Written by: Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
Back in August of 2022, I wrote an article titled Players Don’t Read, which highlighted the importance of players reading the documents that the Committee gives them prior to a competition. Last week at a Korn Ferry Tour event in Bradenton, a very unfortunate situation arose with six players earning a two-stroke penalty that might have been avoided if the players read, or referred to the Notice to Players (Local Rules sheet).
The tournament was played at Lakewood Ranch in Bradenton and the course has some long walks between holes. The Notice to Players sheet, which was given to players on-site and available online via the player portal, specified that the only approved player shuttle location was from the 7th green to the 8th tee. During the round, six players came off the 18th green (their 9th hole of the day) and noticed a man in a shuttle cart. They asked the man if he was giving rides to the 1st tee and said he said, “Yeah, jump in.”
The Rules Committee became aware of the situation, and informed the players that they were in breach on the transportation rule and incurred a two-stroke penalty that must be applied the 1st hole. Of the six players penalized, two missed the cut even without the penalty, two made the cut, and two would have made the cut without the penalty, but missed the cut because of the penalty. It is a very unfortunate situation for all involved.
Click here for more on the story.
Click here for more the Model Local Rule on transportation and scroll down G-6.
This story reminds me of another transportation breach of the rules that happened about 25 years ago. At a PGA Tour event at Doral Resort in Miami, a player lost his tee shot in some bushes and had to return to the tee. A manager of the resort was in his own private cart and near the player. He told the player to get in the cart and he will drive him back to the tee and then back to the fairway. The manager drove the player back to the tee and then back to the fairway; the manager was not a member of the Rules Committee. When the Committee became aware, they informed the player he must add a two-stroke penalty to that hole.
Reading the rules sheets, and knowing the Rules of Golf, can prevent penalties.
