Hi Linda,
A situation has arisen that has been bothering me for some
time. We have a perfectly good driving range at our club, but there some guys
who, while waiting to tee off, will hit balls toward our ninth fairway or into
the woods lining our first fairway. The pro has finally complained, especially
with the ones who are driving range balls into the woods. I guess my question
is does Rule 7-1 come into question here? Thanks.
Lou from Florida
Dear Lou,
It sure does.
In stroke play, players are not permitted to practice on the
course prior to the start of the round. The penalty is disqualification.
In match play, players are permitted to practice before the
round. However, the term “practice” would be playing some (or all) of the holes
on the course, not turning the course into a driving range.
I understand that every round you play is not an official
competition, and disqualifying your buddies in a casual round is not an option.
However, hitting balls into the woods or onto another fairway seems downright
rude and inconsiderate. Peppering the woods or another fairway with golf balls
is akin to dropping litter on the ground. If these players want to practice,
they should be directed to the range. The pro should issue warnings and follow
them up with serious consequences.
Linda
Copyright © 2016 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
