Can
you believe it is the half way point of our region’s golf season?
This is the time of year I like to share a few golf thoughts with you.
Some good news. The California Supreme Court has ruled that errant golf shots
are, in most cases, part of the game of golf and should not be part of damage
suits. The court ruled 6-1 that golf is like other contact sports. “Golfers
have a limited duty of care to other players, breached only if they intentionally
injure them or engage in conduct so reckless as to be outside the range of ordinary
activity.” No more guilt, you can slice and holler “fore.”
How many times have
you wondered what the rules would be in certain situations? For example,
it is raining and someone in your foursome holds an umbrella over you
while you’re putting - that’s a no-no. By accepting this
you get a two stroke penalty. (R14-2) You putt and hit a foursome member’s
ball marker, there is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies.(R19-1)
If your ball becomes wedged when it gets to the green between the flag
stick and the rim of the hole you can slowly remove the flag stick and
if the ball falls in you have holed out and get no penalty. (R17-4)
You have just completed
a round of golf and your body’s aching. Have you ever wondered
how you measure up to other causal golfers on the aches and pains scale?
According to a recent survey, the percent of common injuries varies in
men and women golfers. For men, the most common problem is the lower
back (36%) and for women the elbow at the same percentage. Next for men
would be the elbow (33%) and wrist/hand (21%). For women next would be
the lower back (27%) and the shoulder (16%). The same study says the
cause of these injuries is excessive play or practice, poor swing mechanics
and hitting the ground or an object during a swing. So, as you nurse
the aches and pains, have some solace in the fact you’re not alone.
Now the secret can
be told. There are differences between men’s and women’s
golf balls that go beyond being pink. Women’s golf balls are generally
manufactured to have a softer feel and to go air borne easier to compensate
for the variations in swings between male and female golfers.
The definitive majority answer to July’s putting stroke count question
comes from Arthur Kaufman, past president and member champion at The Tam O’ Shanter
Club. He states that putting strokes are only counted when you are holing out
on the putting green. With this in mind, good luck with the second half of
the season
