The idea of setting up events using grouped handicap ranges has been around for a long time. As you have likely experienced, flights range from club to club or event to event and most of them are determined by local flavour. It’s a question most provincial associations and Golf Canada receive regularly from tournament organizers and clubs: What flight cut-offs should we use?

There is only one reason to do this and that’s to have those with similar handicaps competing against one another (Net or Gross). This is prevalent in most club championships or major events (some city, regional and invitational championships as well). For the first time in history, the Golf Canada Handicap Manual now addresses the use of flights, one of the many changes to the 2016-17 Rules and Handicap Cycle.

There is no single method, as it really depends on the makeup of your field. A few tips are offered to help committees organize their flights, such as the following for an individual stroke play competition:

A second option is to wait until all entries are complete and then create flights with the players divided evenly by handicap or along natural breaks in handicaps from participants. For example, if you had 99 players, you might prefer to have three flights of 33 players. Alternatively, you could look for natural handicap gaps to assist with establishing ranges. Let’s say you had 40 players who were handicaps of 12 and under, 29 players who had handicaps between 14 and 24, and then 35 players in the handicap range of 28 and above, you could use natural breaks in your playing field at 13 and 25-27 to establish flights.

It is up to the committee to decide whether the Course Handicap or Handicap Factor will be used in establishing flights/range, in addition to the number of flights that might be ideal or required, which generally depends on your field. Although not in the handicap manual, it is best to avoid disclosing your flight cut-offs to participants in advance of your entry deadline. You might just find some suspect golfers trying to work their way into a particular flight if you do. The majority of golfers subscribe to and uphold the high integrity of this game, but some unfortunately don’t. Easy steps such as this should be taken to eliminate the temptation to be less than honest. We know that if someone really wants to cheat, they’ll probably find a way. In this case, there’s no reason to provide them a way on a silver platter. Keep flights internal until the draw can be made well after the entry deadline, as this will help eliminate some golfers from “manipulating” their handicap.

It also would behoove the committee to have a list of the Conditions of Competition set out well in advance of the event. These outline all details of the event/competition and, ideally, must be agreed to by all participants who register.

The importance of these Conditions cannot be overstated. We have numerous conversations each year surrounding issues that come up as a result of Conditions not being implemented, poorly worded, or others that were not adhered to by the tournament organizers themselves. It leads to an uncertain path and exploring reactive conflict resolution. After all, there is only so much the Rules of Golf can cover and Conditions tighten up some of those potential issues.

We highly recommend in those Conditions, specifically as it relates to handicapping, having a blanket clause, such as, “The Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions and schedules herein, including the course handicap of any competitor for any reason. The Committee reserves the right to reject the entry of any applicant, at any time, for any reason. Any decision by the Committee, in any matter, shall be final.” Although this looks severe, we can assure you that this becomes a need later if any unforeseen issues pop up. In fact, one of the most important pieces to running any tournament is setting up clear and concise Conditions of Competition, which would also include an excerpt explaining how flights will be set up and when they will be announced.

Once a club has a set of Conditions for each of its events, it will serve as a template which can be used for years and only requiring small updates each season. Taking the time to set these up properly is well worth it. And if the above is subscribed to, the event will run smoothly with more fun and enjoyment had by all. Isn’t that what everybody wants?

LEARN MORE: To maintain an official Golf Canada Handicap Factor, post your scores by signing in after your round at golfcanada.ca.

Taking flight This article was originally published in the May 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

When we talk about the game of golf, it’s truly a sport for everyone — a game for life. Whether we’re talking about age, gender, or physical conditions, any interested enthusiast should have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits and challenges our game presents.

As the National Sport Federation of golf, Golf Canada is continually looking for ways to encourage more people to play this great game. We work to eliminate barriers and engage people from all walks of life.

That holds especially true this year as we are piloting a training camp and nine-hole competition for Special Olympics Canada athletes, in conjunction with our CN Future Links Pacific and Quebec Championships. Special Olympics Canada approached us last year to see how Golf Canada could provide more opportunities for their athletes and we are excited about the opportunity to partner on this initiative. In 2015, Special Olympics Canada had more than 1,600 athletes registered and five of their athletes competed in the World Games in Los Angeles.

This relationship has given us a chance to look at golf through a new lens and open our eyes to the full scope of what our sport is like for golfers with disabilities.

In addition to this newly formed partnership with Special Olympics Canada, Golf Canada has recently adopted the R&A and USGA’s publication, A Modification of the Rules of Golf for Golfers with Disabilities. This modification to the Rules of Golf contains advice and permissible rules that a committee can adopt to provide equitable playing conditions. It allows golfers with disabilities to overcome certain unique or problematic circumstances that they would encounter on the course.

Five groups have been identified — blind golfers, amputee golfers, golfers requiring canes or crutches, golfers requiring wheelchairs and golfers with intellectual disabilities — in order to best apply specific rules modifications.

BLIND GOLFERS are allowed to have a coach (also referred to as a guide) who can assist in addressing the ball and with alignment prior to the stroke. Under the Rules of Golf, a coach would have the same status as a caddie. That said, if the coach cannot perform the duties of a caddie, it is permissible for a blind golfer to have both a coach and a caddie.

AMPUTEE GOLFERS (which, for this purpose, includes golfers with limb deficiencies) have restrictions of varying degrees. With this in mind, the committee can operate under Exception 1 to Rule 14-3 for certain devices (i.e. artificial limbs) that are used to alleviate a medical condition. If the committee is satisfied that the artificial devices do not give the player an undue advantage over other players, such devices would be permitted.

GOLFERS REQUIRING CANES, CRUTCHES OR WHEELCHAIRS use these devices as a necessity to play and it does not constitute “building a stance” within the meaning of the term in Rule 13-3. In addition to this point, the term “fairly taking your stance” is still relevant with respect to Rule 13-2. Players would still be limited to the intent of this rule, which prohibits a player from deliberately improving the lie of the ball, area of intended stance or swing, or line of play.

ANCHORING has recently been added to these modified Rules of Golf with the recent addition of Rule 14-1b. Regarding the application of this rule, where a committee has determined that a golfer who uses an assistive device is unable to hold and swing his clubs without anchoring because of his use of the assistive device, the golfer is permitted to make a stroke while anchoring the club.

It’s important to note these rules modifications only apply to a competition if they have been introduced by the committee in charge of the competition. These modifications do not apply automatically to a competition involving golfers with disabilities.

Secondly, outside of these exceptions for specific physical limitations outlined in A Modification of the Rules of Golf for Golfers with Disabilities, Golf Canada can review and approve the use of equipment or devices that don’t necessarily conform to the Rules of Golf on a case-by-case basis.

The ultimate goal of this modification is inclusion, and to provide fair and equitable playing conditions for every golfer.

For complete information pertaining to the Rules of Golf for golfers with disabilities, please visit golfcanada.ca/rules-of-golf.

Modified rules for golfers with disabilities This article was originally published in the May 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

The USGA wishes to congratulate Dustin Johnson on his victory and thank him, and the other players in the field, for their professionalism and grace throughout the championship. Dustin is a wonderful champion, a talented golfer and a gentleman.

Our team at the USGA has seen and heard a great deal of discussion and debate about the ruling on Dustin’s ball moving during the final round of the 2016 U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club. In addition to the explanations we offered upon the conclusion of the final round, we add these comments.

Upon reflection, we regret the distraction caused by our decision to wait until the end of the round to decide on the ruling. It is normal for rulings based on video evidence to await the end of a round, when the matter can be discussed with the player before the score card is returned. While our focus on getting the ruling correct was appropriate, we created uncertainty about where players stood on the leader board after we informed Dustin on the 12th tee that his actions on the fifth green might lead to a penalty. This created unnecessary ambiguity for Dustin and the other players, as well as spectators on-site, and those watching and listening on television and digital channels.

During any competition, the priority for Rules officials is to make the correct ruling for the protection of the player(s) involved and the entire field. In applying Rule 18-2, which deals with a ball at rest that moves, officials consider all the relevant evidence – including the player’s actions, the time between those actions and the movement of the ball, the lie of the ball, and course and weather conditions. If that evidence, considered together, shows that it is more likely than not that the player’s actions caused the ball to move, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty. Officials use this “more likely than not” standard because it is not always apparent what caused the ball to move. Such situations require a review of the evidence, with Decision 18-2/0.5 providing guidance on how the evidence should be weighed.

Our officials reviewed the video of Dustin on the fifth green and determined that based on the weight of the evidence, it was more likely than not that Dustin caused his ball to move. Dustin’s putter contacted the ground at the side of the ball, and almost immediately after, the ball moved.

We accept that not everyone will agree that Dustin caused his ball to move. Issues under Rule 18-2 often require a judgment where there is some uncertainty, and this was one of those instances. We also understand that some people may disagree with Rule 18-2 itself. While we respect the viewpoints of those who disagree, our Committee made a careful and collective judgment in its pursuit of a fair competition played under the Rules of Golf.

In keeping with our commitment to excellence in all aspects of our work on behalf of the game of golf, we pledge to closely examine our procedures in this matter. We will assess our procedures for handling video review, the timing of such, and our communication with players to make sure that when confronted with such a situation again, we will have a better process.

We at the USGA deeply appreciate the support of players, fans, and the entire golf community of our championships and our other work for golf – and we appreciate your feedback as well. We have established an email address (comments@usga.org) and phone mailbox (908-326-1857) to receive comments. We thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

We all share an abiding love of this great game. Let us continue to work together for its good.

Golf Canada is proud to release our new Rules Education platform. An online portal for golfers looking to learn the details of golf etiquette, rules basics and commonly encountered situations.

Whether you’re interested in becoming a referee or just want to learn more about the game, our new rules platform offers plenty of great content including a fun and interactive way to learn the rules of golf.

Level 1
A beginner program that introduces the basic concepts and language of the Rules of Golf. Used to introduce the principles of the Rules and how to use the Rules book. The program is ideal for juniors, beginners and golfers who have had no previous experience with the Rules.

• FREE!
• 2016 Rules of Golf book (online version in PDF format)
• Online quizzes and exercises

Level 2
This course builds on the experience of Level 1 and introduces the key reference manual for officials: the Decisions on the Rules of Golf. In addition to introducing some of the fundamental rules through examples, videos and exercises, Level 2 teaches the student how to use the Decisions book effectively.

• $39.95 one-time fee
• 2016 Decisions on the Rules of Golf book (hard copy plus online version in PDF format)
• Online quizzes and exercises

Click here and begin your journey with the Rules of Golf today!

See Victoria’s Dale Jackson playing at his home course of Royal Colwood and you would not be remiss to think you are watching just another solid club level amateur golfer.

In this case appearances would be deceiving.

Jackson has been involved in giving back to the game as a rules official since becoming interested in this vocation more than 15 years ago. Since then he has risen through the ranks to become a Level Four Rules Official and serving as Managing Director of Rules and Competitions for British Columbia Golf from 2003 to 2007.

More recently, Jackson has been active at the national level and since 2013 has been the Chair of the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status Committee for Golf Canada.

Within Canada, this involves heading a group of volunteers who deal with issues ranging from ruling on applications for amateur status reinstatement to developing ways to increase the number of certified rules officials.

Internationally, this means that Jackson is intimately involved with deciding rules issues at the highest levels representing Golf Canada on the Joint Rules Committee and as an Advisory Member of the R&A’s Rules Committee.

Together with representatives of the R&A and USGA, they are responsible for the recent rules changes from the anchoring ban to the relaxation of Rule 18-2 concerning when a player is deemed to have caused a ball to move after addressing it. (Ed. Note: see link for a complete list of the major changes in the just released Rules book).

Another responsibility that goes along with being the Chair is serving as a Rules Official at three of the four “Majors” in golf.

Late in 2015, Inside Golf’s Jeff Sutherland was able to listen to Mr. Jackson speak about officiating on golf’s biggest stages and ask him a few questions.

inside GOLF: First can you explain what is actually entailed in being the Rules Chair for Golf Canada in terms of your role internationally?

Dale Jackson: What it means is that a number of really great opportunities have come my way in the last three years. I go to the U.K. for meetings 3-4 times a year, usually at St. Andrews. It also means that I serve as an advisory member of the R&A Rules Committee. As a member of the Joint Rules Committee, which is a 7 person committee, we are responsible for administering the rules of golf around the world. But what’s really cool is that I get invited to officiate at The Masters, The U.S. Open, The Open, and several other tournaments.

iG: You have been at the last three Masters. What is it like to spend a week at Augusta?

DJ: Well the first thing, getting there is not simple. Getting to Augusta takes three airplane flights but once you get there it’s sort of a wonderland for a week. I was so excited that I took my iPhone out and took a video clip driving down Magnolia Lane and it lived up to billing. Tuesday and Wednesday, all the rules officials arrive… 60 or 70, a lot of rules officials and we all arrive and take the time to walk around inside the ropes… and a lot of places, I am sure, the players have never been. One thing about The Masters, there are a lot of social events and the first Event of the week is “Canada Nite.” Everybody rents a house and the house that Golf Canada has rented for countless years recently sold but the original owner made it a condition of sale that he still sort of “owns” it for that week and gets the revenue. And on the Tuesday, Golf Canada invites everyone to a backyard BBQ and literally people from around the world show up. It’s the one informal night of the week… jeans, shorts.

iG: When do you get going on the officiating side?

DJ: Well, there are many informal traditions during the Masters. One for the rules officials is the Wednesday morning meeting which is set for 7:30 AM but actually starts at 7:25. Fred Ridley, The Championship Chair goes over the conditions of competition which does not really change at Augusta. The Masters is made up of literally hundreds of little traditions and this meeting starting five minutes early is one of them.

iG: What happens next?

DJ: We are free for the rest of the day and Wednesday night is the first of the formal occasions and these… I am not complaining… but your stomach needs a vacation after the week of the Masters. The first is a cocktail party out on the lawn behind the Augusta clubhouse and you chat with people from around the world. The Thursday night the USGA holds a reception at Augusta CC which is older than Augusta National and shares a boundary with them. Very beautiful, very large clubhouse. Friday night the PGA of America holds one in an old Church that has been converted into a civic centre…also very high end. Saturday night we (Golf Canada) go to a reception that Golf Australia puts on in a house that they rent. There are others, three or four every night but you can’t go to them all. As I said, your stomach takes a beating. It’s all very, very good but it takes its toll.

iG: Still, it can’t be all cocktails and canapes. You do do some officiating. How is it decided where and when you will work?

DJ: Each day we are assigned to a different hole and now, over the three years, I have been on ten holes. And you are with anywhere from one to five other rules officials. For example, Hole #13 has six.

iG: What exactly are your responsibilities?

DJ: (smiling) Basically your job is to be out of the sight lines of the TV Cameras and stay inconspicuous… unless the players want a ruling. And aside from something like what happened with Tiger Woods a couple of years ago, it’s what we term a very ‘clean’ golf course… and anything that causes trouble for a rules official has been dealt with long ago and there aren’t many rulings.

iG: You’re supposed to be invisible?

DJ: The Masters is unique in that all you ever see are players and caddies. You don’t see walking scorers, you don’t see walking standards, you do not see photographers. You never see rules officials unless we are called out and even then, cameras have instructions to cut away. Our job is to stay out of the way.

iG: Has anything ever gone wrong?

DJ: I think we all remember in 2013 when Tiger took an illegal drop when his ball went into the water. The next year I was assigned to that hole, #15, and I and two good friends from the R&A and PGA and we, like other officials, were going to make sure we did not let anybody, especially Tiger, take any illegal drop on 15 while we were there.

The really difficult part for me is that the three of us take positions, one more of the hundreds of traditions are the places that you stand, and 2 of the 3… one is up here (gesturing) in the shade of these trees, one is here out of camera range and the third one is down here, which is green side on the left side of 15, a pretty famous setting, and on the day I was assigned there, Saturday, the hole is always cut far over on the hard left so, as I mentioned earlier, one of the things you must (do) is stay out of sight.

So, as we switched around it was my turn for the last third of the field (the leaders,) so I looked around and asked myself, ‘Where am I going to stand and where am I going to sit?’ There are TV cameras everywhere… I counted them and there were nine cameras aimed at the green!. I had to kind of guess, ‘Where am I going to go?’ Well… I guessed wrong.

I watched a replay later that day and at the house later that night and I had picked just about the worst place. I got into the camera line of the main camera for showing the putts on #15 and time and again there I was either standing or sitting. Thats not a good thing to do… you don’t want to raise your head above the bunker, as it were, at Augusta …you want to be very inconspicuous at Augusta. I was expecting to be called into the office by Fred Ridley the next morning. I wasn’t… and I am not sure whether he just did not happen to see the coverage or whether he was just being kind. I’m really not sure, but I expect the latter. Anyway, that was an uncomfortable moment.

iG: Are there any other rules you must follow?

DJ: One of the other peculiarities (of Augusta) is that we have to wear jackets and ties which is interesting sometimes. Spring time in Georgia is a wonderful time to be there but it can get warm. On Thursday of this year, the temperature crept up past 80F, we all started to sweat, it went past 85 and you can imagine a tie and jacket when it’s above 85 and a lot of the places we have to stand are in the sun. At that point Fred came on the radio and said jackets could come off and it was the most welcome thing I ever heard on a radio!

iG: Talk about some of the other things, traditions that don’t change?

DJ: One of the other things are the volunteers. There must be 2,000 and they come back year after year and do the same job year after year. This guy (shows picture) who is a forecaddie has probably been doing this job for 20 years. This marshall probably has been doing it for 30 years. Two of my favourite stories from Augusta involve these volunteers.

On Hole #2 which is a par five, there are two of these forecaddies in the white suits.I met them there my first year, their names are David and Norman. One of them lives in New York and one of them lives in Minnesota. They went to university together, I think 37 years ago now. One is a doctor, one has a greeting card company in Manhattan. This will be the 37th year that they have done this job together. Same place.

The other involves my first year. I met a guy… his name I forget, he was 70 years old and Augusta has a policy that you have to retire when you are 70 and this was his last year, his 39th, but they were allowing his son to take over his place. (At Augusta), you can hand down your volunteer post.

iG: Have you ever made any rulings?

DJ: I mentioned that most of the rulings are straightforward. I have done water hazard rulings, the cross paths at Augusta are Ground Under Repair so we will get rulings from that, for Rules Officials that is very straightforward stuff. For the rulings, more have involved players wanting to get relief and me not giving them relief. They will say ‘That’s GUR’ and I will say, “Other than the crosswalks we don’t have ground under repair at Augusta.

iG: What is your highlight of the week?

DJ: Day Four, Sunday. Everybody’s and my favourite day of the Masters. We still have a hole to work but the invited officials like myself tend to be given the assignments that are on the front nine or early on the back nine and that allows my favourite part of the whole week. The leaders maybe still have nine holes to play. Everybody goes back to our committee room, a large room and there are two really large TVs, comfortable chairs and a bar. And the bar does not really get used until the end but everybody drifts back and you get to watch the finish of the Masters with all of the best rules officials in the world, people who have become your friends over the years. You finally get a chance to sit down, have a beer with them and watch like any other fan. My first year was the year that Adam Scott won and I sat with three Australians and it was just… they were so excited to see Adam Scott win, the final putt was very dramatic, then the playoff with Angel Cabrera. All of them were crying by the end. It was really something and as I said that’s my favourite part of the week.

iG: Is that the end?

DJ: The whole week ends with the prize ceremony. You see Butler Cabin on TV, that finishes and they do the real ceremony out on the putting green. Everybody, all the rules officials, the invitees from all the Golf Federations from around the world file up and the green jacket is presented to the winner with all the fans ringing around. It’s quite an experience to be part of it.

iG: Tell us five things we may not know if we have not been to Augusta?

DJ: First the property they own is just enormous. The golf course is 160 acres and they have more than 500 I think. They have parking, they have so much stuff. It’s so complicated that one day I was trying to drive out the back and got lost. Eventually I found a security guy and he had to direct me out of the golf course. They have also just purchased more land and there is some buzz about some new big change in how they are going to put on the Masters.

Second, The Masters is described as not just being the best run golf tournament in the world but as the best run sporting event in the world and I can’t imagine how that cannot be true. It cannot be run any better than it is. Everything is clockwork, everything is precise. There are so many traditions, rules. You can’t take your shoes off at Augusta. You can sit on the grass but you cannot lay back on the grass. If you go through the main entrance gate, it’s as intense as going through security at an airport.

Third, the Clubhouse at Augusta, you can see the front is only three windows wide. It is an incredibly small clubhouse but it suits them. I must say there are all kinds of other buildings and I don’t what they are all for.

Fourth, people always ask me, ‘How beautiful is Augusta?’ They have such a large budget to do everything perfectly, it’s almost not real. It’s sort of like Disneyland, half real and half not.Think of the movie, Polar Express, where it was filmed and then they put this sort of artificial film over everything. And that is what Augusta is like to me, it’s almost not real.You can’t believe what pristine shape it is in. I was walking with a guy two years ago and we found a little bit of poa annua. It was like, ‘What is this, how can this be?’ The course is over seeded with Bermuda grass and depending on the weather conditions, I think it was two years ago, they overseeded five times to get to the right density of grass so that the ball would sit up.

The final thing you hear about but can’t see are the elevation changes. I tried to find pictures but two dimensions can’t show it. The 10th hole drops 116 feet from tee to green. That is a whole lot of distance for a hole to drop. Eleven drops 40 feet. Eighteen goes up 40 feet. You don’t get a sense from TV just how hilly it is.”

iG: To finish, any stories from the other Majors you have officiated, The Open Championship or The U.S. Open?

DJ: Two other stories… At all the tournaments, the day before you get your assignments, at Augusta it is which hole you are going to be on; at The U.S. Open and The Open, it’s which group you are assigned to. You follow one group; you walk with them and if they need a rules official, you’re the one.

With the U.S. Open in particular, there are so many rules officials, even more than Augusta, that they assign forward observers for some of the more high profile groups. And on the fourth day at Pinehurst, I was assigned to the 1:45 group. I did not really pay attention to who it was because as a forward observer you don’t really see the players in the group you are assigned to, you are so far ahead you see the players (in the group) in front and you watch them play.

I got there Sunday morning and the USGA’s Jeff Hall, came up to me and said I need you to be the referee for the group not the forward observer and I said, ‘Sure that would be great.’

I kind of made note who it was and then showed up on the first tee for the 1:45 tee time with about ten thousand other people. Mark Rolfing was standing beside me and there were hand held cameras everywhere because I was refereeing Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy and they were the 6th to last group to go off. And that was quite a thrill. It was a thrill in a lot of ways. Here was this guy from Victoria, BC refereeing two of the best players in the world but to watch them up close.

There is something about the quality of the very best players, the top ten in the world… it’s different. The sound the ball makes is different, their swings are just art. I can only say art but even more impressive was the way that both of them handled themselves and they were very complimentary toward one another; they had obviously played a lot of golf together. They acknowledged and were appreciative of the galleries. they both played well and shot under par. It was a great day. I made three relatively straightforward rulings. Stevie Williams who caddies, maybe past tense now, for Scott only got ‘owly’ with me a little bit once and comparatively that’s alright… when that happens only once a round.

The Open… Obviously run by the R&A and the R&A does everything really, really well and in a very understated way. Everybody who is involved is treated like royalty. Great food and beverage, the members are incredibly welcoming. (My wife) Alison went with me this year (2015) and was blown away by the reception given by the wives of the R&A members. This is my Open story. The guy walking toward the camera is Tiger Woods (pointing at a video that is playing) and he is coming on to the first tee at Muirfield a couple of years ago. And there is me and Tiger shakes my hand. That seems sort of unremarkable.

This goes on, Adam Scott shakes my hand but what’s interesting, I don’t know if you can pick it up, but when Tiger walks toward me, just as he was about to tee off in the fourth round of a Major, he looked me right in the eye and said, “Hi I’m Tiger Woods. Thank you for helping out with us today.” And there was a contact that he made that I have never experienced with another player. And he was the last player I would have ever expected that to happen with. And then after the round, on the 18th green, it was the same thing, he walked up to me and said, “Thank you very much for helping us today.”

And it was an insight into Tiger Woods, he had the ability that when he looked at you, you knew you had his attention. It may have been only for a second but for that moment… All of the other players are polite but quite perfunctory. They know the routine but it is pretty straightforward stuff. They are about to tee off in one of the four biggest tournaments of the year and I don’t blame them. They don’t need to think about us, they have to be thinking about golf, but with Tiger it was a little bit different.

The Dale Jackson Bio

• Served as a Rules Official for numerous Golf Canada championships over the past 14 years
• Has been a Rules Official at many of the world’s most prestigious golf championships including The Masters, The Open and the U.S. Open
• From 2003 to 2007 he served as the Managing Director of Rules and Competitions for British Columbia Golf
• In 2014 Dale was named the Sports BC Official of the Year
• Has officiated at the last Masters, Open Championship and U.S. Open
• Rules chair for the 2013 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship which was co-hosted by Royal Colwood and Gorge Vale Golf Clubs
• Served from 2011 to 2014 on the Governors Council
• Joined Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in 2015
• Served as Club Captain and Director of Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. and is the author of Royal Colwood: 100 Years, the club history published in 2013 to celebrate the Club’s centenary

The beginning of February presented a once-in-a-lifetime experience for myself and Dan Sabourin – we were two of 91 lucky delegates from around the world to experience this year’s R&A Tournament Administration & Rules Workshop.

Dan Sabourin, from Port Coquitlam, B.C., is a long-time Golf Canada volunteer and the current Rules Education Subcommittee Chair for Golf Canada, while I am a fairly new full-time staff member to the Rules & Competitions department at Golf Canada. Despite being separated by 40 years in age and 4,300 km across the country, we bonded as Canadian golfers and together, we took on the experience of the workshop to the fullest.

Our hosts from the R&A conducted a remarkable event with great instruction and presented their knowledge with ease to suit all delegate levels of Rules and Tournament Administration. The role-playing opportunities – accompanied by full-sized practical areas that touched upon each defined area of the golf course – were first class. The most impressive practical demonstration props were a scale-sized bunker (with a stacked turf face) and a legitimate scaffold for Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) relief. The delegates were tested by The R&A staff on a real life scenario that we may face in the field during a championship.

We took part in many group discussions and covered a number of hot topics that are currently under review for the next Rules code. Learning about clubs and equipment rulings was fun and even more interesting when dissecting specific situations and case studies in small groups! Suspension of play and evacuation plans are often something to be dreaded, but The R&A team made us laugh through it by making it extremely exciting, while still focusing on the key components that make a successful evacuation.

Dan and I were treated with guest appearances from both Frank Nobilo (Golf Analyst, Golf Channel, NBC Universal) and John Paramor (Chief Referee – PGA European Tour). It was great to hear both Frank and John’s takes on the Rules of Golf – both from a past player’s point of view and from a rules perspective. I will certainly take away some key points on how to approach officiating in certain situations.

Dan and I met many of the delegates from all over the world. It was truly educational to hear delegates’ stories from Bermuda, Jordan, England, Australia and Spain. It was so interesting to discover similarities and differences in how we administer golf in our home countries and to learn what levels and programs each association has for Rules Officials.

Of course, a trip to Scotland included tackling the Old Course at St. Andrews on our last day. We clawed the teeth of the Old Course, battling high winds and rain on the last few holes, but made it out alive! What a treat it was to play golf in February in a climate similar to our winters in Ontario.

Both Dan and I consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have been picked to attend The R&A’s wonderful annual workshop. It was a fantastic experience and one that we will never forget. To the entire Canadian golf community, I would suggest that anyone interested should become involved with the Golf Canada family – whether as a volunteer on a committee or at a championship, or as a staff member here at Golf House – you never know what opportunities may lie ahead.

The United States Golf Association hosted 125 industry experts Jan. 19-20 at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, Calif., for the Association’s Pace and Innovation Symposium.

The two-day symposium marked the third time that the USGA has brought together experts and leaders from throughout the industry to discuss the issues that often serve as barriers to participation and enjoyment of the game.

Golf Canada continues to work with the USGA and R&A in the administration of golf and the rules of golf, and pace of play is certainly one area that has been under the microscope.  A lot of research and studies have been conducted to help all of us gain a clear understanding of all the variables that affect pace of play. Ultimately, everyone has a role to play in ensuring that pace of play does not have a negative impact on a golfer’s experience.

Golf Canada will continue to work with our national and provincial partners, including course owners/operators, manager, superintendents and PGA of Canada professionals to communicate best practices and address factors that contribute to pace of play.

Here are a few aspects to consider that could improve pace of play:

• Minimize time on the tee and between shots – encourage your group to play “ready golf”, keep your pre-shot routine to a minimum and place your clubs in a convenient location in relation to the path to your next shot (i.e. close to the next tee when you’re near the green).
• Keep up with the group in front – your goal should be to keep up with the group in front, not immediately in front of the group behind.  A good rule is to arrive at the location of your next shot as the group in front is leaving your landing area.
• Tee it Forward – this initiative encourages all golfers to play the course at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance. For more information, click here.
• Other forms of play – match play, stableford, best-ball and foursomes are a few examples that take less time to play while still offering a fun and competitive environment
• Course set-up – courses should set up the course to encourage a good pace by having a reasonable height for rough, appropriate green speed for the contour of your greens, clearly identified yardage markers and fair hole locations.
• Play 9 – if you don’t have time to play a full 18-hole round, we encourage everyone to get out and play nine holes.  This is in accordance with the rules of golf and Golf Canada’s Handicap System.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to email them to me at ahelmer@golfcanada.ca.

The 2016 golf season will see the implementation of a new Handicap cycle. This two-year cycle is effective March 1, 2016 – February 28, 2018. Below you will find information regarding the changes that have been made in the Golf Canada Handicap Manual for a quick reference Six significant changes are seen in the upcoming edition of the Golf Canada Handicap Manual, which will impact approximately 3.3 million golfers who hold a Handicap Factor® issued throughout Canada and 10 provincial associations. Those highlighted changes include:

Definition of a tournament score: Additional guidance is provided to Committees conducting competitions regarding the definition of a tournament score, placing greater emphasis on “significant events.” The definition excludes fundraising events and regular league play, in favor of designated competitions such as a member/guest or club championship, local amateur tournament or national qualifying and competition. (Section 2: Definitions)

Adjusting hole scores: A revised decision provides clarity for acceptable scores in limited situations where the player has not played a hole(s) under the Rules of Golf, but his or her score would be sufficiently accurate for handicap posting purposes. Three areas covered under the examples include: 1) where the Local Rule is not in effect, but a player chooses to use a Distance Measuring Device or preferred lies; 2) where a player does not wish to cause undue delay; or 3) where the situation is outside of the player’s control, such as an incorrectly marked golf course.  (Section 4: Adjusting Hole Scores)

Posting scores when a player is disqualified: To improve alignment with the Rules of Golf, the revised Handicap System is clearer about what scores are acceptable when a player is disqualified. In general, a score is acceptable for handicap purposes even when a player fails to hole out, or apply a Rule that affects the rights of another player. If the disqualification breach is determined to provide an advantage for the player, the score is deemed unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)

Anchoring and posting: A new reference concerns a player who anchors the club while making a stroke during a round and fails to apply the appropriate penalty or an adjusted hole score (Section 4-2). Since the score would not be reflected as playing under the Rules of Golf, it would be unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)

Playing alone and necessary peer review: To further support the key System premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes. This change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores). Playing alone means completely by yourself with no others in the group at all (one-some). If you play with three strangers, that is acceptable and the score would be post-able for handicap purposes. Even if a walking witness/attester (not playing) such as a family member or caddie was present, that score would still count for handicap purposes (if played under the Rules of Golf). Player names need not be supplied with your scores, that is simply an option that exists in the Golf Canada Score Centre for those that wish to provide them, and is not a requirement for a score to be posted/accepted for handicap purposes.

This decision was also made in an effort for Canada to to be more in alignment with the rest of the world’s handicapping policy on unaccompanied rounds, for the possible formation of a World Handicap System.

Committee responsibilities: In an effort to assist the Handicap Committee with its responsibilities, this revision addresses a player with a temporary disability or permanent disability who has a Handicap Factor that is no longer reflective of his/her current potential ability. In the particular instance cited, the Committee will no longer assign a local handicap (denoted with the letter “L” for local use only), but instead will issue a (temporary) modified Handicap Factor (denoted by the letter “M”). This change supports the portability of a disabled player’s handicap, so that it can be used outside the player’s home club. (Section 8-4c: Handicap Factor Adjustment by Handicap Committee)

An overview of these changes with more detailed information can be found here. The complete Golf Canada Handicap System Manual will be posted to golfcanada.ca/handicapping, and it will be available for purchase on the Golf Canada e-store before the start of our cycle.

Additional reading:

• Golf Canada’s position on 2016 Handicap System changes
• FAQ: Playing golf alone and peer review
• Solo play: a global perspective
• Reference document