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26 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | MARCH 2018 | From the President – Tom Moore: There is a lot going on this month. Spring is just around the corner and daylight saving time begins on March 11 (which means that the club's tee time will switch back to 7:30). Our first general meeting of 2018 will be held at the Hemet Golf Club after golf on Tues., March 6. We will have completed play in the annual President's Cup Match Play Tournament, and the winners will be formally recognized at the awards banquet, to be held on March 31. Faster Play Tip of the Month: If you miss a putt and you're one foot or less from the hole, instead of placing a ball marker and picking up your ball, go ahead and finish the hole. Random Thought: It seems that I have more doctor appointments than golf dates these days — I'm beginning to think that the "Golden Years" are turning out to be more like "Fool's Gold." From the Tournament Chair – Addis Scott: You may sign up at our prior Tuesday golf event or contact the Tournament Chair by email at hemet4sgc@gmail.com. Our March 2018 Game Schedule is: March 6 at 8: am: (T) – Low Net / Low Gross – Post as Tournament March 13 at 8 am: Partners-Same Flight: Low Net Score (St. Paddy's Day - Wear GREEN March 20 at 8 am: Team: 4-Person Mixed Flight Scramble (Minimum of 3 Tee Shots) March 27 at 8 am: Individual: Low Net Score on all Par 3's, All Par 5's, Plus Two Par 4's From the Membership Chair – Elliot Yaeger: All Four Seasons residents are welcome to join our golf club. Pick up an application from the front desk at the Lodge. Membership is $66, which includes SCGA membership as well as 4 Seasons Golf Club membership. For more information contact Elliot Yaeger, Membership Chairman at (951) 223-3735 or email me at hemet4sgc@gmail.com. From the Rules Chair – Tom Johnson: This month we will consider more of the new proposed rules which will, if approved this year, take effect January 1, 2019. Under new Rule 7.4, if a player accidentally moves his or her ball while searching for it the player would get no penalty for causing it to move, and the ball would always be replaced; if the exact spot is not known, the player would replace the ball on the estimated original spot (including on, under or against any attached natural objects that the ball had been at rest under or against). Under new Rule 9.2, the "known or virtually certain" standard (meaning at least 95% likely) would apply to all questions of fact about why a ball at rest moved. This means, unless it is virtually known that a player, an opponent, or outside influence caused a ball to move, it would be assumed that natural forces caused the ball to move. From the Handicap Chair – Melody Lewis: Last month I discussed maximum score posting based on your COURSE handicap. I mentioned that some players may have their handicap adjusted when competing against players that play from different tee boxes with different course ratings. An explanation from the USGA follows. Players Competing From a Different Course Rating™ or Tees Q. When players are competing from a different USGA Course Rating or tees, why do you make a Course Handicap™ adjustment? What if players are competing from more than two sets of tees? Can a Committee ignore this adjustment? A. A Course Handicap represents the number of strokes needed from a specific set of tees to play to the level of a scratch golfer; i.e., to the USGA Course Rating. The calculation of a Course Handicap only includes a player's Handicap Index® and the Slope Rating® of the tees being played. When a USGA Course Rating difference exists among competitors, they are playing to different benchmarks, and an adjustment equal to the full difference in USGA Course Rating must be made in order for the competition to be equitable. Players competing from two different tees: Player A is competing from the Blue tees (71.0) and Player B is competing from the White tees (69.0). Since the USGA Course Rating difference is two strokes, Player A must add two to the Course Handicap calculated from the Blue tees. As an alternative, Player B may deduct two from the Course Handicap calculated from the White tees, as the overall effect would be the same (see Decision 3-5/1). Players competing from more than two sets of tees: Player A is competing from the Blue tees (71.0), Player B is competing from the White tees (69.0), and Player C is competing from the Gold tees (67.0). The recommendation is to add four strokes to Player A's Course Handicap calculated from the Blue tees, add two strokes to Player B's Course Handicap calculated from the White tees, and make no adjustment to Player C's Course Handicap calculated from the Gold tees. Alternatively, Player C's Course Handicap calculated from the Gold tees may be reduced by four strokes, Player B's Course Handicap calculated from the White tees may be reduced by two strokes, and Player A's Course Handicap calculated from the Blue tees would not be adjusted. A third option is to set the baseline at the middle and add two to the higher-rated tee player(s) and subtract two from the lower-rated tee player(s). The key is finding a baseline and adjusting from there. Please note that a golf club may not ignore Section 3-5/9-3c when players are competing from a different USGA Course Rating as doing so would be waiving a Rule of Golf. The Committee in charge of a competition does not have the authority to waive a Rule of Golf (see Decision 3-5/2).

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