Many thanks to Haddington for hosting us at our Match Day 5, particularly to the Haddington Junior Convenor Kate Henderson, the Professionals Scott and Connor, and the Keatings catering staff. Kate was a massive help to our usual helpers, Steve Austin, Chris Barker, and Steve Austin. The course was in fine condition and the scoring reflected the blustery conditions in which, for the 3rd event running, no Players in the field scored 40 or more Stableford points! Home Club Haddington recorded a fine wine on home turf by amassing 136 points in the best 4 from 6 scores format. Craigielaw were in 2nd place, 7 points adrift on 129, followed by Gullane on 127. Shona Paton, the Gifford Convenor was absent but was in contact later in evening with me to point out that one of Gifford’s Players had recorded a qualifying score on the Saturday before which had not yet been entered on the World Handicapping System prior to MD5. So after reducing his handicap, his score on Sunday dropped by a point which unfortunately moved Gifford from 3rd place to 4th. This is a good example of the honesty that is expected from all Players and Organisers in Golf!
In the individual event, Ethan Bailey of The Glen led the net scores with 39 points and Cameron Brown of Kilspindie led the scratch scores with 35 points. All individual and Team scores can be seen on the table below, or on the Golf Genius App under “Member Portal” and “Results.” Prizes can be collected at future MDs. The Orders of Merit can be seen on the Golf Genius App. Players can enter our remaining events on the App. My advice – get in early as we may be oversubscribed. The League Table can be seen on the website. Well done to the Glen move into the lead!
Slow Play – This is a perennial problem in Golf worldwide, but is at its worst now, evidenced by some rounds in the US Womens’ Open yesterday taking 6 hours! Professionals seem reluctant to adopt “Ready Golf ” principles, and are seldom ready to play their shot when it is their turn. Sadly, some of our Juniors, are now mimicking our top Men and Womens Players’ time consuming pre-shot deliberations, distance measurement calculation, taking several practice swings (up to 10 in some instances), pacing out putts, “straddling” the line and using “aim point” technique for putts, and lining up the ball on each and every putt, even when it may be a “tap in!” (The best putting coaches advise that for any putts outwith a distance of 15 feet, distance is more important than line!) All of these excessive and time consuming procedures can spoil the enjoyment of the game for the many Players. The R&A have quoted that for the majority of Amateur Golfers, “The futile mimicking of elite golfers should be avoided.” Any Coaches advising these procedures at the level of the game in our League should stress that if these procedures hold up play, then the Players are liable to receive a warning and ultimately receive penalty strokes.
Yesterday, together with Ric Foulner the Convenor of the West Links Juniors, I was on the course advising Players on time saving techniques, and monitoring any groups who were “out of position.” Being so is defined broadly as – “making sure that your group never has an empty par 4 in between them and the group in front, or being 15 minutes or more behind the group in front. If your tee time was 8 minutes behind the group in front, then you should finish your round only 8 minutes behind them. We observed gaps of 2 clear holes in front of some groups which is unacceptable. If this happened to say 2 groups in any field, then the duration of play for later Players would be an extra 30 minutes or more! Groups falling behind yesterday were identified and were advised to catch up to the group in front within the next 2 holes. We did see some effort but not enough improvement in their position was observed, so we will continue to monitor groups in future and advise accordingly. If any group in future is “out of Position” we will begin to time individuals in the group who are suspected as being too slow. Players who do not play a provisional ball when clearly it was sensible to have done so, and so delay play by having to return to put another ball into play may be penalised, if they held up players behind. Players who search for their ball for more than the 3 minutes allowed, without finding it, have the choice of abandoning their play on that hole, or if they can still score any stableford points, return to the location of the previous stroke, and putting another ball into play. If they find and play the original ball after more than 3 minutes of searching, the score for that hole will not count. Any Player who, after several strokes during play of any hole, can no longer score any Stableford points, should pick up their ball with no further play.
What can Players do to help? Try timing yourselves during practice. From the time you arrive at your ball, and if it is your turn to play, then you are allowed 40 seconds to play your stroke. Use common sense to refine, economise and practice your pre-shot routine so you can confidently be within that limit of 40 seconds on every occasion you play a stroke. But 10 extra seconds are allowed for the first Player only to play – on any par three holes, on any approach shots, and on chips and putts. Note – on Greens, after marking your ball, repairing pitch marks, removing loose impediments etc, when it is your turn to play, you have 40 seconds left to strike your putt. Time spent looking at the line, “straddling” etc, and aligning the ball will count towards the 40 seconds you are allowed.
I believe that to correct our Players at this stage of their golfing careers may seem impolite, but it is necessary for the good of their own development and for their future in the game. Nobody wishes to gain the reputation of being a slow Player!
Dave Warren 07595 301425
