or running out of money? I would say, absolutely not. Of course we’ve been affected like millions of businesses the world over, but we’ve worked hard and been extremely responsible in our financial approach to this global crisis . . . . we’ve had a difficult time like everybody else. This is not an easy financial situation. But we have produced a strategy that has allowed us to do three things: it’s allowed us to navigate through this initial phase of the crisis and resurrect our 2020 schedule; it has helped us prepare for the short term in term of 2021 and of course helped us create a platform to help plan for the long term, for the future, from 2022 onwards” – the European Tour’s chief executive Keith Pelley on rebooting the season, starting with next month’s British Masters, the first of six events in a so-called “UK Swing”.

Know the Rules

Q: On marking his ball on the green, Player A walks away and, as she does so, her ball rolls a short distance and comes to rest. The player does not see this, but Player B observes the ball moving and informs her of what has happened. What action is required of Player A?

A: Since Player B has witness the ball moving and has informed Player A of what has happened, it is known that the ball moved and Player A must replace the ball on its original spot under Rule 13.1d(2) (Ball moved by natural forces) without penalty.