Thanks to the West Links Juniors for hosting MD3 on a bright but windy day, over the famous old links at North Berwick. As usual, Steve Austin, Shona Paton, Sue Warren and Ric Foulner all helped out on the day – so my thanks are due for their unstinting efforts!
Congratulations to Craigielaw as the leading Team with 144 points for the best 4 Stableford scores out of 6, with Haddington only 2 points behind. But both West Links Bass came in 3rd to maintain their lead in the League table, now followed closely by Haddington, Craigielaw, and Kilspindie.
Even off the Blue Tees, the best 2 scratch scores were only 36 points, by local members Jack Collingswood and Andrew Irvine, which showed how hard the course was playing! Jack won on the count-back. The best net scores were 42 points by Archie Brownlee of Haddington and by Calum Robertson of Royal Musselburgh. Archie won the first prize on the count-back.
The Team and Individual scores are on the attached table. The League table will soon be updated. Scores will be posted to WHS tonight. See the rules note below this table.
RULES PROBLEMS – There was an important local rule about temporary water in bunkers and elsewhere on the course. The local rule below was applied. It was explained to all Players and printed on one of the scorecards in each group, and was published on Golf Genius and on the website. Sadly some Players, who were very honest when asked if they any problems with the water in the bunkers, and the relief process they followed, admitted they had dropped their ball outside of bunkers containing water, which were not marked GUR and were not totally full of water. The correct process was to drop in the sandy part of these bunkers, no nearer the hole. After establishing the facts, some players had to add a penalty stroke under Rule 16.1c. The process of the 2 ball procedure under Rule 20.1c(3) was explained. Please look it up of the R&A rules App. It could save you many strokes in your future rounds.
RULE 16.1c IS AMENDED BY A LOCAL RULE FOR ABNORMAL GROUND CONDITION (TEMPORARY WATER IN BUNKERS, AND IN THE GENERAL AREA.)
If any bunker is FULL or PARTLY FULL of water, and is MARKED GUR, you are allowed “complete relief” and can drop a ball, without penalty, outside the bunker within 1 club length of the “reference point” which must NOT be nearer the hole than where the ball originally lay. If your ball is in a bunker, which is NOT MARKED GUR, and there is an area of sand, which is NOT nearer the hole than where the ball lay, and IS available to you to take a drop in the bunker, where the ball and your stance would be clear of any temporary water, you MUST take your free drop in the bunker. Any doubts – use Rule 20.1c(3) (playing two balls) after FIRST nominating which of the 2 balls you want to count, PRIOR to playing either ball. If your ball is lost in any temporary water anywhere on the course and if it is known or virtually certain your ball is lost in that area, Rule 16.1e applies. If you are taking a free drop, it is one club length from the estimated point where the ball last crossed the edge of the water. If your ball in water is found- take a free drop, one club length from the nearest point of complete relief, not nearer the hole.
