Dear readers,
Happy New Year! With the end of 2014 comes the realization
that I have been writing “Ask Linda” columns for a full seven years. Not so
surprisingly (given the complexity of the Rules), I received so many questions
during 2014 that I have well over 200 questions and answers waiting patiently
to post during 2015. In fact, as of this writing, I have columns scheduled to
post through the middle of December, which brings me to the reason I am writing
to you now.
The Rules of Golf and the Decisions are revised every four
years. Your current rulebook will expire at the end of 2015. I am not
comfortable scheduling columns to post in 2016, since the answers I write may
be incorrect based on whatever changes are made at the next revision. I do not
want to stop answering your questions; nor do I wish to publish answers that
don’t conform to the 2016 changes.
Here is what I propose to do:
• Answer all the questions you send me in 2015 personally.
These e-mailed answers may not be as detailed as my columns, and I might simply
send you a copy of the pertinent Rule or Decision.
• Save our correspondence in a file. Depending on how many
questions I receive in 2016, post some or all of your 2015 questions on the
blog in 2016 after studying the changes to the Rules and Decisions.
• Continue posting answers to follow-up questions or
important corrections to the 2015 columns during 2015.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you throughout the year
as you run into confusing situations on the golf course.
Regards,
Linda
