Rules of Golf - Resources for Juniors.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Rulesman

Re point 2. If the player looked to be confident of his (correct) action, I would not intervene. If he seemed hesitant (not about the best choice of play but the correctness of his action), I would volunteer assistance.

Exactly.  We aren't talking about making decisions or suggesting a course of action.  That is the player's responsibility.  All Rulesman and I are talking about is stepping in when the player seems unsure (or is obviously incorrect) of his actions, and informing him that we are an available resource.

In one of the threads below this one (the one at the Badlands Course), I would have stepped up and made my services available to him, and I would likely have been aware of any particular local rule which would have included or excluded those border rocks with the cart path, or have been able to find if they were considered as immovable.  Barring that, I would have had a radio to contact the head RO for a ruling.  If the player subsequently chose to ignore, me, then it's his choice, but I would have done what I see as my job.

[turtleback]

Never been a rules official in a tourney, but as the rules chair for my club I might have to make an on course ruling if I am playing along with a club match so I have a question.  If someone seemed unsure of their options would you just tell them their options or would you ask them if they wanted you to tell them their options?

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by turtleback

Never been a rules official in a tourney, but as the rules chair for my club I might have to make an on course ruling if I am playing along with a club match so I have a question.  If someone seemed unsure of their options would you just tell them their options or would you ask them if they wanted you to tell them their options?

Most of the time when this has happened to me, they have actually asked something like, "Am I doing this right?", so there isn't usually any question that they are looking for help.  If not I'll just ask if they want to know the procedure or options for the particular situation.  I may just ask "Need help?"

I was the first rules chair my Men's Club ever had, and even after I no longer held the position on the board, I was still sought as a resource on tournament days.  There were a couple of times when a player would come in with a question which nobody on the committee present in the clubhouse was comfortable trying to answer, and they would wait for me to finish my round to ask for my assistance.  There were 2 of us in the club who worked state level tournaments in a rules capacity, so we were often involved in counseling the committee on the rules.

[Rulesman]

Originally Posted by turtleback

If someone seemed unsure of their options would you just tell them their options or would you ask them if they wanted you to tell them their options?

Normally the latter. But sometime body language or (in)action gives you a hint.

[rogolf]

Rules officials at The Masters are instructed to be "conspicuously inconspicuous".  This instruction might exist because of television or that it's known that the players will call for referees when they need them.  Regardless, and back on topic about Rules guidance for juniors, teach them to call an official and proceed as follows:

1.  ask "Are you a rules official (referee) for this event?"

2.  if the answer is no, then request a rules official (referree)

3.  if the answer is yes, then ask "What are my options here?"

The rules official (referee) should then outline all of the options available to the player for the current situation.  If the player is not satisfied, he should ask for a second opinion.

I do admit that I give more leeway to juniors (because they are still learning) than I do to adults, whether they are amateurs or professsionals.