Playing the course

[Tigerwuds]

I have been scouring the rules and can find no reference to the following question " when green staff have set up a course for competition can they then play in that competition?"

 

[Neilds]

If the rules don't say you can't do it, then that means you can do it - in my eyes. Also, why would cutting the grass and putting the flags prevent you playing in the competition?

 

[Bdill93]

I have been scouring the rules and can find no reference to the following question " when green staff have set up a course for competition can they then play in that competition?"

Our old head greenkeeper was a member and good golfer. Used to set the course up then play.

Just because you know pin locations it doesn't mean you're going to hit the ball there every time!

 

[Tigerwuds]

Thanks fellas but it's a bit more complicated than that in stroke play you as a contestant are not allowed to play the course prior to playing in the competition so if green keepers have set the course up is it tantamount to playing the course in that they not only know the pin positions but also the speed of the greens and tee boxes seat up to prefer a draw or fade as the case may be does that not give them an advantage over other competitors

 

[jim8flog]

No different to somebody walking round the course to look at pin positions and course conditions before going out to play.

 

[patricks148]

There's a few clubs around here that have green keeper's who've set up the course then play in comps. Kings, Nairn Dunbar, Muir of Ord, Brora and Golspie to name a few, all good golfers in plus figures and never been an issue.

 

[rosecott]

Thanks fellas but it's a bit more complicated than that in stroke play you as a contestant are not allowed to play the course prior to playing in the competition so if green keepers have set the course up is it tantamount to playing the course in that they not only know the pin positions but also the speed of the greens and tee boxes seat up to prefer a draw or fade as the case may be does that not give them an advantage over other competitors

For the second time in 24 hours the phrase "sour grapes" occurs to me.

I will go out on a limb and say that there has never been a rule of golf that debars a player from playing in a comp when he has been involved in setting up the course - and your post is highly unlikely to change that situation.

 

[LincolnShep]

... if green keepers have set the course up is it tantamount to playing the course ...

It definitely isn't. Cutting holes does not meet the definition of 'Stroke' as per the rules of golf. If they haven't made any strokes, they haven't played the course. There are no rules against walking the course.

 

[rulefan]

Thanks fellas but it's a bit more complicated than that in stroke play you as a contestant are not allowed to play the course prior to playing in the competition so if green keepers have set the course up is it tantamount to playing the course in that they not only know the pin positions but also the speed of the greens and tee boxes seat up to prefer a draw or fade as the case may be does that not give them an advantage over other competitors

As long as they are not testing a green there is no issue.
“Practising on the course” means playing a ball, or testing the surface of the putting green of any hole by rolling a ball or rubbing the surface,

 

[IanM]

How many shots or putts have the green staff taken in setting up the course?

Nothing stopping you getting up at 5am and walking the course with them.

 

[D-S]

So if they have ‘stimped’ this greens that would constitute testing the surface?

 

[rulefan]

So if they have ‘stimped’ this greens that would constitute testing the surface?

It would certainly seem so. But only if the 'stimper' was going to play

 

[Shanker69]

I have been scouring the rules and can find no reference to the following question " when green staff have set up a course for competition can they then play in that competition?"

Our greenkeeper sets the pins out on a Friday for Saturday play. He plays in most of the competitions but he is a low handicapper.

He doesn't follow the general unwritten rule of 6 easy, 6 medium and 6 hard. They are all pretty much hard.

Take last week for instance.

We have many raised greens and uphill approaches. The pins were set in positions that only a long hitting short iron player could hope to achieve. Most players in the competition would hit long irons, hybrids or woods at many of the "short" holes. At best a mid iron could be used but stopping the ball would be impossible for all but the guy who hits a wedge or 9 iron, so leaving the ball close is nigh on impossible and the margin for error greater. All the risk is placed on mid to high handicappers.

It is my contention that it really ought to be a weekly sub-committee meeting to establish pin placements for the following week and not the greenkeeper. Of course if its a question of course/green protection then the placements would be taken under advisement.

 

[rulefan]

Perhaps your Greens Committee Chair should have words.
But how many comps does your greenkeeper win and how is his handicap going?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Golf clubs are generally delighted if they have a player as a greenkeeper.
It would be a sad day if some bitter member put a stop to then entering club competitions.

The only time I see a greenkeeper having an advantage would be in match play but surely that would be very marginal.

 

[arnieboy]

Two of our greenkeepers have very low handicaps and ended up playing each other in the final of a prestigious knockout competition. No-one that I am aware of begrudged the winner the trophy.

 

[OntheteeGavin]

Thanks for joining.

 

[LizAig]

i wish our green keepers would play in our comps - then they wouldn’t be on the course during our (ladies) comps!! Every Thursday afternoon they they are strimming and mowing about 5 ft away from us during our swing or they stop their mowers right in the middle of the fairway because they don’t think we can reach them!! Last week they were spraying the greens during the comp - hmmm, how I love to breathe in those chemicals!!

 

[Teebs]

Given some of our recent Pin positions, I guess the greenkeepers aren't playing afterwards. Played last Friday and I think it was the toughest set up I've seen in my 15 years as an on/off member.
We finished at 2pm and there was a fairly big society heading out, god knows what they thought..

One of the greens is 2 tier, pin was back left. The only sensible approach to prevent a 3/4 putt was pin high right which would give you a landing area of 10ft at the most. Same Pin yesterday for the mid week stableford, stats from HDID

2nd toughest hole
0 birdies, only 3 pars, 6 bogies and 13 "others"
It's supposed to be SI 15...

Overall Div1 winner had 36 points, Div2 was 40 points.

 

[rulefan]

Overall Div1 winner had 36 points, Div2 was 40 points.

Not that difficult then