Abandoning Match

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Got a match arranged for this morning. Course is open - but it's very windy and rain almost 100% certain. Can we agree before we start what we'll do if we have to abandon the match - or is it set out in the rules what we must do.

Can we agree to wipe the slate clean and start again from the 1st on a new date - or should we restart on the new date on the tee of the hole we stopped. Or do we have to restart at the position on the course we finished (approximating where our balls were lying at the time we stopped)

 

[Imurg]

My answer would be..
Don't start......

 

[Neilds]

Sounds like this is another “ask the committee” situation.

 

[YandaB]

I believe that if the match is suspended, then you start again from the same place, even if it's on another day.

 

[Colin L]

Players in a match are permitted to agree to stop playing for any reason [Rule 5.7a]. I can't see any reason why they shouldn't agree in advance when they will continue the match if they have to stop. They couldn't, however, agree to restart it in any other way than is laid down in Rule 5.7c that is by continuing from where they stopped. That being said, since practising on the course is allowed before a match they could, I would say, play from the 1st all the holes already played and restart the actual match when they reach the spot where they stopped.

 

[rulie]

Players in a match are permitted to agree to stop playing for any reason [Rule 5.7a]. I can't see any reason why they shouldn't agree in advance when they will continue the match if they have to stop. They couldn't, however, agree to restart it in any other way than is laid down in Rule 5.7c that is by continuing from where they stopped. That being said, since practising on the course is allowed before a match they could, I would say, play from the 1st all the holes already played and restart the actual match when they reach the spot where they stopped.

Agree with what Colin has posted. Further points - in match play, players are permitted to stop play for any reason, provided that this does not delay the competition in which they are playing. And if one player wishes to resume play (in accordance with the Rules), the "agreement" to suspend play has ended, and the other player must comply.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As it happens the weather wasn't as awful as I was thinking it might be. It was cold; it was wet; it was very windy...but it was playable and not once did we consider abandoning the match.

From what I've read above it seems if we had abandoned the match we couldn't simply agree to wipe the slate clean and start again; or indeed restart from the tee of the hole we stopped on. We'd have to restart from where our balls were when we stopped.

I asked an ex-Captain and veteran and experienced matchplay member in the clubhouse and one answer I got was something linked with having played 11 holes...no idea what it was and didn't press to understand.

 

[Swango1980]

As it happens the weather wasn't as awful as I was thinking it might be. It was cold; it was wet; it was very windy...but it was playable and not once did we consider abandoning the match.

From what I've read above it seems if we had abandoned the match we couldn't simply agree to wipe the slate clean and start again; or indeed restart from the tee of the hole we stopped on. We'd have to restart from where our balls were when we stopped.

I asked an ex-Captain and veteran and experienced matchplay member in the clubhouse and one answer I got was something linked with having played 11 holes...no idea what it was and didn't press to understand.

My experience is that, when someone is introduced in such a way, there is a good chance they don't have a clue what the correct answer is, but they do a very good job at convincing themselves (and many others) that they do

 

[Colin L]

It sounds as if the ex-Captain was maybe getting confused with the WHS minimum number of holes to be played for an acceptable score.