GOLF. NOTES BY BULGER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 63

GOLF. NOTES BY BULGER.

The following are some of the decisions given recently by tho Rules of Golf Committee : —

1. Playing off Tie in Handicap Competition. — Q. : A and B meet C and D in the final of a foursome competition. A and B receive one stroke at the third hole. The \ match was halved, and the players started j again. The side which won the nineteenth j hole claimed the match. Is there any rule j bearing on the matter?— A. : There is no rule on the subject. The conditions of the competition should have provided for such j a contingency. | 2. Wrong Handicap Posted by Secretary. — Q. : Prior to a stroke handicap competition the secretary inadvertently placed a wrong handicap opposite a .player s name on the posted li6t. The secretary discovered the mistake on checking the cards. Which is the correct handicap, that fixed by the committee or that posted up by the secretary? — A. : v The handicap which wai | posted up must stand. 3. Marking and Signing of Cards.— Q. : After completion of a medal competition, and the scores had all been handed in, the secretary on examining the cards discovered ; that the cards of two players were signed ( by one person, and on making inquiry ascertained that the following were the facts — viz. : Three , players— A, B. and C — took part in the aforesaid medal competition. A kept the three scores on a card. B and C did not keep scores. Cards for , A and B were handed in, both signed by I C. The secretary, while not impugning the accuracy of the scores, holds that the cards, not being signed by the marker, were not kept in accoidance with rule 4 of the special rules for stroke competitions, and should therefore be disqualified. A and B maintain that the cards, having been duly signed by one of the players, should have been accepted as correct, and that the secretary had no right to make use of the knowledge, which he subsequenly obtained, that C did not keep a score. — A. : A is disqualified because his score was not kept by one of his opponents or a special marker. B is disqualified because his score was not signed by A, who kept it. It is the duty of the secretary to take cognisance of any irregularity which is brought to his notice. 4. Playing Under Wrong Handicap. — Q.: A and B play a oup tie_ according to match play under the impression that B has two holes start from A. A wins by 5 and 4, and they atop playing at this point, B being satisfied that he has lost the tie. On returning- to tho clubhowe they discover that B has three holes start from A. Should the tie have been replayed, or. as ' they failed to replay it within the date» specified on tho dra«v sbept. are both subject to disqualification? Further play in the competition has b»on suspend^ nending an opinion from the Rules of Golf Committee. — A. : It is the player's duty to ascertain hie correct handicap before starting, and A cannot be disqualified for Be ( error. By mutual arrangement, and with ; the consent of tho committee, the match j misfit have been replayed; but as the I advertised time passed without any effort ' being made in thi-s direction, the result ] of the match must stand. 5. Playing with Non-competitor.— Q. : In a recent competition A and B arranged to play toaeth^r in !'>e aftnmoon. A howc\er, played with C in the morning. In tho afternoon he plavod round with B, and marked B's card. B waa disqualified on j the ground that A v.a^ r.ot a competitor, j Borh arc full member-. Under what rule , is B disqualified.' — A. There ie no rule j of golf by which B can be disoualified. j 6 Ball Mo\ing. — Q. ■ In a foursome, after I a player had ralc^n hiij ~tance and grounded his club, the ball nas moved liy the wind. Ib this a stroke under nilo 26. or is it a ' penalty stroke under rule 27. which shall not b« counted as the stroke of the player? j — A.: Rule 26 pro\ k!"^ for the case of a ' ball movine as described, but which has not been struck at. In a four&ome this is j counted os a stroke of the player, and the , partner plays the no\t stroke. Rule 27 j provides for the -ca=<» of a bnll which moves I while the player i* making his stroke, after ! having grounded his club, and states that ' the movement of the ball shall be counted J as a stroke under the latter part of rule i 26. but. abolishes the penalty which would arise in a foursome for playing out of j turn, \

7. Touching Sand in Bunker. — Q. : A ' players ball was in a bunker. He touched the sand with the shaft end of his mashie, with which he had played into the bunker before taking up his stand to play it with I his niblick. Is there an/ penalty; — A.: No ; provided always that nothing has been done which might be construed as an intention of doing anything to improve the lie of the ball, or assist him in hi» subse- ! quent play. | 8. The Honour. — Q. : In a tie between A and B, A won the fifteenth 'hole. The sixteenth is a difficult pitch, and A, having the honour, insisted on B playing first. Has A this right?— A. : Certainly not. 9. Order of Play in Stroke Competition. — Q. : In a stroke competition A and B plaj'ed together. On the putting green A, who is further f rom the hole, addresses his ball, but is interrupted by B putting out. A thereupon objects. B claims that his ball was a guide to A. If A wished B's ball to remain, had he the right to do jso?— A. : A had the right to play first, I but would have incured a penalty of one | stroke had his ball touched B's. 10. Passing Ladies. — Q. : (1) Ladies and gentlemen pay the same subscription. Some gentlemen membere are of opinion that ladies may be passed on the green at all times, and that the Rules of Golf Committee has given a decision to this effect. Is this contention correct ? (2) Should the members decide that they do not desire to pass ladies, would it be necessary and in order that the rules of the club should etate that no such right is recognised ?—? — I A. : (1) The Rule* of Golf Committee, has } not given a decision that gentlemen may pass ladies on the course. See Def. 1 (a), and Etiquette- of Golf (Nos. 5 and 6), for the only rules bearing on the subject. (2) i There is no necessity to ma-ke any by-Jaw. I 11. Competition Null and Void.— Q. : (1) I Play commenced at 10 a.m. in a monthly medal competition. A player starting as late as 1.30 p.m. found the course in excellent order, and returned the best score made in a competition this year. About 3.30 p.m. heaA'y rain set in, and one couple reported the fifteenth hole under water, rendering it impossible for them to hole out. The remaining competitors appear to have retired before reaching the fifteenth hole. Should the committee have allowed the competition to stand, or should they have declared it null and void? (2) The ball lies three or four dub lengths off the putting green. May dung or loose obstruction on the putting green be removed? — A. : (1) The Rules of Golf Committee is of opinion that the competition should have been declared null and void. (2) Yes. (See rule 17, first paragraph). 12. Q. : (1) In a medal competition, owing to heavy rain, the last hole became j completely under water, and a competitor I was unable to hole out. What ehould be j don© in this case ? (2) On the same afterI noon a fresh hole was cut on the first I green instead of the one cut in the morni ing, which was under water. Docs this disI qualify any competitor playing round after this is done ? — A. : (1) Tho. committee is of opinion that the competition should have been declared null and void. (2) The committee is of opinion that when all the competitors cannot, owing to water, complete by playing at the same holes the competition should be declared null and void. There i 6 no question of disqualification for I playing at a hole cut by_ the authority of those in charge of a competition. 13. Incorrect Cards.— Q. : (1) Two players returned scores unsigned by their markers. Should they be disqualified? (2) In a ! handicap competition a player handed in a 1 card correctly signed, with the score cori rectly marked as played, but omitted to allow for his handicap. Should the card be accepted ?— A. : (1) Yes. (2) Yes ; as the card is correctly marked the handicap may afterwards be adjusted by the secretary. I 14. Making Copy of Card.— Q. : A's card is marked by B in a medal competition. After completion of the round B made out a fresh copy of the card, and signed and certified the same as correct, the original card being destroyed. Would the committee have power and bs justified in disqualifying A ? — A. : No ; A is not disqualified. 15. Ball on Wrong Putting Green.— Q. : A playei plays a ball on to a putting green other than the green to which he is playing. Without consulting his opponent the player placed his ball to the side of the green, not nearer the hole, claiming the right to do so under the last clause of rule 22. His opponent protests under rule 8. There is no local rule on the subject. — A. : In the absence of & jocal rule, the ball should have been played from where it lay, under rule 7. Rule 22 has no bearing on this case. 16. Moving Wire-netting. — Q. : (1) In a hole competition a ball was played under wire-netting which bounded the putting green and also the course. The player pressed back the netting with his foot, which thus gave him a freer stroke at the ball. Was he entitled to do this? (2) Must a, protest be lodged on the day of a competition?— A . :(1) The player was not entitled to press away the wire-netting. (2) In match play a protest should be made before the players strike off from the next teoing ground. 17. Ball Adhering to Mud on Club.— Q. : A player's ball lay in soft ground. In playing out, the clay or mud and the ball adhered to the face of the club. What should be done? — A.: There is no rule on this subject. The Rules of Golf Committee is of opinion that tho player should ha\e shaken the ball off the club, without penalty, at the spot where the incident occurred. In connection with this last decision (No. 17), it is interesting to note that some years ago the Australian Golf Club asked an almost similar question, and the Rules of Golf Committee then replied in the following words: — "The committee has no experience of such tenacious mud', and such a contingency should be provided for by the local rules." In time of war the death rate among army officers is proportionately heavier than among the rank and file. Lieutenant yon Kruse, who gave evidence against his stepfather. Count Kuno yon Moltke, during the recent Harden trial, has sent in his resignation and has been permitted to leave the German army. John Fishlock, Inglewood, Vie, WTites: — "Last winter I contracted a very severe cold, for which I tried nearly every medicine under the sun without obtaining the slightest relief. A friend recommended me to try Chamberlain's Cough Remedy, which I did with very gratifying results,, and waa soon we 11.." For late eYerjwneie.