"Golf is the only game in which a precise knowledge of the rules can earn one a reputation for bad sportsmanship."
- Patrick Campbell


We have a group of seniors who play a dozen tournaments around SE Michigan. Today we were ready to play but had a 1 hour delay because of an early morning thunderstorm. The course did not have a range so a few of our players were practicing pitching and chipping around the 10th tee and 9th green. No one was hitting to the green, just nearby.

I finally went over to them and told them that practicing on the course prior to a stroke play competition was not allowed and they probably should stop what they were doing. Technically, they all should have been DQ'd but I was not going to go there. Being beaten to death by a bunch of senior golfers is not how I want to end my golfing career.

Yeah what the seniors did was a HUGE no-no.

hahaha.

There's a catch.... the rule does contain the following phrase (see 7-1):

Quote:

Exception: Practice putting or chipping on or near the first teeing ground before starting a round or play-off is permitted.

You could probably argue that the 10th teeing ground on a lot of courses is "near the first teeing ground".

Note: putting on the 9th green before the SP competition is not permissible under any circumstance.

Why did they use the 10th by the way? Was that supposed to be their starting hole?

jev wrote:

There's a catch.... the rule does contain the following phrase (see 7-1): Quote: Exception: Practice putting or chipping on or near the first teeing ground before starting a round or play-off is permitted. Why did they use the 10th by the way? Was that supposed to be their starting hole?

The 10th tee and 9th green are near the clubhouse. The 1st tee is about 50 yards away. We had a shot gun start so I suppose the guys near the 10th tee could argue they were practicing near their first tee, assuming the 10th was their starting hole. Less of an arguement could be presented by the people chipping and pitching near the 9th green.

Exactly that situation was what I expected. They shouldn't have used the green, but if they didn't use ig for putting it's questionable. Good that you did warn but not ask for an official ruling that could've been counter-effective. Hope you still scored better than those guys?

Just want to clarify...

I'm still allowed to practice in the practice area before a tourney, right?

Absolutely. If the "committee" says practice on the 10th green, practice away on the 10th green.

Designated practice greens, driving ranges and other parts of the property that are not part of the course are open for practice. Our City course where many of our tournaments are held, is good about marking areas OB (like the grass and lawn near the clubhouse). We chip and practice in those areas prior to teeing off.