Taking shelter from rain

I can't believe that some here are suggesting that time taken to put on waterproofs and/or take a couple minutes of shelter, under umbrellas or otherwise, is a breach of any Rule.
 
Possibly worth quoting the interpretations... and its my highlight in red

5.7a/1 – When a Player Has Stopped Play
Stopping play in the context of Rule 5.7a can either be an intentional act by the player or it can be a delay long enough to constitute stopping. Temporary delays, whether reasonable or unreasonable, are covered by Rule 5.6a (Unreasonable Delay).

Examples where the Committee is likely to disqualify a player under Rule 5.7a for stopping play include when:

  • The player walks off the course in frustration with no intent to return.
  • The player stops in the clubhouse after nine holes for an extended time to watch television or to have lunch when the Committee has not allowed for this.
  • The player takes shelter from rain for a significant amount of time.
Now obviously the word "significant" is open to discussion till the cows vome home tomorrow- but I'd suggest it would have be at least quite a few minutes, and certainly dont see how it could be regarded so until it at least impacted on say, any following group?
 
backwoodsman said:
Possibly worth quoting the interpretations... and its my highlight in red

5.7a/1 – When a Player Has Stopped Play
Stopping play in the context of Rule 5.7a can either be an intentional act by the player or it can be a delay long enough to constitute stopping. Temporary delays, whether reasonable or unreasonable, are covered by Rule 5.6a (Unreasonable Delay).

Examples where the Committee is likely to disqualify a player under Rule 5.7a for stopping play include when:

  • The player walks off the course in frustration with no intent to return.
  • The player stops in the clubhouse after nine holes for an extended time to watch television or to have lunch when the Committee has not allowed for this.
  • The player takes shelter from rain for a significant amount of time.
Now obviously the word "significant" is open to discussion till the cows vome home tomorrow- but I'd suggest it would have be at least quite a few minutes, and certainly dont see how it could be regarded so until it at least impacted on say, any following group?
Click to expand...

Already quoted post #17
 
If it's a terrible downpour and there's room to shelter somewhere, then I'll do that for a short while. If it looks like the rain may be settling in, then can decide to carry on.

But in the real world, if anyone actually thought it a good idea to complain to the committee that people waited a while in the rain, well, I don't think they'd have many people to play with....
 
TheJezster said:
If it's a terrible downpour and there's room to shelter somewhere, then I'll do that for a short while. If it looks like the rain may be settling in, then can decide to carry on.

But in the real world, if anyone actually thought it a good idea to complain to the committee that people waited a while in the rain, well, I don't think they'd have many people to play with....
Click to expand...
They might complain if stuck behind you. Yes, you may decide to let them through, but if you proceed after them, still likely to delay the next group behind, who were immediately behind the group you let through.

Years ago, a player hit their just to the right of the 17th, and it trickled out of bounds into the driving range. They picked it up, and proceeded with the provisional. Our competition secretary at the time tried to suggest they should be disqualified, because they technically left the course. That went down well.
 
Can't see that happening. If it's wet enough to wait for a little bit, anyone behind, if they haven't already gone in, would likely wait too. So no hold up.

Your guy sounds like a right find...
 
NearHull said:
A bit of help please. Played today in a medal comp. At times the rain was extremely heavy - at times it was stair rods.

The group behind were stood on the tee of a short par 3 under umbrellas as the heavens had opened up (again). We had cleared that green and all started to play our tee shots on the next hole a par 4 ( as I minded our group that you can’t take shelter for an unreasonable period). We played all four tee shots ( in the very heavy rain) and were approaching our balls to take our second shots as the rain stopped and the group behind started to play their tee shots to the par 3. (Parallel fairway/holes.)

Ive read the rules 5.7 and 5.6 which seems to indicate that you cannot take shelter from rain for a unreasonable period - as I had thought and my group had complied with.

But what is unreasonable? And what is the penalty should it be deemed that the group behind were taking shelter and had stopped play unreasonably. To note , the green was clear, they were doing nothing but waiting out the rain.
Click to expand...

one of my mates was in a group that were DQ in a comp last year for sheltering on the 13th
 
Rather than start a new thread- There is a Comp. arranged with tee offs and names on the sheet. The weather is poor and 2 of the Group decide to delete their names and decide to play later, outside the comp. official time. It is only a small comp. junior, possible irrelevant but is this allowed?
Perhaps up to the Committee And depending on TOC.
 
3offTheTee said:
Rather than start a new thread- There is a Comp. arranged with tee offs and names on the sheet. The weather is poor and 2 of the Group decide to delete their names and decide to play later, outside the comp. official time. It is only a small comp. junior, possible irrelevant but is this allowed?
Perhaps up to the Committee And depending on TOC.
Click to expand...
What is wrong with anyone deciding to withdraw from a comp before play?
 
I think anyone reporting the initial incident would find themselves in a discussion of who did what, and timing. I'm not saying the people behind were right or wrong but you're talking a Par 3 and a tee shot. OK they probably waited too long but it's a tricky one to call IMHO. If they were deliberately procastinating and holding up somebody behind them, it could be a stronger case.
For me, I very rarely stop unless it is the stair rods as mentioned in the initial post. We had it a couple of months ago where we had two series of biblical proportions. One, unfortunately, while I was in the car park before I got my waterproofs on and got soaked in 30 seconds. The other was when we were on the 8th green. One of my partners asked to stop but I was checking groups in front and behind who also had stopped so the whole course had basically come to a standstill. We could see the water level rising on the green as we stood under the trees. Once the rain had subsided a little we moved on.
 
Robster59 said:
Apart from the fact that they have taken up two places that somebody who wanted to play in the medal couldn't do so because there were no spaces?
Click to expand...
I agree it may not be ideal, especially with booked times and possible restrictions on entry and play, but my point is what is to stop someone withdrawing from a comp before play? I’m sure plenty have done so before due to foul weather, illness or other such reasons.
 
Rather than start a new thread- There is a Comp. arranged with tee offs and names on the sheet. The weather is poor and 2 of the Group decide to delete their names and decide to play later, outside the comp. official time. It is only a small comp. junior, possible irrelevant but the
Bunkermagnet said:
What is wrong with anyone deciding to withdraw from a comp before play?
Click to expand...
I said and decide to play LATER
 
Bunkermagnet said:
I agree it may not be ideal, especially with booked times and possible restrictions on entry and play, but my point is what is to stop someone withdrawing from a comp before play? I’m sure plenty have done so before due to foul weather, illness or other such reasons.
Click to expand...
For clarification. There was a Junior Comp @9 a.m. today with 6 groups going out in 3’s. The weather was poor. One lad withdrew and added his time around 1.5 hours later with another competitor when the weather was expected to improve. This was outside the competitions scheduled time. If it had been within the scheduled time would it have made any difference?
 
Last edited:
Bunkermagnet said:
I agree it may not be ideal, especially with booked times and possible restrictions on entry and play, but my point is what is to stop someone withdrawing from a comp before play? I’m sure plenty have done so before due to foul weather, illness or other such reasons.
Click to expand...
My previous club in England had a rule on competitions. Pull out on the day, banned from the next two medals. Pull out the day before, banned from the next medal.
Harsh maybe but it made people think twice.
 
3offTheTee said:
For clarification. There was a Junior Comp @9 a.m. today with 6 groups going out in 3’s. The weather was poor. One lad withdrew and added his time around 1.5 hours later with another competitor when the weather was expected to improve. This was outside the competitions scheduled time. If it had been within the scheduled time would it have made any difference?
Click to expand...
So they have withdrawn from the comp on the day, then booked to play later after the comp, and thus they are not in the comp? It might not be ideal but they could have withdrawn for any amount of reasons then claimed they were ok to play. If there is space for them to play what’s to stop them?
Perhaps I just don’t understand the need to punish someone that enters a voluntary comp for not playing, unless it is of course a regular happening.
 
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