Virginia Golfer May / Jun 2019 | Page 8

( atc ) Getting Schooled on the Rules by CHRIS LANG ON A MID-MARCH DAY AT VSGA HEADQUARTERS, we fielded a call about a potential Rules violation at one of the VSGA’s Junior Golf Circuit events. Tournament department staffers discussed the situation, and Junior Golf Manager Kent Holubar shouted out, “Let’s see what Chris thinks.” My input would have been fairly useless in the past, but along with three VSGA staff- ers, a VSGA board member, a past VSGA president and multiple volunteers, I traveled to Pinehurst at the end of February to attend a three-day PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Workshop—better known as Rules School. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no Rules expert. I scored … let’s just say it was well “The experience south of the 90 required for the USGA to gave me a new level label one as an expert-level official. But of respect for our as I told my co-workers after taking the 100-question exam, had I not attended tournament staff and Rules School, I’m fairly confident I would the many volunteers have struggled to break 20 on the test. you see out at The experience gave me a new level of championships and respect for our tournament staff and the many volunteers you see out at champi- qualifiers.” onships and qualifiers. Interpreting the complicated nature of the Rules is hard enough when you have the book in front of you. Trying to give an accurate ruling on the fly is even more difficult. For those who have not fully delved into the 2019 Rules, I can tell you that they truly are simpler and easier to digest than the previous set. When I first started at the VSGA, I tried to work my way through the decisions book, only to have my eyes glaze over, leading me to give up by Rule 20. (A shame, since many of the most useful Rules dealing with relief options came after that.) The new set of Rules have been compacted and are better organized. Want to dive in yourself? Take the advice that I got from Josh Coates, our Director of Rules and Competitions who happened to score 99 the first time he took the new exam. First, familiarize yourself with all of the definitions at the back of the book. Without a firm grasp of the definitions, the Rules themselves will make less sense. Second, scan the Rules book for sections in red text, indicating where penalties are involved. Third, get to know which infractions are worth the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play and loss of hole in match play), and which infractions result in one-stroke penalties or disqualification. The new Rules weren’t quite as daunting as I thought they might be. And if a high-handicap former newspaper guy like myself can grasp them, so can you. And if you see me out at a championship with a camera this summer, don’t be shy about asking me for a ruling. I may actually be able to help! Chris Lang, Editor 6 V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 9 News & Notes 106TH VSGA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP SITE: Keswick Golf Club, Keswick DATES: Monday, June 24-Friday, June 29 FORMAT: Two rounds of stroke-play qualifying; top 32 advance to match play; rounds of 32 and 16 on Wednesday; quarter- finals and semifinals on Thursday; 36-hole championship match on Friday DEFENDING CHAMPION: Trey Smith (Independence Golf Club) EXEMPT PLAYERS: A number of players were exempt from qualifying, including all past champions, finalists from the last three years, semifi- nalists from the last two years, quarter- finalists from last TREY SMITH year, the top five from last year’s Mid-Amateur championship, players in the top 20 of last year’s Men’s Regular Player Rankings, and more. Exemptions are also available to the two players on the winning side of this year’s Four-Ball Championship, this year’s Junior Match Play and Senior Stroke Play championships, and the top- ranked eligible player in the Men’s Player Rankings as of June 17, provided he’s in the top 30. Also, any member who advanced to U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying is exempt from qualifying. THE REST OF THE FIELD: Qualifiers were held at 11 VSGA member clubs throughout May and June, including a last-chance qualifier for those who missed on their first attempt. Peter Gasperini, a 2018 semifinalist, earned his spot in the field via PETER GASPERINI the last chance qualifier last year. ABOUT KESWICK: Pete Dye’s Full Cry course has been the host of several championships in recent years, including three of the four VSGA Four-Ball Match Play Championships and the 2017 VSGA Senior Amateur. Keswick plays just short of 6,900 yards from the back and features plenty of Dye’s signature bunkering. vsga.org Opening Drive