FORE April FORE 2018The Newsletter of the

Goulburn Golf Club LtdBlackshaw Road Goulburn 2580General Manager: Rob KennedyClubhouse ‘Phone: (02)48212454Professional: Andrew Grove PGAPro Shop Phone: (02)48218133

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Firstly, I want to thank Daryl Marr for his above and beyond efforts regarding getting this FORE out. He is recovering from hip replacement surgery and on behalf of the members I want to wish him a speedy recovery. 

Secondly, I want to say a big thank you to Kiwi (Aaron) and his staff in the Bistro. I have reports from many members that the quality of the food is excellent. Reports also are the quantity of the meals is more than adequate.  So if you want a good feed get into the Bistro.

We need to support the Bistro and I encourage you all to think of ways of using the Bistro for your family

functions and even just that odd night out or a luncheon.

Margot and I had a Sunday lunch not long ago.  It was great.  Sunday roast over winter will be an absolute special.

The Board is looking at recommendations from our Club Manager Kenno in relation to a point of sale till in the Bistro, a new club app for our phones and promotions.

We are also getting quotes for solar panels on the clubhouse roof with a view to long term electricity savings for the club. More details will be provided in coming months.

Facebook - although I am not a great fan of Facebook it can be the greatest tool we have for getting publicity out there about the Club and club events. I encourage those members who use Facebook and have many friends to share everything they can about the club and to post anything they feel is positive about the club as we need to get it out there to as many people as possible. Our Pro Andrew and Rebecca are a great example of how Facebook can be used and at minimum expense in terms of advertising.

Morris OwenPresident

LADIES’ REPORT

The Ladies would like to thank all the volunteers who helped Dave Laurie with the coring and sanding of the green. This was helped by the ladies purchasing one  new blower along with paint for marking GUR. Thank you again to all the helpers.

Deb Collins

Ladies’ Captain

GOLF CALENDAR APRIL DAY DATE EVENT

THU 5 Apr Open Day Single Stableford

SAT 7 Apr Monthly Medal

MON 9 Apr ACT VETS

THU 12 Apr Open Day Single Stableford

SAT 14 Apr 2 Man Stableford6 Hole BB6 Hole Agg6 Hole Worst Ball

THU 19 Apr Open Day Single Stableford

SUN 11 Mar Pennants B Grade Scratch 10-11.30 am.

SAT 21 Apr Single Par

SUN 22 Apr Bill Hughes Matchplay – Round 1 finishes

THU 26 Apr Open Day Single

StablefordFRI 27 Apr Women’s

Pennants 9.30 amSAT 28 Apr Single Stableford

SUN 29 Apr Visit to Long Reef.Convoy 4 Kids

MON 27 Mar Goulburn v Bowral Ladies

THU 30 Apr CSGA Lady Vets

RULES OF GOLF

Information on Rules is not Advice

There was an excellent interaction

relating to the Rules of Golf between

the Indian, ‘new kid on the block’,

Shubhankar Sharma and the

‘veteran’, Phil Mickelson, at the

recent 2018 WGC-Mexico

Championship. Together with

Tyrrell Hatton, as the three third

round leaders, they were in the final

group to tee off. Sharma’s ball flew

the green at the 5th hole and he

found it surrounded by television

wires. It seems that Sharma, who

currently leads the European Tour’s

Race to Dubai, may not have been

sure whether his relief was from a

movable obstruction or an

immovable obstruction. Phil

Mickelson had no such doubt and

helpfully guided him through the

process of taking relief from a

movable obstruction. You can view

the incident at this Golf Channel link. 

Phil correctly recognised that the

wires were easily movable and told

Sharma to mark his ball, in case it

moved while he was removing the

wires, even directing him to move

his marker closer, so that the

position would be more accurately

marked. In fact, it is not necessary to

mark a ball whilst removing an

obstruction, as Rule 24-2 only

requires that if the ball moves while

doing so it must be replaced. But

marking the ball’s position in this

situation is a good practice that all

golfers should follow. 

An important point here is that

providing information on the Rules

does not incur the penalty for giving

advice, Definition of Advice. But

Decision 8-1/16 provides a caveat;

Q. B's ball was lying badly. B was

deliberating what action to take

when A, his fellow-competitor, said:

"You have no shot at all. If I were

you, I would deem the ball

unplayable." Was A giving advice,

contrary to Rule 8-1?

A. Yes. A's suggestion could have

influenced B "in determining his

play." Thus, it constituted advice -

see Definition of "Advice." It did not

constitute "information on the

Rules," which is not advice.

I have no doubt that Phil was correct

in identifying the interfering cable as

a movable obstruction. The

Definition states that an obstruction

is a movable obstruction if it may be

moved without unreasonable effort,

without unduly delaying play and

without causing damage, which

obviously applied to the cables in

this incident, even if they had been

trodden down and were partially

embedded in the soft earth. Another

example of a movable obstruction

that is embedded is a water hazard

stake, which may be inserted several

inches into the ground, but is still

easily removable and is therefore a

movable obstruction, unless a Local

Rule states otherwise.

This is not the first time that Phil

Mickelson has shown that he has a

good knowledge of the Rules of

Golf; if only this applied to all the

Pro golfers on Tour.

Acknowledging

RULE CHANGES FROM 2019

The R&A and the USGA have unveiled the new Rules of Golf, to be implemented on 1 January 2019. The R&A and the USGA finalised golf’s new Rules this month after an extensive review that included a request for feedback from the global golf community on the proposed changes. Golfers can now access the official 2019 Rules of Golf by visiting RandA.org or usga.org/rules . The process to modernise the Rules began in 2012 and was initiated to ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to make the game more attractive and accessible for newcomers.

While the majority of proposed Rules remain intact in the final version, several important changes to the initial proposals and further clarification of many Rules were incorporated. The most significant adjustments made following review of the feedback received

from golfers around the world include:

• Dropping procedure: When taking relief (from an abnormal course condition or penalty area, for example), golfers will now drop from knee height. This will ensure consistency and simplicity in the dropping process while also preserving the randomness of the drop. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested dropping from any height). • Measuring in taking relief: The golfer’s relief area will be measured by using the longest club in his/her bag (other than a putter) to measure one club-length or two club-lengths, depending on the situation, providing a consistent process for golfers to establish his/her relief area. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested a 20-inch or 80-inch standard measurement). •Removing the penalty for a double hit: The penalty stroke for accidentally striking the ball more than once in the course of a stroke has been removed. Golfers will simply count the one stroke they made to strike the ball. (Key change: the

proposed Rules released in 2017 included the existing one-stroke penalty).

•Balls Lost or Out of Bounds: Alternative to Stroke and Distance: A new Local Rule will now be available in January 2019, permitting committees to allow golfers the option to drop the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area), under a two-stroke penalty. It addresses concerns raised at the club level about the negative impact on pace of play when a player is required to go back under stroke and distance. The Local Rule is not intended for higher levels of play, such as professional or elite level competitions. (Key change: this is a new addition to support pace of play)

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are pleased to be introducing the new Rules of Golf after a collaborative and wide-ranging review process which has embraced the views of golfers, rules experts and administrators worldwide. We believe that the new Rules are more in tune with what golfers

would like and are easier to understand and apply for everyone who enjoys playing this great game.” “We’re thankful for the golfers, administrators and everyone in the game who took the time to provide us with great insight and thoughtful feedback,” said USGA Senior Director of Rules & Amateur Status, Thomas Pagel. “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce the new Rules ahead of their education and implementation.”

Major proposals introduced in 2017 that have been incorporated into the modernised Rules include: • Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties: There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.

• Relaxed putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the

flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt. • Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”): Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area. • Relaxed bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.

• Relying on player integrity: A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged. • Pace-of-play support: Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play. Presented in digital, text-based form today, the new Rules will also now be translated into more than 30 languages and readied for final delivery via print and digital formats, including searchable Rules of Golf official apps developed by The R&A and the USGA. Three important publications, to be distributed in September, will help players as well as officials and provide interpretation and guidance in how the Rules are applied:

• The Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf: An abridged, user-friendly set of the Rules with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases, and diagrams. Written in the “second person,” The Player’s Edition is intended to be the primary publication for golfers. • The Rules of Golf: The full edition of the Rules will be written in the third person and include illustrations. It is intended to be a more thorough version of the revised Rules. • The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf: This “guidebook” replaces the Decisions book and will contain information to best support committees and officials. It includes interpretations on the Rules, committee procedures (available local rules and information on establishing the terms of the competition), and the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. It is a comprehensive resource document intended as a supplementary publication. More than 30 “how-to apply” videos and a summary of the principal changes are now available at usga.org/rules . Additional education tools will be released in September.

Players are reminded that the current edition of the Rules of Golf (2016) must be applied when playing, posting scores or competing for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of this review process.

As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernise golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the game, from the sport’s leading professional and amateur competitions and organisations, to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

CAPTAIN’S WORD

Course super Dave and I would like to thank the people who helped with coring and sanding the greens:

Allen Collins 

Michael Crisp

Bob Stewart

Ross Croker

Jeff Croker

Rob Croker

Carl Stewart

Greg Stewart

Barry Christoff

Kevin Collins

Darrel Clarkson

Ian Hutchins

Dave Gray 

Kevin Gann

Mick Deegan.

  

I hope by now you have all noticed the colour of the pegs at the lateral hazard on the 8th are red and yellow at the hazard on the 7th. Rule 26 will give you the information you need. If you need more see us on the Match Committee.

I am still looking for help for next year on the committee. We will hold

a meeting   Thursday 19th April at 4pm if you wish to come.

Coming Events:

Draw for Bill Hughes KO 22April to start on 24th so get your nominations in.

Mick Williams KO qualifying Sat 14th April - forms in Pro shop.

Visit to Long Reef 28-29 April. Sheets on board downstairs.

Win your Club Membership for next year 19 May.

Captain

Greg Croker

AUTUMN GOLF

There’s something about the

beginning of April that has us

looking forward to playing golf. For

Goulburnians, we know that autumn

is the best season – mild

temperatures, calm winds and a

great course to play on. For

spectators, we have the first major of

the year (at Augusta National). For

families, we have the opportunity to

get together to play, watch and map

out some goals for the year. The

President and Board, Course

Superintendent and his staff, Club

Manager and his staff, our

Professional and his staff and

members who have participated in

competitions as well as volunteering

for jobs aimed at improving the

course, gardens and club facilities

are working together to bring

Goulburn Golf Club into the 21st

century.

Let’s see what we can do to

contribute to the effort. We can get

our kids into Andrew’s clinics,

watch the Aussies (Marc Leishman,

Jason Day, Adam Scott and

Cameron Smith) all of whom can

contend. Last I heard, Luke

Humphries could be lurking in the

azaleas. Play “Spot the Luke”!