Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2012 - 11

(rules primer
)
Preventive Medicine
Rules offi cials are around to help, sometimes even before
a rules infraction occurs.
By Joseph Oberle
P
GA Tour pro Zach Johnson dodged a bullet at the
Crowne Plaza Invitational earlier this season. With a
three-shot lead on the fi nal hole, he moved his ball
marker out of his competitor's line of play and then failed to
move it back before putting out. Upon leaving the green, a tournament
offi cial alerted Johnson to the infraction, which cost him
two strokes, but not the tournament. If the offi cial hadn't told
him until after Johnson signed an incorrect scorecard, he would
have been disqualifi ed.
The situation raises the issue of when it is appropriate for an
offi cial to intervene during a competition. The defi nition of a referee
in the Rules of Golf states
that " he must act on any breach
of a Rule that he observes or is
reported to him. " And that is
what the offi cial did. But according
to MGA tournament
offi cial Doug Hoffmann, the
offi cial could have stepped in
even sooner (had he noticed
the breach about to occur) and
reminded Johnson to move his
marker back, potentially preventing
the embarrassing and
costly mess.
" I believe the right thing to do
for me, and for most offi cials,
is to practice preventive offi ciating,
where if you can prevent
a player from incurring a
penalty,
Hoffmann says.
MGA assistant executive director
Lisa Overom, who has
offi ciated numerous amateur
and professional USGA events,
agrees: " I have never met a good offi cial who did not believe in
preventing, when possible, rules infractions. "
Hoffmann says that in stroke play, where it is important to proMGA
Tournament Director Doug Hoffmann
shows a competitor where to take relief.
to allow my stroke to stand as played because that penalty is
more severe. In match play, my actions only affect me, not the
whole fi eld. "
The only place the rules prevent an offi cial from intervening is
when they witness an infraction in a match they are not assigned
to offi ciate. Intervention is reserved for the offi cial assigned to
that match.
So intervening is allowed, but there are concerns that by reminding
a player that they are in a hazard, for instance, the offi cial
is potentially affecting the tournament's outcome. Shouldn't offi
cials " let the cards read, " rather than interject?
Overom would say no. " The
role of the referee is to ensure
that the players play by the rules, "
she says. " It is preferable to let the
quality of the play, rather than
penalties, decide the outcome of
a match or competition. "
Hoffmann says that contrary to
what some players might think,
offi cials do not hide behind trees
waiting to pounce on players who
make a mistake. They are there to
help players.
" We prefer not to penalize
you should do so, "
players, " he says. " I don't like
disqualifying players; I don't like
assessing pace of play penalties.
But if that's what the rules are,
then I have an obligation to uphold
the Rules of Golf in fairness
to everybody else. "
Hoffmann believes that most
golfers understand that. He cites
an instance in the 1996 U.S. Amateur
when Tiger Woods was about
tect the entire fi eld, intervening is not as controversial as in match
play. There are situations where a player might not want an offi
cial to " help " his opponent.
" In match play, the opponent has the right to not call an infraction
on his opponent, " Hoffmann explains. " If I teed up in front
of the tee markers and hit out of bounds, you are going to choose
to make the same mistake Johnson did at the Crowne Plaza, when
Woods' match play opponent, Steve Scott, stopped him. Woods
correctly replaced his marker, won the hole and went on to win
the tournament in extra holes. Hoffmann says offi cials should do
the same thing.
" Preventive offi ciating is consistent with the spirit of the game, "
Hoffmann says. " That's why I feel so strongly about it. I want to
beat you because I was better than you that day-not because of
a rules technicality. "
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Fall 2012 MINNESOTAGOLFER 9
PHOTO BY W.P. RYAN
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Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2012

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