FIRST PERSON | CHRIS WHITE
The honor code sets golf apart from other sports, and young competitors learn that fact in tournaments sponsored by the Braselton-based American Junior Golf Association. AJGA director of rules and competitions Chris White describes how golf’s self-policing works, even among kids who want to win.
As told to Michelle Hiskey, for the AJC
Golf is separate from team sports such as football or basketball, where no penalty occurs unless the referee blows the whistle.
In my job, a lot of my rulings and penalties happen only because a player tells me exactly what happened when no one else was looking. Often it is the smallest infraction. It’s up to them to take the higher path. I believe that more often than not, a player will react when something goes wrong. He or she will step away and find out what to do next to correct the mistake, even if it means disqualification.
As we wrapped up the first round of an event last year, a player returned to double-check his scorecard. We reviewed it together, and unfortunately he had recorded a lower score than he actually took on one hole and was disqualified. It takes a lot for a person to implicate himself or herself like that.
A significant rule change for the AJGA this year is the implementation of what the United States Golf Association calls the “Groove and Punch Mark Specification Condition of Competition.” AJGA participants’ grooves must now conform to the new standard outlined in the USGA Rules of Golf (4-1/1). If the clubs don’t conform, the penalty could be severe; but the responsibility of knowing and checking rests with the player.
For players on the junior level, making a mistake now, from as small as an incorrect drop from a water hazard to a much more complicated situation, educates them to better prepare for the higher level. We keep rules officials on the course to get involved if questions do arise. We have seen a little bit of everything on the golf course, to the point that few things catch us by surprise anymore.
No matter what unfolds during your round, you’re not waiting for someone else to keep you honest. Section 1 of the Rules of Golf says, “Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.”
