Golf Rules & The U.S. Open Ruling
This week we will talk about the importance of playing the game using rules and what really did take place with the controversial incident which gave U. S. Open champion Dustin Johnson a one-shot penalty on the fifth green where the ball moved on the super fast surface as he addressed it to putt.
Johnson was told he might be penalized on the 12th tee.
Johnson was assessed a one-stroke penalty but many are calling this "Amateur hour from the USGA" and that there was no penalty whatsoever.
The USGA ruling went something like this,.......Johnson doesn't address it, it's ruled that he didn't cause it to move...now they tell him he may have moved it.....somewhere in here an interpretation by a judge was not carefully thought out but it just goes to show golfers that rules and interpretation of rules can play a big part in the game of golf.
During the many years of playing golf in a league I have somewhat been shocked by the fact that so many golfers don't know even the basic rules of golf.
I have seen golfers go into a sand trap and ground their club on the sand and even take practice shots in the sand.
Just recently I witnessed a golfer during league play hit another golfers ball and didn't think he should be assessed a two-stroke penalty.
A club professional once suggested that a league should make available a basic set of the rules of golf for all new league members.......an excellent thought.
General definitions point out that the game of golf consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the rules.
It's important to know that a player must not take an action with the intent to influence the movement of a ball in play or alter physical conditions with the intent ot affecting the playing of a hole.
One of the basic rules of the game is that you must play the ball where it lands but I've seen some leagues allow golfers to improve their lie within reason (usually within an inch or from where it landed).
Over the many years of golf activity we have enjoyed our membership in the United States Golf Association whose mission is to "promote and conserve the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions." It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it.
In renewing my membership yearly, it only costs $10 a year, I know that I'm helping the game to flourish for the benefit of players and fans alike.
We strongly support the USGA in its efforts to providing services to millions of golfers across American and urge all golfers to learn and practice the rules of golf.
Ed's Outlook
* This week we start our first series on the toughest holes to play and score a par on Sullivan County and area golf courses.
Lets take a look at the Liberty based Sullivan County Golf & Country Club and both the front and back nine of this 9-hole 3,079 yard course which on each nine is played from two separate set of tees.
To test what other golfers on this course have noted as the two toughest holes we played the course to get a real feel for the facts.
On the front nine the most difficult hole is the 545-yard par 5 eighth hole.
Now it takes a real long ball hitter to hit the green in two but in my foursome Liberty golfer Dean Winters stroked a monster long drive and next used a five iron to put the ball on the green putting for an eagle.
For most golfers they should hit over the tee for the 17th hole keeping the ball away from the trees on the right. Your second shot should give you an easy approach shot placing the ball in good position for a birdie or par.
The second toughest hole is number 12 on the back nine and measures 515 yards for a par 5.
From the back tee your drive should be placed in the left center portion of the fairway away from the woods on the right and on the left.
Your second shot should go to the right center of the fairway giving most golfers a shot to the green which slopes right to left. Not an easy par 5 as the fairway slopes right to left producing some difficult lies.
While discussing the Sullivan County Golf & Country Club our congratulations go out to the grounds keeping staff for a job well done in making improvements on the greens.
* Two interesting area tournaments just announced.
The first is set for July 8-9 at the Jack Nicklaus Mansion Ridge in Monroe and is the Men's and Women's Match Play which will include individual matches, championship and net brackets with the championship flight being played without handicaps. Other flights are net play at 80% handicap.
The fee is $30 per player and information is available at 845-782-7888.
The second tournament is the 2ed Annual Bowling and Golf Tournament July 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with three game of bowling at the East Main Lanes in Sidney followed by 18-holes of captain and mate golf at the Afton Golf Course. Breakfast and lunch is provided. For information call Brandon Fisher at 607-206-3393.
Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of golf. Ed writes and compiles the information for this column. If you have league and tournament information, shoot a hole-in-one or even shoot your age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's pictures at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.
Golf Tip
By Robert Menges
The importance of choosing a putter.
When you finish a round of golf and are sitting around chatting with your buddies, try to think for a moment about how many putts you had during the day.
Most of the time, golfers will have close to half their shots on the green.
When you set out to buy a putter , think long and hard about what kind of wand you want in your hands to save you strokes.
Putters come in all different shapes and sizes so when choosing a putter make sure it is comfortable in your hands.
In order for you to become a good putter you must first conquer the mental side of putting.
The mental side helps to stroke the ball well.
Make sure that new putter is the right fit for you.
After searching for the right tool to improve your game practice distance control and you will see a big improvement in your game.
Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via email at menges@hughes.net
The Putting Tip
By Joe Bermel Jr.
Improve your skills on breaking putts.
Let's talk today about controlling the speed of your putts.
That's the only way you can make putts when they're breaking a lot.
On any given putt, the slower you roll it, the more it's going to break on its way to the hole and the faster you roll it, the less it will break.
So speed is everything.
When you read a putt, it will only go in the hole on your intended line if the speed at which you hit the putt reaches the amount of break you're playing.
Simple at that........ practice these skills weekly and watch your score go down.
Joe Bermel Jr. is available for private lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. His special edition DVD's "How To Putt Well" is available by calling 631-589-1384, at his Web site www.ThePuttingDoctor" or by email at joe@theputtingdoctor.com
The most difficult hole at the Liberty based Sullivan County Golf & Country Club is No. 12 on the back nine which places the tee deep in a wooded area allowing just a small opening to the fairway which slants left to right most of the way to the green. The No.12 hole is 515-yards long for a par 5.
This week we will talk about the importance of playing the game using rules and what really did take place with the controversial incident which gave U. S. Open champion Dustin Johnson a one-shot penalty on the fifth green where the ball moved on the super fast surface as he addressed it to putt.
Johnson was told he might be penalized on the 12th tee.
Johnson was assessed a one-stroke penalty but many are calling this "Amateur hour from the USGA" and that there was no penalty whatsoever.
The USGA ruling went something like this,.......Johnson doesn't address it, it's ruled that he didn't cause it to move...now they tell him he may have moved it.....somewhere in here an interpretation by a judge was not carefully thought out but it just goes to show golfers that rules and interpretation of rules can play a big part in the game of golf.
During the many years of playing golf in a league I have somewhat been shocked by the fact that so many golfers don't know even the basic rules of golf.
I have seen golfers go into a sand trap and ground their club on the sand and even take practice shots in the sand.
Just recently I witnessed a golfer during league play hit another golfers ball and didn't think he should be assessed a two-stroke penalty.
A club professional once suggested that a league should make available a basic set of the rules of golf for all new league members.......an excellent thought.
General definitions point out that the game of golf consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the rules.
It's important to know that a player must not take an action with the intent to influence the movement of a ball in play or alter physical conditions with the intent ot affecting the playing of a hole.
One of the basic rules of the game is that you must play the ball where it lands but I've seen some leagues allow golfers to improve their lie within reason (usually within an inch or from where it landed).
Over the many years of golf activity we have enjoyed our membership in the United States Golf Association whose mission is to "promote and conserve the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions." It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it.
In renewing my membership yearly, it only costs $10 a year, I know that I'm helping the game to flourish for the benefit of players and fans alike.
We strongly support the USGA in its efforts to providing services to millions of golfers across American and urge all golfers to learn and practice the rules of golf.
Ed's Outlook
* This week we start our first series on the toughest holes to play and score a par on Sullivan County and area golf courses.
Lets take a look at the Liberty based Sullivan County Golf & Country Club and both the front and back nine of this 9-hole 3,079 yard course which on each nine is played from two separate set of tees.
To test what other golfers on this course have noted as the two toughest holes we played the course to get a real feel for the facts.
On the front nine the most difficult hole is the 545-yard par 5 eighth hole.
Now it takes a real long ball hitter to hit the green in two but in my foursome Liberty golfer Dean Winters stroked a monster long drive and next used a five iron to put the ball on the green putting for an eagle.
For most golfers they should hit over the tee for the 17th hole keeping the ball away from the trees on the right. Your second shot should give you an easy approach shot placing the ball in good position for a birdie or par.
The second toughest hole is number 12 on the back nine and measures 515 yards for a par 5.
From the back tee your drive should be placed in the left center portion of the fairway away from the woods on the right and on the left.
Your second shot should go to the right center of the fairway giving most golfers a shot to the green which slopes right to left. Not an easy par 5 as the fairway slopes right to left producing some difficult lies.
While discussing the Sullivan County Golf & Country Club our congratulations go out to the grounds keeping staff for a job well done in making improvements on the greens.
* Two interesting area tournaments just announced.
The first is set for July 8-9 at the Jack Nicklaus Mansion Ridge in Monroe and is the Men's and Women's Match Play which will include individual matches, championship and net brackets with the championship flight being played without handicaps. Other flights are net play at 80% handicap.
The fee is $30 per player and information is available at 845-782-7888.
The second tournament is the 2ed Annual Bowling and Golf Tournament July 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with three game of bowling at the East Main Lanes in Sidney followed by 18-holes of captain and mate golf at the Afton Golf Course. Breakfast and lunch is provided. For information call Brandon Fisher at 607-206-3393.
Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of golf. Ed writes and compiles the information for this column. If you have league and tournament information, shoot a hole-in-one or even shoot your age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's pictures at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.
Golf Tip
By Robert Menges
The importance of choosing a putter.
When you finish a round of golf and are sitting around chatting with your buddies, try to think for a moment about how many putts you had during the day.
Most of the time, golfers will have close to half their shots on the green.
When you set out to buy a putter , think long and hard about what kind of wand you want in your hands to save you strokes.
Putters come in all different shapes and sizes so when choosing a putter make sure it is comfortable in your hands.
In order for you to become a good putter you must first conquer the mental side of putting.
The mental side helps to stroke the ball well.
Make sure that new putter is the right fit for you.
After searching for the right tool to improve your game practice distance control and you will see a big improvement in your game.
Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via email at menges@hughes.net
The Putting Tip
By Joe Bermel Jr.
Improve your skills on breaking putts.
Let's talk today about controlling the speed of your putts.
That's the only way you can make putts when they're breaking a lot.
On any given putt, the slower you roll it, the more it's going to break on its way to the hole and the faster you roll it, the less it will break.
So speed is everything.
When you read a putt, it will only go in the hole on your intended line if the speed at which you hit the putt reaches the amount of break you're playing.
Simple at that........ practice these skills weekly and watch your score go down.
Joe Bermel Jr. is available for private lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. His special edition DVD's "How To Putt Well" is available by calling 631-589-1384, at his Web site www.ThePuttingDoctor" or by email at joe@theputtingdoctor.com
The most difficult hole at the Liberty based Sullivan County Golf & Country Club is No. 12 on the back nine which places the tee deep in a wooded area allowing just a small opening to the fairway which slants left to right most of the way to the green. The No.12 hole is 515-yards long for a par 5.
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