A Road Trip

Warm and sunny skies welcomed Foremost in a recent match play competition with Reader BL and his lovely wife, JL, at the challenging TCC golf course in Indian Wells, California. The lovely Mrs. F, who doesn’t play golf, joined the action as well, walking along as a spectator. She was perfectly content to be exercising, soaking up a little Vitamin D, and taking in the spectacular desert views of the rocky arroyos and distant snow-capped peaks which surrounded the lush, green fairways in the garden-like setting of TCC.

F decided early, however, that Mrs. F might be more motivated and productive, and better learn and appreciate the game of golf, if she participated in a few simple, inspirational tasks such as fetching clubs, raking bunkers, and searching for and retrieving F’s golf balls from waters’ edges and the seemingly benign, cactus-filled gullies. (For the record, F never saw a snake or scorpion).

With the exception of perhaps a couple of side-ways glances, after yet another opportunity with a rake, Mrs. F performed admirably on the afternoon, until an unfortunate incident at the 18th hole.

Facts

F had a side-hill, 20-footer to win the hole and the match. He asked Mrs. F to “tend the flag”, which he further explained, meant to lift it from the hole when the ball was struck. F hit the putt. Mrs. F gave the flagstick a couple of anxious tugs and then left it in the hole. F’s putt struck the flagstick, and dropped in the hole.

Clearly flustered, Mrs. F explained that she had been unable to remove the flagstick since it was stuck in the hole, and she had been unsure as to the level of force to use in its removal. F told her not to worry… that “it was no big deal”…. although he noted she had, in fact, cost him the General Penalty of LOH and the match, since his ball had struck an attended flagstick.

Issue(s)

Was F’s penalty assessment correct?

Was Mrs. F a “caddie” under the Rules? Does a “caddie” designation even matter in this instance?

Ruling

F finds that Mrs. F was not a “caddie” under the Rules, in that the two principle duties of a “caddie” as defined, are (1) “carrying, transporting, or handling clubs”, and (2) giving “advice”. (See, Def., “Caddie”; See also, R10.3, as “Caddies” now have their own Rule). The definition goes on to say that picking up a club “left behind” (what F calls “fetching”) when done “as a courtesy”, does not make a person a caddie.

Furthermore, Mrs. F does not give F “advice” (at least, golf-related).

The inquiry as to culpability does not end, however, with the finding that Mrs. F was not formally a “caddie”. Since Mrs. F was attending the flagstick upon F’s express authorization, F was still responsible for her actions in performing this duty. (R13.2b(1).

Under the New Rules a player may now, of course, leave the flackstick in the hole (even when putting from the putting green), or he may have the flagstick removed, or he may have the flagstick attended for removal after the stroke. The player must, however, make this election before the stroke is made.

In the instance at hand, F properly made his election before the stroke, and his authorized representative, Mrs. F, sadly and simply failed to perform her duty. Under the old Rules (R17-3a), the penalty for a ball striking an attended flagstick was automatic, with the result being LOH in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

Under the New Rules, however, F gets a break. Before a penalty is assessed, one must determine whether the action (in this case, leaving the flagstick in the hole) was “deliberate” or “accidental”. (R13.2b(2). For purposes of this Rule, “deliberately deflected” carries the same evidentiary burden as the deliberate deflection of a ball in motion (R11.2a), which requires that the intention be “known or virtually certain”.

Mrs. F’s failure to remove the flagstick was clearly “accidental” under this standard….thus, no penalty. F thinks he might owe Mrs. F an apology!

A Tornado Note

Many of you have called or written to check in after the devastating tornado which recently hit Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Thanks to all! F can report that his family and friends did escape injury, although others in the community were not so lucky.

The good news is that it really has been amazing to see Nashville volunteers hit the streets in record numbers to begin to put some homes and lives back together.

Reader DS did report, however, that his office was obliterated in the storm… “just junk”, he said, “as opposed to the losses of so many others”. A picture of his office is attached to give you an idea of the level of destruction.

He reports that one item survived….a miracle in the rubble!

As usual, all comments and questions are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,

F