Matchplay - missing hole

[RichA]

I'm playing an away foursomes comp matchplay at the weekend.
Their course has a temporary hole with a bucket hole, which doesn't meet the comp criteria. The opponents have suggested it should be considered as halved, which apparently meets the county rules, but it's not a county competition. The actual comp rules stipulate matches are to be played over 18 holes.
I'm waiting for an email response from the comp organisers.
Does it seem reasonable to suggest replaying the 1st to replace the missing hole, rather than demanding that the match is played at our course?
We are probably giving away 3 or 4 shots, so only playing 17 holes does give the opposition a very marginal advantage. They wouldn't get a shot on either the missing hole or the 1st

 

[rulie]

Play the match as scheduled. When you get to that hole, hit a ree shot then agree the hole is halved and move to the next. Substituting a hole is not permitted as the holes need to be played in the order set by the Committee.

 

[doublebogey7]

Play the match as scheduled. When you get to that hole, hit a ree shot then agree the hole is halved and move to the next. Substituting a hole is not permitted as the holes need to be played in the order set by the Committee.

Not sure how that is meeting the rules of the comp in any way that is different to playing the 1st hole twice. In any case it sounds as if the poster is asking if it would be reasonable to suggest to the organisors that they play the first hole twice, which would then mean that they would be playing the holes in the order set by the committee.

 

[Colin L]

It meets the Rules of Golf. See 3.2a(2). As you’ll see, you can only agree a half once a stroke has been made on the hole concerned.

 

[doublebogey7]

It meets the Rules of Golf. See 3.2a(2). As you’ll see, you can only agree a half once a stroke has been made on the hole concerned.

1) But they would be agreeing to do this from the outset, is that not agreeing to wave a RoG.
2) The host club are forcing this on the away club, who feel it is unfair.

 

[rulefan]

1) But they would be agreeing to do this from the outset, is that not agreeing to wave a RoG.

No. Because they are actually conforming to a Rule of Golf

 

[jim8flog]

I'm playing an away foursomes comp matchplay at the weekend.
Their course has a temporary hole with a bucket hole, which doesn't meet the comp criteria.

Please explain what you mean by the bit in bold.

There is no missing hole just one with a larger hole than that specified in the rules of golf . The same hole is played by both sides and therefore equal opportunity for the hole to be won by either side.

 

[doublebogey7]

No. Because they are actually conforming to a Rule of Golf

That's not the way I see it, the rules require that 18 holes are played, by agreeing to half a hole before play then they are not confirming to that rule. if you are right, and you may be, please explain to point of requiring the players to tee off.

 

[rulefan]

As the hole does not conform to the definition a ball cannot be 'holed'. Which would suggest the Terms of Competition cannot be adhered to. It would be interesting to know exactly what they say.
Incidentally, do the ToCs specify all 18 holes must be played. Can they miss out the last 2 if one player is 3 up with 2 to play?

 

[IanMcC]

I would say that if the ball cannot be holed in a hole bigger than specified in the definition, then no team can win that hole, so it must be halved. I think one team would have to tee off at the hole first though.

 

[Steven Rules]

Their course has a temporary hole with a bucket hole, which doesn't meet the comp criteria. ...... The actual comp rules stipulate matches are to be played over 18 holes.
I'm waiting for an email response from the comp organisers.

Why is this your problem to solve? What is the host club and the tournament organiser doung about it?

 

[RichA]

The tournament referee has replied. We must agree before starting which hole we'll play twice if the match is still live after 17 holes.
It's a national comp sanctioned by the R&A, so I have to assume it's the correct solution.

 

[RichA]

Why is this your problem to solve? What is the host club and the tournament organiser doung about it?

The host club did suggest a solution - halving the non-conforming hole, which apparently conforms to our County rules.
I wasn't sure whether that fitted with the competition rules so sought advice from the tournament organiser, who couldn't have been expected to already know the specifics of hundreds of matches being played at hundreds of different courses.
They have responded - problem solved.
It's all been very friendly. There have been no shots fired.

 

[Colin L]

Is it beyond the ingenuity or resources of the host club to cut a proper size of hole for this competition? A few minutes of a greenkeeper's time and the job's done.

 

[jim8flog]

Is it beyond the ingenuity or resources of the host club to cut a proper size of hole for this competition? A few minutes of a greenkeeper's time and the job's done.

This is a decision we made several years ago. We no longer have 'bucket' holes on temporary greens. So if we only have two holes with temp greens we can still run qualifying comps.