Dear Linda,
I just played in a tournament where there was a threat of a big rainstorm coming in the afternoon. My group was informed when we had just finished the third or fourth hole that the tournament would be shortened to a 9-hole tournament. I’ve never heard of anything like that happening! Is that permissible? My friends and I were very disappointed that only nine holes counted. We played all 18 holes anyway, and the weather never got really bad.
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The definition of a “stipulated round” tells us that the number of holes to be played is 18, unless the Committee authorizes a smaller number. However, if you will be playing less than the customary 18, you must be informed of that decision prior to the start of your round. It should be printed on your rules sheet, or communicated to each player by a tournament official.
I played in a USGA qualifier this year where one of the holes on the course was closed. The competitors were informed, prior to the round, that the stipulated round for the tournament would be 17 holes. (That certainly made everyone’s score look better, although we all, of course, had to record a score for the skipped hole when we posted the score into our handicap record.)
Once you have begun play, the Committee cannot reduce the number of holes. Here is the exact wording, from Decision 33-1/2: “The Committee does not have the authority to reduce the number of holes of a stipulated round once play has commenced in that round.” Unless the weather poses a danger (e.g., lightning), or the course becomes unplayable (e.g., lakes are forming on the greens), play must continue.
It is not unusual to play golf in the rain (although I will agree that it is not the most pleasant of experiences), and the threat of rain does not constitute a reason to cancel a tournament. Indeed, Rule 6–8 reminds players that “bad weather is not of itself a good reason for discontinuing play.”
In a stroke play tournament, the Committee may cancel the tournament if the course becomes unplayable. In such a case, all scores for the round are canceled. Hopefully, in such a case your tournament would be rescheduled.
From your question, it sounds like the course never became unplayable, the weather did not constitute a danger, and the competitors were not informed that the stipulated round had been reduced to nine holes prior to commencing play. The Committee was therefore not within its rights to shorten the tournament after it had begun, and the tournament should have continued until such time as the course became unplayable. This is an unusual and surprising action for a Committee to take, as it does not conform to USGA rules.
Linda
Copyright © 2008 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
