R&A Rules School - The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews is widely regarded as the home of golf. Today, it is established as the R&A which is the controlling body for golf in Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. It is to golfers in these countries, what ICC is to cricket.
Golf, unlike any other sport is largely self regulating. However, anyone trying to read and understand the rules governing the game will quickly find that almost every rule has an exception. The words on the front cover of the latest book of rules published by the R&A states "Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either do what is fair. But to do what is fair you need to know the Rules of Golf".
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| Late Mrs Pam Fernando |
Around 60 Golfers applied to follow a level one Rules School in Colombo, which was held by representatives of the R&A, Messrs. Chris Hilton and Grant Moir. The participants were taken through the main sections of the book of rules which included a section on etiquette. Understanding etiquette is not mandatory as the rules are. However, they are an essential part of the knowledge and practice of all golfers and followers of golf to understand and appreciate to make the game of golf safer and more enjoyable for both golfers and spectators alike. Whilst it is not essential that every golfer reads the whole book of rules, it is certainly advantageous to know what the main rules are and how to find and interpret the rules.
After the session in the class room and a practical demonstration on the course, an examination was also held for the participants.
The late Pam Fernando who was largely responsible for Authoring 3 Centenary books on Golf which details the happenings in the golf scene in Sri Lanka expresses a particular predicament that was faced by the golfers at the Royal Colombo Golf Club when there was cattle roaming on the course, through a poem that was sent to the R&A in order to seek clarification on the definition of cow dung which obviously affected manner in which one could "Fairly play the game". The first few verses of it reproduced here highlight the problem.
Dung or not Done (a Golf "Course" verse).
The Rules of Golf do specify the do's and don'ts for you, me and all and sundry.
Penalties can't be modified, and for serious breaches you can be disqualified.
The shapes of clubs, the kind of ball, the R&A defines them all.
Fairway and rough is through the green, a ball in a divot is ‘rub of the green’.
Teeing grounds and out of bounds; Caddies and equipment, ‘loose’ impediment; One under par, GUR; outside agency, advice and emergency; The putting green, balls lost and unseen.
Balls in bunkers, balls in water, what you mayn't do and what you oughter.
For abnormal conditions that may arise, Local Rules Golf Committees do devise.
And added to all this mumbo-jumbo, is a special problem at the Royal Colombo.
It been abused, misused and frowned upon; talked about, walked about and trod upon.
Fellow members, I obviously refer to; Cow dung - and balls that adhere to.
It is a brilliant poem in many ways but is too long to be published in one column so watch out for it in the weeks to follow.
Mithun misses out on 2012 Asian Tour Card
Mithun Perera as reported last week ended with a one over par 4th round to finish in 61st place in the Asian Golf Tour Q School played in Thailand. The Top Qualifier was David Lipsky with a half Korean descent and being a citizen of the United States finished on 14 under par 2 strokes ahead of joint runners-up which included Indian Rahil Gangjee. On the brighter side Mithun can concentrate on the Indian Golf Tour whilst Anura Rohana who received the country spot in the Asian Tour will have to shuttle between the Asian and Indian Tours. Mithun is currently playing the first Tournament in the 2012 Indian Tour.
A total of 42 players earned their Asian Tour cards for 2012 with the cut at three-under-par 285. |
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