Latest from the R&A (Covid)

[SammmeBee]

I assumed he was a knowledgeable and competent business man. He owns the business after all.

He owns a golf club so not knowledgeable and probably not competent!

 

[GG26]

Re the flagstick issue, I think for many it’s used as an excuse for not holing putts. Listening to some people that I’ve played alongside it affects almost every other putt of theirs. I’ve played several rounds since we were allowed back on to the course and I can think of only one occasion where the flag may have influenced whether the ball dropped.

In the scheme of things its a very minor inconvenience in order to be able to play at the moment and it is reducing the risk of transmission of the virus.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I whole heartedly agree with the truth is we don’t have to pick up produce in the supermarket. Problem is the Truth is this doesn’t happen never has never will. you Only have to stand a watch any isle in any supermarket and no one bit the v v cautious wear gloves, and most still pick stuff up and look at packet, bag etc. They slide open the fridge/
freezer doors to get stuff, no Sanitisation before next person opens same door. The flag stick is outside in all weathers like I said mostly rain at the moment, but in sun etc. You can’t tell me that the virus is as prevalent on this than anything else we touch daily without even thinking about it. And as Nick sayS above, the response from golf England has been poor to say the least, as with everything to do with this they sit there let others make decisions too scared to make them In case it goes wrong, but quick to blame when it does.

I suppose the bottom line is that we can't - in reality - stop people handling stuff in supermarkets (though I believe some have tried) and so there will be a risk of virus transmission. But we can, and quite easily, prevent transmission through touch of a flagstick - low probability the risk might be. So the R&A are simply mitigating that risk completely.

As it happens given my experience since we have been able to restart - I have decided I rather prefer to have the flag in the hole for all putts - when previously I would often have had it removed for shorter putts.

 

[LincolnShep]

What all seems odd now is why are we still not allowed to touch or remove the flag.... I have emailed England Golf number of times and get the stock corporate answer.

You've emailed England Golf "a number of times" to ask why we can't touch the flag? I'm curious why you are so bothered. I'd call it a pretty minor inconvenience in the great scheme of things. I'd be disappointed in EG if they'd sent you anything other than a stock answer!

 

[Swango1980]

What does he want from England Golf - money? People can play golf - well run (and badly run by luck) golf clubs are raking it in....which should postpone the inevitable.....no idea what his issue is. I think the golf bodies, inc EG, have done a great job getting golf back on.

I echo that. England Golf seemed to be making announcements almost immediately after every major Government announcement, and then following these up pretty quickly when they had time to provide more detail. Also, I'm unsure of how the staffing at England Golf is, but I'm sure it is very limited, especially if they have thousands of concerned golf club owners trying to get hold of them during these tricky times.

The question is, if anyone has a problem with England Golf, it is better to know what that problem is before deciding if they have a fair point or not. Simply saying an owner has had a major problem with England Golf does not necessarily mean England Golf have done anything wrong, or could have done much more.

 

[Swango1980]

You've emailed England Golf "a number of times" to ask why we can't touch the flag? I'm curious why you are so bothered. I'd call it a pretty minor inconvenience in the great scheme of things. I'd be disappointed in EG if they'd sent you anything other than a stock answer!

Haha, excellent point. It makes you wonder what sort of personal questions England Golf have received from all over the country, and the time it takes them to deal with them. Even copy and paste takes a long time when done hundreds of times

 

[sunshine]

Why do you want to touch it? It isn't a fetish I've heard of before

Brilliant

The guy is a flag licker, must be really struggling to control his urges.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Can I just say the 6 inch rule in bunkers is crap.

Some clowns are making a mess of the bunkers and making no attempt to tidy up after themselves.

Put bunkers are tricky enough getting close to the flag when your'e in them without being able to get clear of footprints and hacked up sand.

Yes I know the answer is not to go in them but when 1 club length is available in general play why do we have to play comps under different conditions.

No doubt the idiots making a mess think its ok to do it as you can get relief.....

Rant over, not happy with golf at present....

 

[rulefan]

Yes I know the answer is not to go in them but when 1 club length is available in general play why do we have to play comps under different conditions.

The 6" rule is set by CONGU for Qualifying Competitions. It is consistent with the CONGU rule of 6" distance for preferred lies on the fairway.

I'm not sure where your 1 clublength in general play has come from unless your club has 1cl set it for preferred lies in general play. Is that the case?
It is probably not a good idea as players can be confused.

6" (or previously the length of a scorecard) is the standard distance used in the UK (and most of the world except North America) for preferred lies.

Your rant should be aimed at your fellow members not the rulemakers.

 

[SammmeBee]

Can I just say the 6 inch rule in bunkers is crap.

Some clowns are making a mess of the bunkers and making no attempt to tidy up after themselves.

Put bunkers are tricky enough getting close to the flag when your'e in them without being able to get clear of footprints and hacked up sand.

Yes I know the answer is not to go in them but when 1 club length is available in general play why do we have to play comps under different conditions.

No doubt the idiots making a mess think its ok to do it as you can get relief.....

Rant over, not happy with golf at present....

Fairway bunkers are like teeing it up tho.......

 

[Deleted member 3432]

The 6" rule is set by CONGU for Qualifying Competitions. It is consistent with the CONGU rule of 6" distance for preferred lies on the fairway.

I'm not sure where your 1 clublength in general play has come from unless your club has 1cl set it for preferred lies in general play. Is that the case?
It is probably not a good idea as players can be confused.

6" (or previously the length of a scorecard) is the standard distance used in the UK (and most of the world except North America) for preferred lies.

Your rant should be aimed at your fellow members not the rulemakers.

Poor terminology on my part I was of course referring to 1 club length preferred lie in bunker.

Yes of course rant is aimed at fellow members but rule makers don't make it easy. All of a sudden we are playing under different playing conditions.

Most members are probably oblivious so don't bother making an effort to smooth bunker thinking next person in has a club length....

Golf is very good at over complicating things..

 

[SammmeBee]

Poor terminology on my part I was of course referring to 1 club length preferred lie in bunker.

Yes of course rant is aimed at fellow members but rule makers don't make it easy. All of a sudden we are playing under different playing conditions.

Most members are probably oblivious so don't bother making an effort to smooth bunker thinking next person in has a club length....

Golf is very good at over complicating things..

So basically your having a moan up over the wrong thing? How many bunkers do you hit it into?!? Less may be an idea?

 

[Fish]

Poor terminology on my part I was of course referring to 1 club length preferred lie in bunker.

Yes of course rant is aimed at fellow members but rule makers don't make it easy. All of a sudden we are playing under different playing conditions.

Most members are probably oblivious so don't bother making an effort to smooth bunker thinking next person in has a club length....

Golf is very good at over complicating things..

Why/how is your club allowing a club length in bunkers, hopefully not in qualifying comps?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

So basically your having a moan up over the wrong thing? How many bunkers do you hit it into?!? Less may be an idea?

Not really, prior to our comps starting last week we could prefer in bunkers up to 1 club length. Now we can prefer up to 6 inches in bunkers.

Since the average golf club members knowledge of rules is limited at best keeping things as simple as possible can only be a good thing.....

Some very poor/non existant efforts at smoothing bunkers in evidence although in defence of some of the less mobile members they may be worried about falling in or not getting out...

As for me I'm usually wide of them

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Why/how is your club allowing a club length in bunkers, hopefully not in qualifying comps?

Thats my point, we are at 6 inches as per CONGU.

Social play prior to start of comps 1 club length.

Why do we have to complicate things for comps?

 

[Swango1980]

Not really, prior to our comps starting last week we could prefer in bunkers up to 1 club length. Now we can prefer up to 6 inches in bunkers.

Since the average golf club members knowledge of rules is limited at best keeping things as simple as possible can only be a good thing.....

Some very poor/non existant efforts at smoothing bunkers in evidence although in defence of some of the less mobile members they may be worried about falling in or not getting out...

As for me I'm usually wide of them

What's complicated about 6 inches in comparison to 1 club length? If, before your comps started, your club or members allowed 1 club length, perhaps your frustrations can lie with them rather than CONGU.

Given that normal preferred lie conditions are 6 inches for qualifiers, it would have been more confusing to members had they allowed 1 club length in the bunker.

And, if people don't smooth bunkers, it isn't because of the rule, they are just that type of person.

 

[SammmeBee]

Not really, prior to our comps starting last week we could prefer in bunkers up to 1 club length. Now we can prefer up to 6 inches in bunkers.

Since the average golf club members knowledge of rules is limited at best keeping things as simple as possible can only be a good thing.....

Some very poor/non existant efforts at smoothing bunkers in evidence although in defence of some of the less mobile members they may be worried about falling in or not getting out...

As for me I'm usually wide of them

So essentially club didn’t really think things through to an end point with the rule (or you chose not to) and then they haven’t communicated with golfers as to how to smooth a bunker.......

 

[SammmeBee]

Thats my point, we are at 6 inches as per CONGU.

Social play prior to start of comps 1 club length.

Why do we have to complicate things for comps?

We didn’t......’you’ did........!!!!

 

[rulefan]

Social play prior to start of comps 1 club length.

1 club length has never been the norm in the UK. In olden days it was 1 card length, subsequently 6".
CONGU has always been 6" for preferred lies anywhere.

Too many of your members have been watching Tour golf from the US.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Allowing preferred lies (place within 6") in bunkers is nice and easy to understand. Works just fine - and you can make good use of it if your ball sits close to the front or back of a bunker. Just don't move your ball closer to the hole. Gaining an advantage? Well yes - however our bunkers are designed so that the sloped up sand means your ball should roll away from the edge of a bunker. They get in a mess your ball doesn't always do that.