| 
The Old
Committeeman, after posting his score, returned to the
octagonal table in the XIX Hole and found that all his
fellow players had departed. The O.C. thought that this
would give him a chance to look up the four-ball stroke
play question that had turned up today. He knew the
answer, but he wanted to be precise. And while he was
checking the Table of Contents, his eye, by chance,
caught this on the opposite page: “Consideration should
be shown to others.” The O.C. then read more of the
Etiquette section, and as he was reading, the Golf
Chairman took a chair and greeted the Old Committeeman
with this remark: “Good afternoon. You have a very
depressed look on your face. This is not you. What is
the problem?”
The O.C.
replied, “The group I played with today did not conduct
themselves in the manner that the Etiquette section of
the Rules suggests. It was unpleasant. Let me read you
some of the Etiquette section to enlighten you on what
they did not do.”
The O.C. read:
The overriding principle is that consideration should
be shown to others on the course at all times. Golf is
played, for the most part, without the supervision of a
referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of
the individual to show consideration for other players
and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct
themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating
courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of
how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the
game of golf.
“Now you know,
continued the Old Committeeman, why I have a depressed
look, as you say. Let me be specific by reviewing a few
of the items on the cover of the USGA’s “Rules in
Brief”. They are in the Etiquette section of the Rules,
but for a convenient list, they are in the “Rules in
Brief”.
|
|
“Let’s take item
#1: ‘Don’t move, talk or stand close to a player making
a stroke.’ All these players only on occasion adhered to
these admonitions. As a joke, when they talked on my
shot, they never spoke loud enough to be understood by
me.
“Item #2: ‘Don’t
step on another player’s line of putt.’ It was seldom
observed. Even though we use plastic spikes now, a
two-hundred-pounder can depress the grass in your line.
“Item #3:
‘Always play without delay and keep up with the group in
front.’ To play at a pace to keep up with the group
ahead of us today would have been a miracle.
“To tidy all
this up,” the O.C. continued, “Let faster groups play
through, repair divot holes and ball marks. Smooth
footprints in bunkers. And don’t lean on putters on the
greens, especially when retrieving a ball from the hole.
These considerations were not part of their way of
going.
“For me, I try
to set a good example in all these matters. Through the
years, a few have noticed and changed their ways. To
make further changes, I believe that members of the
Committee, in a quiet way, set good examples of how
members of their club should conduct themselves on the
course, especially consideration of others and prompt
play.”
The Golf
Chairman said, “Again, as usual, you are on to
something. I have been concerned about all this as well
and have been thinking of something like what you have
said, but you seem to have a good plan. Perhaps you
could attend our next golf committee meeting to share
all this with them. It should lead to a final plan. This
is good and you will return to committee work. Thank you
for the idea. I’ll say goodbye now. Again, many thanks.”
After the Golf
Chairman left, the O.C. looked at his watch and decided
to leave also. When he stood up, James was prompted to
tell him that the register had been closed for the day
and the O.C.’s tickets, unsigned, would be waiting for
him tomorrow. With this, the O.C. said, “Thanks, James.
Good night.”
“Good night, sir.” |
