Foremost and Sandwich squared off in a high-stakes putting match last week on the Bermuda grass practice green at BMCC. (Course play is limited to temporary greens as the regular bent grass greens are temporarily closed due to heat and/or disease stress).

The format of the competition was straightforward, with dollars awarded for closest to hole and two-putts. Without further detail, F can only say he was trounced after a few holes and lost $5.00.

F wishes to appeal and nullify Sandwich’s victory.

Facts

Sandwich introduced a new procedure on the putting green, employing the use of a range finder on each putt of over a moderate length …say 10-15 feet. F was not advised whether the range finder indicated slope as well as distance. The use of the range finder by Sandwich is actually an improvement in Sandwich’s game in one respect, as he no longer goes through the lengthy process of stepping off each putt … a process which years ago led to the “Sandwich” moniker in the first place, as one could eat a sandwich while he lined up a putt. (For the record, Sandwich no longer has notable pace of play issues and pace of play is not a factor in this appeal).

The issue for F, however, is that he has never seen a player (professional or otherwise) use a range finder on a putting green. Is this usage a rules violation?

Ruling

The use of equipment is addressed in R4. Generally, equipment may be disallowed when it might reduce the need for “a skill or judgment that is essential to the challenge of the game”. Having said that, in the absence of a Local Rule (See, Model Local Rule G5), distance measuring devices are “Allowed”(R4.3a(1)). (F will concede that the Local Rule was probably not in effect for this impromptu putting contest).

However, F would argue that the ”skill and judgment” guidance should be more stringently enforced on the putting green which is one of the five defined “Areas of the Course” and one to which specific rules often apply. The elimination of distance measuring devices on putting greens would seem to be a logical prohibition, but it isn’t, although alignment tools are prohibited (See, Clar. 4.3a/2).

In addition to the “skill and judgment” guideline, R4.3 adds a prohibition against using equipment in “an abnormal way …fundamentally different than its intended use and …not normally recognized as part of playing the game”. This prohibition specifically references equipment including “a club or ball”, but would logically include the use of a range finder on a putting green! Was the range finder used for distance — yes; but was it “abnormal” usage – yes, without question! F isn’t aware of a single player in world history who has used a range finder on a putting green… except Sandwich.

F demands return of his $5.00 by Sandwich for breach of R4.3.

As usual, all comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F