New Rules 2019
Golf is being modernised by the R&A and USGA, bringing a host of changes to the current rules. The drivers behind the changes are:
• Making the rules easier to understand, especially for newcomers
• Speed up play
In summary, according to GolfRSA the main areas of change include:
Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties:
There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.
Relaxed putting green rules:
There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt.
Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”):
Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area.
Relaxed bunker rules:
There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept, preserving the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
Relying on player integrity:
A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.
Pace-of-play support:
Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play.
For more information, please go to visit golfrsa.com or rules.golf.
What's hot in the shop?
It's time to gear up for summer!
The first summer stock has arrived! Under Armour stock is at the embroiderer and should be in stock by Friday. Come and have a look!
Also expected shortly is a consignment of Galvin Green sample stock that we will be selling at much reduced prices. As it’s a sample pack we do not have the full range of sizes in stock but only one size of each item. It may be your lucky day to find your favourite Galvin Green item at a most attractive price!
Switch to better, switch to Srixon
The One Dozen Srixon Ball promotion is almost complete with only a few available! Don’t miss out! Buy any dozen Srixon balls, choose your favourite number (1-100) from the raffle board and you stand a 1 in 100 chance of winning R10 000 to spend in our Pro Shop! When we have sold the 100 dozen balls the winner will be drawn from the selected numbers! Don’t miss this opportunity – make sure you buy your dozen Srixon balls!
Knockouts
Please make sure your matches are played in good time. The finals of each event need to be completed by the end of November.
2018 Member-Guest Tournament
With hollowtining complete, our focus is now on our prestigious annual Member-Guest Tournament on 14 and 15 December. Entries have opened. Priced at R1500 per team, the event includes welcome drinks and canapes on Thursday, 13th at 18h00. Play is scheduled on both Friday and Saturday as shotgun starts at 08h00 for the morning field and 13h00 for the afternoon field. Format is Betterball Stableford for the Friday and combined Stableford on Saturday. Prizegiving and the dinner to follow the completion of the golf, hosted in the Banqueting Room, Oubaai Hotel.
Please enter your teams via email to Thinus at thinus@oubaaigolf.co.za.
Upcoming events
10 November - Melkemmer
12 November - SCGU Ladies Awards Golf Day
16 November - Glenwood House School Golf Day
24 November - Bergies See Fun Day
13 December - AGM
14-15 December - Member-Guest
Course news
The week started with some 23mm of rain. Excellent news especially after the recent fires. The rain has aided the recently applied fertiliser with growth showing all around the course. The rain also means that our bunkers will need some more attention.
We are also verticutting the greens in preparation for this weekend’s Melkemmer Tournament. We continue to spray to control poa and hopefully eradicate polgras in due course.
We ask members to please repair their pitch marks and ensure that your fellow players repair their pitch marks.
Results
Two clubs: Andries Breytenbach
Nearest the pin: Mike Griffiths and Carl Grobler
1st: Peter Galbraith 71 net
2nd: Jan Steynberg 72 net
3rd: Nick de Chalain 73 net
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| | | Play more golf
| | | | Getting better over 9 | | | | We want you to hit better shots more often; to invest some time in improvement; and enjoy that journey.
So why not, with 3 friends, book 9 holes of playing lesson with us? | | |  | | | We’ll play a Scramble Drive (so you all play our 1st and 2nd shots together);
you’ll have a laugh with your friends (or make new friends);
and we’ll give you swing coaching and game management advice over the 2 hours. | | |  | | | | Improve while playing | | | Playing golf, accompanied by a golf coach, for most golfers, is the best way to develop your golf game.
It’s also a lot less expensive than 2 hours of lessons. Whether there’s four of you or not,
if you’re interested in improving your golf this way, then please:
| | | Contact us now >
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