Hi Linda,
During a recent two-person team match play tournament at our
club, a high handicapper (36) was partnered with a low handicapper (7). During
play the high handicapper asked advice from her partner on every stroke, then
took 4-5 practice swings before hitting her ball. The discussions with her
partner took at least a minute each. On one of the holes, the high handicapper
had already addressed her ball on the putting surface, after the usual discussion
and practice swings, when her partner came up and adjusted the way she was
holding the club. Did I mention that we were playing in the pouring rain and
that we waited on every stroke? I couldn't find anything in the Rules of Golf
about physically changing your partner's grip during a match. Clearly she can
ask for advice, but does that include changing her grip after she's addressed
the ball?
Thank you for your clarification.
Lulu from Georgia
Dear Lulu,
Partners are permitted to advise each other. There is no
restriction on what type of advice. The Rule that this team may have violated
is 6-7, "Undue Delay; Slow Play." The penalties for undue delay are
quite severe: loss of hole for the first violation, disqualification for a
subsequent offense. These penalties may be modified in both match play and
stroke play (please read Note 2 under Rule 6-7).
If the Committee has established pace of play guidelines in
the Conditions of the Competition (maximum time to complete the round, a hole,
or a stroke), players who fall behind should be put on the clock and penalized
for violations. If there is not sufficient personnel to monitor play, you
should try to contact a Committee member and ask that someone (a ranger,
perhaps) come out to monitor your group.
I'm surprised that no one approached your group regarding
your slow play (a ranger, a Committee member, someone in the group behind you).
I can't imagine you were keeping up with the group in front of you with all the
shenanigans going on.
Keep in mind that there is nothing to stop you from asking
the player to cut down on her practice swings and asking her partner to save
the golf lesson for the practice tee. It is both permissible and encouraged to
talk to your group about slow play when you have lost a hole on the group in
front. The 36-handicapper may be unaware she is creating a problem, but the
7-handicapper should know better.
Linda
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