Practicing on the course - 9 hole comps

[cliveb]

An interesting one came up today. There was a ladies' 9 hole stableford, to be played on holes 10-18. One group decided they wanted to play 18 holes and started on the 1st. So they played holes 1-9, then 10-18 for the comp. The question is whether their playing of holes 1-9 is deemed to be practicing on the course before a strokeplay comp. My gut feeling is that for the purposes of the competition, holes 1-9 are not part of the course, so they are OK. But wanted to check with the experts on here.

 

[rosecott]

I would disagree. They were practicing on the course prior to playing a strokeplay competition. The fact that the competition was only over the last 9 holes seems irrelevant. It would have been more sensible to have played holes 10-18 first and holes 1-9 afterwards.

 

[cliveb]

I would disagree. They were practicing on the course prior to playing a strokeplay competition. The fact that the competition was only over the last 9 holes seems irrelevant.

Is that an opinion or do you know for sure? (Sorry - no body language on a forum, so let me emphasise that I'm not challenging you on this, but simply want to know the correct ruling). The issue here is whether we need to DQ the group from the comp, and we want to make sure we get it right.

It would have been more sensible to have played holes 10-18 first and holes 1-9 afterwards.

Quite so - which in fact is what a couple of other groups did do. But we still shouldn't DQ a group so doing something daft if they haven't actually broken the rule.

 

[woody69]

The "course" is the whole area within any boundaries established by the Committee. If the front 1-9 holes is within those boundaries I would say they practiced on the course.

However the rule states "a competitor must not practise on the competition course". But that is not within the definition, so perhaps they could get away with it if it is stipulated the competition course is holes 10-18...

 

[cliveb]

The "course" is the whole area within any boundaries established by the Committee. If the front 1-9 holes is within those boundaries I would say they practiced on the course.

Ah right. (For example, on our course one can easily hook a tee shot from the 11th tee onto the 2nd fairway, but you're still in bounds and can continue. Similarly you can slice a tee shot on 13 onto 9, or 18 onto 1). Hence a DQ is in order. Makes sense. Thanks for clarifying my thought processes.

 

[duncan mackie]

I think you are getting there.

The relevant definition is competition course and the relevant rule is 7-1b, specifically "b. Stroke Play
Before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke-play competition, a competitor must not practice on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."

The other holes are part of the competition course as defined, and they rolled balls on some of the greens. The end.

Note that rule 7 permits the committee to permit practice on the competition course prior to play, and for many clubs it's probably a safer default than the normal rules! The default is as above.

 

[rulefan]

The committee should have issued a notice to the effect that only holes 10-18 were the Competition Course.

 

[cliveb]

The committee should have issued a notice to the effect that only holes 10-18 were the Competition Course.

Well, the competition did specify that the 9 holes to be played were 10-18, but I don't see how they can define holes 1-9 as "not part of the course". How is out of bounds supposed to be defined? Could they just say that "any fairway on holes 1-9 is OOB"? What about the rough that lies between holes on the front and back nine? I can't see how it's practical.

(NB: I am not part of the committee. I am asking this on behalf of my wife, who is the ladies section handicap secretary).