Beaverstown Golf Club

Noticeboard

Return of Cards in Singles Competitions

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The mens golf committee would like ask all members who are participating in a singles competition to correctly complete their card and to enter their score in the computer in the locker room.  It may seem like a simple thing to ask but the volume of incomplete and/or incorrect cards has been significant of late, resulting in an unfair manual overhead on the volunteer committee members who manage the competition results.

Please ensure the following are legibly included on the card:

The date and name of the competition

Your name, handicap index, course handicap, playing handicap and BRS member number (e.g. 3122xxxx)

Your signature and that of your marker

The score on each hole.

The result on each hole

The total result, be it points, shots or v-par score.

 

Please enter your score on the computer in the locker room or ask your partner to assist with the score entry

 

Your assistance in this matter will be very much appreciated, see sample card above for reference.

2019 rule changes you may not be aware of.

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By now, most Members will have adapted to the new rules and the new terminology introduced on January 1st – dropping from knee height, putting with the flagstick in the hole, removing cones, twigs, etc from a bunker without penalty, the 3-minute search time, touching the sand in the bunker without penalty.
Well, there are some relatively unknown rules changes that may help you during a round and perhaps save a couple of shots.
Teeing area:
1. If you have a fresh air, while it still counts as a stroke, you are now allowed re-tee anywhere else within the teeing area, playing two.  Likewise, if the “swish” generated by the club passing the ball causes it to fall off the tee, you may replace the ball on the tee without penalty – your next stroke being your second.
General Area:
Formally referred to as “through the green”, it comprises the entire area of the course except (1) the teeing area of the hole being played, (2) all bunkers, (3) all penalty areas, and (4) the green of the hole being played.
1. There is no longer a penalty if you accidentally have a double-hit, it counts as one stroke only and no penalty is incurred.  This also applies on the putting green for those with the “yips”.
2. There is no longer a penalty if your ball accidentally hits you, your caddie, partner, opponent and their equipment after a stroke.  The ball is played as it lies.
3.  There is no longer a penalty if, during a fair search, you accidentally move your ball.  However, it must be replaced in exactly the same position, recreating the lie even underneath leaves, grass, etc.
Caution! if your ball comes to rest short of where you believe it is and you kick it while striding forward to where you believe it to be, there is a (one-stroke) penalty for causing your ball to move as it’s not considered a search!.  It must be replaced as above, with a one-stroke penalty.
4. When you drop a ball under relief within the one/two club-lengths required, it must remain within the relief area. It is no longer allowed to roll a further two further club-lengths. If it doesn’t remain with the relief area after two drops, it is placed where the second drop hits the ground.
5. Free relief for an embedded ball is allowed anywhere in the General Area except when embedded in sand. In taking relief, you drop within one club-length behind the spot, no nearer the hole.

6. There is no longer a reference to burrowing animals in the rules.  You have one club-length free relief from all animal holes – rabbits, dogs, hares, birds, etc. – except worms and insects which are treated as loose impediments.
Penalty Areas:
1. Formally known as hazards, the new rules provide the same basic relief options that existed under the old rules with one exception.  The option to drop on the far side of a red penalty area is no longer available except by local rule.  In Beaverstown, the lake at the back of the 15th green is the only PA where a drop on the far side is allowed under local rule.
2. Under the new rules, you may now ground your club, take a practice swing and touch the water with your hand or club without penalty.  There is also no penalty if you remove any loose impediment from a penalty area as long as you don’t cause the ball to move.
Bunkers:
1. You may now remove twigs, leaves, stones and any natural objects without penalty as long as you don’t cause the ball to move. While you may casually touch the sand, you cannot test the sand or touch it immediately in front of or behind the ball, take a practice stroke or touch the sand on your back swing.
Putting Green:
1. You can now repair almost any damage on the green – spike marks, indentations, animal damage, hole plugs, except aeration holes and natural imperfections.
2. There is no longer a penalty for touching your line of putt, e.g. by your caddie pointing out your line of putt.

3. If your ball ends up wedged between the flagstick and the rim of the hole, even after a putt, it is considered “holed” once any part of the ball is below the surface of the green. It doesn’t have to fall to the bottom of the hole.
4. If you accidentally move your ball (on the green only), e.g. in making a practice putt, replace the ball without penalty.
5. In windy conditions or on sloping greens, it is advisable to mark your ball without delay.  If your ball moves before you get to it, it is played from its new position. If it moves after it has been marked, you replace it.  Needless to say, if it may move closer to the hole, there is no penalty for not marking it as long as you don’t delay play.
Summary:
I hope this article has helped.  There is no substitute for reading the little rule book to familiarise yourself with the new rules, particularly the Definitions starting on page 136.
Paul Kennedy.

Scorecard Marking

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Scorecard (Rule 6-6)

Committee’s Responsibility:

  • To provide the competitor with a scorecard containing the date and competitor’s name(s).
  • To calculate the points scored in a Stableford competition.
  • To total the gross scores for each hole and the application of the handicap to calculate the nett score.

Competitor’s Responsibility:

  • To ensure that their FULL handicap is recorded on his/her score card, notwithstanding the number of holes in the competition or the format (e.g. 9/10ths handicap).
    • If there is no handicap on the card when returned, the player is disqualified.
    • If the recorded handicap is higher than that to which they are entitled, the player is disqualified.
    • If they enter a handicap that is lower than that to which they are entitled, that handicap is used to calculate their score.
  • To hand their card to their marker at the beginning of the round.
  • To check the score with the marker after each hole.
  • To ensure that the gross scores for each hole are accurately recorded.
    • If a score recorded is lower than the actual score on any hole, the player is disqualified.
    • If a score recorded is higher than the actual score, that score shall stand.
  • To ensure that the card has been signed by the player and their marker after the round.

Other:

  • The card is considered “returned” when it has been posted in the competition box.
  • A card may be marked by more than one person provided that each signs for the part of the round for which they are responsible.
  • A competitor may not mark his/her own card.
  • Only the marker and one player in a side are required to sign the card.
  • A different card from the one issued may be returned (e.g. when original card has been saturated by rain).
  • The non-return of cards in Singles competitions, whether or not complete, affect the  correct calculation of the CSS for that competition and may result in a disciplinary sanction, such as ineligibility to play in the next Club competition.
  • A card not returned or returned incomplete is not automatically entitled to 0.1 back.

Computer:

For ease of competition administration, the Committee requires competitors in all Singles competitions, both qualifying and non-qualifying, to enter their scores into a computer, if the computer has been set up for score entry.  The Committee has introduced a Club Regulation, where failure to comply may incur a disciplinary sanction, such as ineligibility to play in the next club competition.  


Checking cards:

The task of checking up to 150 cards after a competition is an onerous one that usually falls to one of the Committee on a rota basis.  It helps enormously when the competitor……

  • Writes clearly in BIRO rather than pencil.
  • Calculates the points scored in a Stableford competition or the gross and nett scores in a strokes competition.
  • Enters their “claimed” total score in the box provided on the scorecard (below the player/marker signatures).

Damien McGrane testimonial

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I recently had the pleasure of playing 18 at Beaverstown golf club on the north side of Dublin. Just like in the past, the course presentation was exactly what I expected. The greens were fast and true and the welcome and hospitality from the members and staff, I always find second to none. The unique design of all eighteen holes in the orchard setting is testing and difficult but fair. I eagerly look forward to my return to Beaverstown and I would recommend it to all golfers who are looking for a good day out.

PGA European Tour Member

Damien McGrane