Joe,
Last summer I had a money match against one of my buddies, and I was winning until the last hole, which is adjacent to the first hole. I sliced my drive into the right rough which is shared by the first hole and I noticed a guy on the first hole was playing a shot from about the same spot. Apparently he hit his drive to the same area. When I got there my ball was gone but there was another ball in the same spot, I think he hit my ball by mistake. He was in a power cart so he was gone before I could reach that spot. I was going to take a penalty for a lost ball, but my buddy said it was not my fault, he saw where my drive was and he agreed the other guy probably hit my ball by mistake, and therefore I did not need to take a penalty. Since I cannot prove this, I feel guilty because I like to follow the rules. Who is right, and who should get the money?
Adam
Hello Adam,
First of all, I have to commend you for honesty, and commend your buddy for sportsmanship. If you are playing by strict tournament rules, I suppose it has to be a lost ball penalty, but in a tournament this is not as likely to happen, so I think the term “recreational rules” apply here since you don’t have forecaddies, even if you are playing for money. Logic says it is not your fault that if someone else hits your ball, but some rules are devoid of logic. If you feel that strongly about applying penalties that have nothing to do with the skill of the contest, then I would suggest you conveniently forget to sign the scorecard, thereby disqualifying both of you, so give your money to charity!
Joe
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Joe,
What is the single most important move a golfer can make during a golf swing?
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
If I tell you, I will have to shoot you. Oh, all right, here it is, Merry Christmas. You are likely to get a lot of different opinions about this topic, but here’s mine and here’s why: As you start your downswing, move your back elbow in front of your hip before you strike the ball. This one move makes 4 other good things happen without even having to think about each one. It helps your lower body weight to shift from the back leg to the front leg. It promotes an inside-out swing path. It helps you hit downward at the ball. It helps to delay the wrist break until you really need it. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, also the stop-action camera shots in magazines, and you will see they all do this elbow move, no matter how different their swings otherwise may look.
Joe
What is the single most important move a golfer can make during a golf swing?
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
If I tell you, I will have to shoot you. Oh, all right, here it is, Merry Christmas. You are likely to get a lot of different opinions about this topic, but here’s mine and here’s why: As you start your downswing, move your back elbow in front of your hip before you strike the ball. This one move makes 4 other good things happen without even having to think about each one. It helps your lower body weight to shift from the back leg to the front leg. It promotes an inside-out swing path. It helps you hit downward at the ball. It helps to delay the wrist break until you really need it. Watch the slow motion replays of the pros on TV, also the stop-action camera shots in magazines, and you will see they all do this elbow move, no matter how different their swings otherwise may look.
Joe
Monday, December 20, 2004
Joe,
I just got appointed to be in charge of my golf league for next year, but I am finding it very tricky trying to correctly arrange matches. How can I make a league schedule that makes sure that everyone plays everyone else at least once, and there are no duplications or omissions?
Jim
Hi Jim,
As an example, draw a picture of a skinny clock with numbers and draw lines across like this, 12-1, 11-2, 10-3, 9-4, 8-5, 7-6. This is your first day’s competition. Then keep 12 in the same position while “rotating” (like a dial) all the other numbers clockwise one position (whatever number is left of the 12 will jump over it) and then draw new lines across in similar fashion. If you draw the lines correctly, the result would be 12-11, 10-1, 9-2, 8-3, 7-4, 6-5. This represents your second day of competition. Repeat this process for each new day of competition, just keep “rotating the dial” while keeping the top number in the same place, and draw new lines across. This process will work for any number of players. For an odd number of players, the 12 (or whatever your highest number is) simply becomes the Bye, same process.
Joe
I just got appointed to be in charge of my golf league for next year, but I am finding it very tricky trying to correctly arrange matches. How can I make a league schedule that makes sure that everyone plays everyone else at least once, and there are no duplications or omissions?
Jim
Hi Jim,
As an example, draw a picture of a skinny clock with numbers and draw lines across like this, 12-1, 11-2, 10-3, 9-4, 8-5, 7-6. This is your first day’s competition. Then keep 12 in the same position while “rotating” (like a dial) all the other numbers clockwise one position (whatever number is left of the 12 will jump over it) and then draw new lines across in similar fashion. If you draw the lines correctly, the result would be 12-11, 10-1, 9-2, 8-3, 7-4, 6-5. This represents your second day of competition. Repeat this process for each new day of competition, just keep “rotating the dial” while keeping the top number in the same place, and draw new lines across. This process will work for any number of players. For an odd number of players, the 12 (or whatever your highest number is) simply becomes the Bye, same process.
Joe
