Recently, I played nine holes at a local public course with a few friends. We weren’t able to tee off until noon because of a tournament they had running that weekend. No problem, I know the men’s or women’s association get dibs on the course, tee times, tourney’s etc… Now, what I don’t get is; Do these associations trump a paying non-members rights when they are on the course playing?
Here’s what went down. We are on the 8th hole and making our approach to the green. My ball is the only one to stay on and is about 15-20 feet from the pin. The others either roll onto the fringe or end up a few feet off in the rough. As were are heading to our balls these two guys pull up, one with a hole cutting tool and the other with the cup tool. They continue to make a new hole on the green and plug the other.
By this time we were within a few feet of them and puzzled. I’ve never seen this before…ever. Some guy just changed the hole location on us before we finished the hole. The good part is that he moved it closer to my ball but we had to ask. Their reply was that because of the weekend tournament the holes must be moved. We then ask why can’t that be done early morning before the round…like every other course does it. One of the guys comes back with that he’s a member of the men’s association, this is his job and he can’t make it back early enough tomorrow.
We let that bit of foggy, unclear bantor settle for a minute. Without stating the most obvious common sense response that you could have waited for us to finish, we let them be and continue our play. I’m still not sure if those two guys, members nonetheless, understood their lack of etiquette.
So, what would the ruling on that be?
Rule 17-1 clearly states that any person who changes the location of a hole while said hole is being played by a group is a total jackass.
Jim Dauer
FullForesome.com
Can’t say I’ve ever had that happen. I guess you could have just putted to where the old, plugged hole was and if you could stop the ball right on the plug, it would be considered holed out. (joking of course)
My local course is similar. It’s a municipal course that caters to their “members.” The members treat the course like crap and don’t follow any rules. Then there are guys like me that usually pay more in greens fees and cart rentals than a membership is worth. We follow the rules and treat the course with respect, yet get treated poorly occasionally. Changing cups while I’m approaching the green? I would have had to raise my voice.
I can’t believe they changed the hole. I figured that it would be something that would remain stable on the course. I think I would have been a little ticked. (Unless like you, the hole was closer.)
I hit a ball in a sand trap and the ball buried under the lip of the grass of the bunker. I iD my ball and was wondering what my options were?