Practice before a club major

willabur

Heard yesterday that a guy at my club was disqualified from the captains prize because he played the course on the Friday night, day before the qualifier was on.

Seemed harsh to me, if the course was set up and anyone playing in the qualifier should have been informed that any practice would rule them out of contention. Would've thought there should at least have been a sign up at the first tee box to state this.

can someone clarify the rule here?

Boskowski

My understanding is you cannot play the competition course or part of it on the same day. Never heard about the day before. If the guy had no chance of knowing it's more than harsh.

hades

We've the same rule at my club, the course is "officially closed" to competitors from Thursday afternoon so it can be set up for Friday morning. You aren't allowed to play on the course until your tee time, you are however allowed to practice in designated practice areas.

In the past, there was a warning in the text's/emails that were sent out to members to let them know about the tee times were open for booking. But around 2 years ago a fella was DQ'd for playing on the Friday when there was a gap in the timesheet and his competition time was on the Saturday. He claimed he never knew the rule, but he was DQ'd.

From then on, on pretty much every tee box there is a notice about not playing the course from Thursday 3pm, on the week leading up to the Captains & Presidents Prizes.

benny79

yea ours is starting this weekend and course is closed from 5pm Friday

golfwallah

The committee is responsible for setting competition rules. Many clubs rely on custom & practice as regards such rules rather than explicitly communicating the rules as clearly as possible to all concerned.

Here's some of what you will find on the RandA site about it.

Might be a good idea to talk to your club Match & Handicap Secretary about improving how competition rules are communicated. But bear in mind that committee folk are volunteers, doing their best, so a diplomatic approach might be best.;)

willabur

ok, thanks.

I guess the issue is down to communication. I wasn't around the club at that time so only hearing the story second hand, the guy apparently went balistic when he was told he was DQ'd.

Dublin Spur

I doubt it would make any difference either way - silly rule

Uncle Ben

A few A4 posters stuck in the locker rooms and 1st teebox is normally sufficient.

SaveOurLyric

golfwallah wrote: »

But bear in mind that committee folk are volunteers, doing their best, so a diplomatic approach might be best.;)

True, but they nevertheless have a responsibility to publicise the rules of a competition, particularly oddments like this that go against the normally expected rules of golf.
Even if a note was on the board X years ago for the captains prize, if it is not publicised each year, the rule should be regarded as void (and essentially, it is, the rules made for a competition in the past are not automatically the rules for its subsequent itteration). So it was not only harsh, but unfair, and quite probably incorrect.
The committee is wrong to stick by its 'rule' unless they have some claim to have published it as a condition of this condition. A minimum would be a late apology for their mistake.

awec

Surely the pins are all moved very early on the morning of the event anyway?

SaveOurLyric

Chez nous they are generally cut the previous evening alright.