Golf Rules? There's an App for That!

THE SITUATION - On a recent Saturday, Tim stepped up to his approach on #8, and unleashed a wicked worm burner with more sizzle than a Ruth's Chris NY Strip. The ball bored through a grazing flock of geese, skimmed through the grass, and made a bee line directly for the foot bridge. Just when it seemed that the golf gods had smiled upon Timmy and his ball was destined to find safety on the far shore, it ricocheted off both posts on the far side of the bridge, reversed course back across the bridge, hit one of the posts on the near side, reversed course again, and finally came to rest in the middle of the bridge against against the curb, somehow missing both the windmill and clown's mouth.

Once all the laughter had subsided and his underwear had been changed, Tim faced a dilema and an accompanying series of questions. "How do I play this shot? Am I allowed to ground my club? How does a thermos know whether to keep a drink hot or cold? Should I take a drop? Are Oriental massages tax deductible?"

THE RULING - Faster than Bob Dray can say "Tee, do you have any muffins?", Gil produced a copy of the USGA Rule Book from his golf bag, and informed Tim that he could, in fact, play the ball from where it came to rest, provided he not ground his club since the ball was within the boundaries of the hazard. With one foot hiked on the curb, and by employing a modified croquet stroke, "Tripod" Tim was able to nip the ball off the concrete and across the bridge, with his good fortune at having averted a penalty dashed to pieces when the ball caromed off one of the posts, went straight up in the air, bounced once on the bridge, and plopped unceremoniously into the middle of the pond, bringing his adventure to a wet and unsatisfying conclusion.

NEW FROM THE USGA! -For those of you who prefer to tote an iPhone instead of Gil and his Rule Book, the USGA has come up with a some handy app's to help you expertly resolve any rules questions that may arise during your next round. "The Rules of Golf" and "Decisions on The Rules of Golf" are available on USGA website via the link to the right - go forth in search of knowledge and remember, the rules are our friends!

Weather or Not

As we mark the end of January, there has been a fair amount of caterwauling about the weather (e.g., Charles "I hate this sh*t-so long suckers-I'm off to Kauai-see you in 10 days" Hardy). For the rest of us who choose to grind it out in virtually any conditions, January hasn't been too bad, with bonus days like last Saturday where conditions were sufficiently benign as to allow many of us to play in shorts.

Alas, there were also days this month that were fit for neither man nor beast/Withrow, including a chilly afternoon earlier in the month when I overcooked my approach on #8 into the pond left of the green. The ball bounced off the ice and rolled to the opposite shore, where I proceeded to retrieve it adjacent to #2 tee box. As one of my playing partners opined, I'm now the second man in LCCC history to hit a ball in the middle of that pond and still finish the hole with the same ball (Bob Dray being the other).

In recognition of this dubious achievement, I thought I would recycle a favorite clip, "The Opening of Golf Season in Minnesota". Note the enthusiasm of the players as they prepare, in breathless anticipation, to put down their snow shovels and pick up their clubs on the first day of Spring. Just another reminder that while it may be a little chilly in North Texas this time of year, we're still playing while our golfing brethren to the north are still counting the days until their courses open with temporary greens. Enjoy.

Hole-In-One Club

Given the number of new members to our group, I thought it would be a good idea to publish the current list of members in our informal Hole-in-One Club. As of this morning, my list reflects the following 31 hopefuls, pretenders, and wannabes who step up to every par 3 at LCCC in breathless anticipation that this may be their day:

Allen, Chris; Basey, Doug; Borek, Ted; Carter, Frank; Charnock, Sean; Dray, Bob; Edge, Cody; Ehlert, John; French, Diron; Dransfield, Bob; Gardner, Blewett; Hameline, Wes; Hardy, Charles; Haas, Jerry; Hollander, Gil; Holshevnikoff, Jeff; Jones, Craig; Lewis, Les; Lowry, Danny; Martin, Kameron; Milligan, Jim; Nolan, Joe; Rivas, Carlos; Stout, Buck; Unverzagt, Tim; Wagner, Tom; Wenning, Scott; Wilson, Todd; Withrow, Mike; Wolf, Jack; Yurich, Joe

For those of you unfamiliar with the HIOC, members agree to pay another member $100 for an ace recorded during an 18-hole round, with rules for said ace as follows:

1. Hole in one needs to happen when playing an 18-hole round 2. Can be from either white or blue tees 3. Does not have to be recorded at LCCC, but needs to be witnessed by another participant in the HIOC to be eligible.

In 2009, Mike Withrow and Sean Charnock found lightning in the proverbial bottle and the cash that accompanied their respective HIOs. If you'd like to be on the list, or would like your name removed, please send me an email to confirm your intentions, and I will publish an updated list in about a week.

For a rather unconventional ace, please enjoy the attached video provided by Jim Welch. It's but one of the reasons that many believe the Wednesday practice round to be the best way to experience The Masters. Next time you're between clubs on #4, it may be a shot worth considering....

ers

Coming Soon: Up & Down with Joel

LCCC is blessed with some of the finest range players in the Metroplex. On any given day you can see a host of us putting in time on the range in the quest for perfection, pounding balls with a tempo reminiscent of that of a babushka on Red Bull beating a rug on a clothesline...

Too often, the mind is cluttered with the kind of swing thoughts. Unless you're an expert tinkerer like our own Tom "The Mechanic" Francis, able to diagnose and correct your swing faults as effortlessly as Barney Fife handles his pistol, chances are you can use a little professional help now and then to get your game up or back to its full potential.

For many of us, the answer has been found in our own backyard in the person of our resident PGA Tour and LCCC Teaching Professional, Joel Edwards. For those of you, like me, who have worked with Joel, you will agree that his teaching methods are extremely simple and intuitive, able to help any golfer get immediate results.

Beginning later this month, The Hosel Rocket will feature a regular column from Joel that provides tips on the golf swing, shot making, etc., with an email link for you to contact him directly to book lesson time. Stay tuned for the first installment of "Up & Down with Joel".