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 (photo: Getty Images) For 99 percent of all players, the Rules of Golf are mere speed bumps along the path to enjoyment, often considered guidelines rather than ironclad regulations, while such rule benders as mulligans, free drops and gimmies have become commonplace. It’s not exactly cricket, but when you’re trying to have a good time, the reality of the rule book can chafe. “The Rules can be a little too much, and off-putting for a lot of golfers,” says Jeff Ninnemann, Assistant Director of Rules and Competition for the Southern California Golf Association. “We try to make it a little more enjoyable and down to earth for the general golfer.” In fact, the SCGA is doing its part as steward of the game by making the Rules appear fun and entertaining. The association has produced dozens of mildly humorous and mostly informative videos covering everything from course etiquette to detailed explanations of precise course rulings. From the comfort of their home computers, players can gain a wealth of knowledge simply by visiting the association website and watching “The Rules Crew” in action (scga.org/rulescrew). The association also has a jump on all the new Rules changes coming our way for 2012 with a new lineup of videos. While most dedicated golfers think they know the Rules, the reality is that even the most knowledgeable players can get lost in the intricacies of the book. Something as simple as tending the flagstick can get blurred between what’s real and what’s often accepted practice. It’s a fact that Ninnemann is quick to point out. “The concept that the flagstick can only be tended when your ball lies on the putting green—that’s a major fallacy,” says Ninnemann. “The answer is that you can have the flagstick tended anywhere on the course. You will often hear of a player’s ball lying in the fringe or just off the green and the person tending the flag will instinctively ask if they want [the flag] in or out. No one really knows that you can have it tended whether you are on or off the green. It’s just one of those myths that folks are unaware of.” It’s common to look on the Rules as punishments, but that’s not always so. There actually are some instances where the Rules can help the player, such as when it’s allowable to clean your ball. “Most times when you lift your ball on the course, you are allowed to clean it, and that’s certainly a help,” says Ninnemann. “The key is knowing the instances when you can’t so you don’t get dinged with a penalty. The first instance [in which you can’t clean the ball] is when you are determining if the ball is unfit for play. The second is when you are checking for identification to see if it’s your ball or someone else’s. The procedure is to mark the ball and check it and put it back. [The final instance] is when it’s interfering with play. You might have a ball lying on the fringe and you have a chip shot from off the green, and the ball’s in your line. You might ask the player to pick the ball up so you can play, but you can’t clean the ball in that instance.” Even Rules officials don’t always see eye-to-eye with everything in the book. “I’d like to see the player be able to touch the line of the putt,” says Ninnemann of the rule that designates the grass along the line of the putt as untouchable ground. “As long as you are not pressing anything down or improving the line, I think that should be allowed. If you are trying to point out the line to a player and you touch the line, I don’t see how that affects the putt. I don’t see that as a problem.” In addition to the online videos, the SCGA rules team regularly conducts public Rules clinics that allow golfers to get an in-depth look at one of the most overlooked and misunderstood aspects of the game. Those who have ever wondered if it’s legal to rake a bunker before playing a shot or pondered the acceptability of dipping your towel in a water hazard likely will be intrigued and entertained. “We offer Rules of Golf seminars to SCGA members and non-members,” said Ninnemann. “We do both on-course examples and in-class instruction. We are a resource, and it’s an educational opportunity for people interested in the rules of golf. It’s people who have an appreciation for that part of the game. Our audience ranges from the PGA professionals looking to continue their education to some grizzled veterans who have been playing it wrong for 50 years. We get that a lot.” The SCGA Rules Committee Baseball has umpires to call balls and strikes. Football and basketball have referees who blow their whistles to invoke the rules of the game. Golf employs Rules officials. They are a group of dedicated individuals who study the sometimes archaic and difficult-to-decipher Rules of Golf. The Southern California Golf Association, the largest amateur golf association in the state, employs a five-person staff and nearly 100 volunteer Rules officials affectionately known as committee men. These dedicated custodians of the rules give their time to interpret the Rules at every SCGA-sanctioned tournament and receive nothing more than a pat on the back and a sandwich. “We are looking for people who have experience with the Rules of Golf and, more importantly, have the right personality to be out there with players and deal with any potential problems they might encounter,” says Ninnemann. “We look for rules knowledge, but just as important is the right personality.” SCGA Rules officials are typically retired men who have a passion for the regulations of the game. Each year they are given a Rules exam that serves as equal parts refresher and benchmark for the officials to see where they stand. “These are guys who are looking for some good camaraderie and want to give back to the game,” says Ninnemann. “They aren’t in it for the money. All they are getting is a free lunch.” See “The Rules Crew” in action at scga.org/rulescrew. |
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