Tournament mid-round withdrawal: How to sort out scoring?

[ChipNRun]

On occasion in our amateur circuit events, someone loses control and storms off the course, withdrawing from the tournament.

 

In one case, the stormy golfer was keeping my score card. I chased him down and got it back. It happened on final hole, so end scorer asked me to recount my shots. I was mid-pack that day, so it was no big deal.

 

But, what happens if someone storms off on the fifth hole, and we're just a twosome? 

 If the trailing group has room, could I just join them and re-trade scorecards? And how do I verify my score to others on the "storm off" hole?  

[rogolf]

What is expected when a player leaves a group due to injury (or whatever) and is someone's marker, he or she would sign the card for the holes that were completed before he or she left.  The player would then give his or her card to someone else in the group to act as marker for the rest of the round.  Ideally, the player who left would take his her own card from the assigned marker.  This works for groups of three or four, but not for twos.  If it's a two ball, the player should wait for the Committee to assign him or her to another group.  If no Committee member is readily available, the single player could join another group, usually the one behind, redistribute cards so everyone has a marker, and carry on.  Report the situation to the Committee ASAP; the Committee has authority to retroactively approve what was done by the players.  Make sure your card is signed by the players who marked your card for the holes where he or she was present.  If the player who "stormed off" hasn't signed your card, or made off with it, the Committee can approve your score(s) after gathering appropriate information from you and/or others.

[goaliedad30]

I would hope that such a player would be denied entry into future events.

[Newby]

8 hours ago, goaliedad30 said:

I would hope that such a player would be denied entry into future events.

And in the meantime apply a penalty score?

[rogolf]

4 hours ago, Newby said:

And in the meantime apply a penalty score?

Why, and on what basis?

[goaliedad30]

22 minutes ago, rogolf said:

Why, and on what basis?

In many places I played when I played serious golf, an unexplained WD by storming off the course got you a "please don't come back" letter ... Injury was no issue. A bad day, especially if you were in a twosome, was really frowned upon 

 

Not a rules issue, per se. It was the Committee saying "we don't really want you here again".

 

[davep043]

13 minutes ago, goaliedad30 said:

In many places I played when I played serious golf, an unexplained WD by storming off the course got you a "please don't come back" letter ... Injury was no issue. A bad day, especially if you were in a twosome, was really frowned upon 

 

Not a rules issue, per se. It was the Committee saying "we don't really want you here again".

 

I agree with you, but I believe @rogolf was questioning @Newby suggestion to apply a penalty score.  Rule 7.1b in the Rules of Handicapping discuss the Committee's authority to enter a Penalty Score into the player's scoring record if the player is found to have not entered a score when required to do so.  In this case, the player quit after 5 holes, and doesn't appear to have done so as a method of manipulating his handicap.  He hasn't played enough holes to be required to enter even a 9-hole score, so I'm with @rogolf, I don't see a basis for entering a Penalty Score.

[rogolf]

1 hour ago, davep043 said:

I agree with you, but I believe @rogolf was questioning @Newby suggestion to apply a penalty score.  Rule 7.1b in the Rules of Handicapping discuss the Committee's authority to enter a Penalty Score into the player's scoring record if the player is found to have not entered a score when required to do so.  In this case, the player quit after 5 holes, and doesn't appear to have done so as a method of manipulating his handicap.  He hasn't played enough holes to be required to enter even a 9-hole score, so I'm with @rogolf, I don't see a basis for entering a Penalty Score.

Thanks for confirming the intent of my questions for Newby regarding a penalty score.

I certainly agree with a Committee applying "we really don't want you here again" for the behaviour described in the original post.

[Newby]

3 hours ago, rogolf said:

Why, and on what basis?

I was simply asking if 7.1b could/should apply.

[Augster]

If you join another group without committee permission, you run the risk of DQ. If you’re a 3-some that drops to a 2, just play on. If you’re a 2some that drops to a single, hopefully you can get a hold of a committee member quickly. 

[ChipNRun]

On 11/29/2021 at 8:46 PM, goaliedad30 said:

I would hope that such a player would be denied entry into future events.

 

True statement: This guy storms off about once  a year. (He's done it once to me, and I was in a threesome when he did it another time).

 

But, no one remembers his storm moment the following spring. I have informed the tournament group that they will never pair me with him again.

[ChipNRun]

In the seven years of play in the district amateur circuit, I had to drop out once for injury and saw maybe four others do so. In all cases, the injured person accompanied his group and continued to mark for his player. Then, either at the turn or the 18th green, the injured party closed out his scorecard, and the officials monitored the switch-out of scorecards.

 

All of the injuries were hip related or arm related; fortunately no one had a major medical episode requiring an ambulance.

 

And, when weather intrudes... One for the ages: I was playing in a Missouri Golf Association event at Jefferson City CC. The event had 20+ foursomes on a day with a heat index of 105; shotgun start. A regional storm front suddenly shifted about 90 degrees to the south, and with six holes to go we got hit with a major wind and rain storm. We all fled to the clubhouse area, got carts under roof, and waited for the storm to pass. After a couple of false starts, we got cleared an hour later to resume play.

 

But, when the rain broke, about half the field just took their bags back to their cars and drove away! My group went back out to finish. Several large trees had blown down, mostly on the north edge of the course, and a lot of debris was scattered.

 

On our incomplete hole, I got to the spot near the green where I had put a triangle of three golf tees to mark my ball position. But, the rain had washed them away. The group members agreed to use "best judgment" to make a drops and play on. Fortunately it was mid-summer, and we had enough daylight to finish.

 

I guess those who turned in no scorecard were assumed to have withdrawn. 

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by ChipNRun
Typo

[ilikegolf26]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:46 PM, goaliedad30 said:

I would hope that such a player would be denied entry into future events.

Why? I have done this is in an amateur event due to a wrist injury I had. I stayed with my group through the remaining holes on the front nine and then switched out the cards and went my way.  Players on tour WD all the time due to injury.  Should someone continue playing, risking further injury aggravation, so they can play in a tournament 4-5 months down the road?

Edited December 7, 2021 by ilikegolf26

[MtlJeff]

7 minutes ago, ilikegolf26 said:

Why? I have done this is in an amateur event due to a wrist injury I had. I stayed with my group through the remaining holes on the front nine and then switched out the cards and went my way.  Players on tour WD all the time due to injury.  Should someone continue playing, risking further injury aggravation, so they can play in a tournament 4-5 months down the road?

 

I think he means people who storm off because they aren't playing well, not people who have legit injuries. Of course people can always fake injuries if they want. But i think he means the tantrum folks really.

 

I've seen this happen a few times. But never as a twosome. If you bail on someone in a twosome you're a real piece of work! I don't even know what i'd do there. You're really screwing the guy you're playing with.

[Abh159]

4 hours ago, ilikegolf26 said:

Why? I have done this is in an amateur event due to a wrist injury I had. I stayed with my group through the remaining holes on the front nine and then switched out the cards and went my way.  Players on tour WD all the time due to injury.  Should someone continue playing, risking further injury aggravation, so they can play in a tournament 4-5 months down the road?

 

Like Jeff said the poster was referring to players who storm off and quit (WD) because they aren't playing well. Those people should absolutely not be allowed to come back and compete again in the future. 

 

WD'ing because of an injury is a different conversation.