The University of the South*
Sewanee, Tennessee

Foremost was excited to play the recently renovated Sewanee Course which had received rave reviews.

“Do you have any Local Rules?”, asked Foremost, making his usual inquiry at a new course.

“Yep, cheat like hell” said the attendant, not missing a beat.

Reader Rev CS, a Sewanee Divinity School alum, unwittingly took this advice to heart.

Facts

“It’s okay if I step down the grass by my ball, isn’t it?”, he asked as he stomped on the high grass next to his ball.

“No, you can’t do that…that’s a penalty”, said F.

“Why? I’d rather knock down the grass in front of my ball”, he added, pointing to the grass impeding his line of play. “This grass isn’t even bothering me”, he said, continuing to stomp down the grass beside his ball.

“Then why are you stomping on it?”, asked F.

Ruling

R8 introduces one of the central principles of the game of golf, “play the course as you find it”. In addition, it introduces the terminology, “conditions affecting the stroke”, and restricts what a player might do to affect his lie, stance, swing, line of play, or relief area. Particularly, one may not “bend” or “break” a “growing or attached natural object” R8.1a.

The penalty for altering a “CAS” is the General Penalty, LOH in Match Play or 2 strokes in Stroke Play.

The Reader should note, however, that the New Rules 2019 have an escape clause for this penalty! If a player can restore the condition before making his stroke, there is no penalty. (R8.1c).In other words, the Rev could have avoided the penalty by fluffing back up the stomped grass.

F elected not to impose R8 in this situation, anyway. Instead, he resorted to another, unwritten rule of golf….never call a penalty on the preacher.

As usual, all comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F

*quote by John Meacham