Piedmont Virginia Seniors Enjoy Old Course at Emporia Country Club
Tuesday September 10, 2013
Emporia, Virginia
Almost
half of today’s field enjoyed having the 17th tournament of the
season on their home course. However even with the home course advantage only 2 Emporia
members were able to secure the top spots in today’s tournament. 16 Birdies
were recorded by the field of 19 players today in the humid 94 degree
temperature. The course was in Great condition and the hospitality of the staff
and hosting participants made for a most enjoyable day for all.
In A
Flight action Rusty Ward from Hopewell came back after falling a stroke down to
2nd place finisher Tim Matthews on their opening hole; to capture
his 4th First Place finish of the season. Matthews from Yorktown
quickly jumped out front by birdieing the first hole but was even with Ward as
they made the turn with both carding 38’s on the front side. It was Wards
birdie on #16 as Matthews made a double bogey that sealed the victory for him.
Ward finished with a 79 for the day as Matthews collected 2nd place
honors with an 81. Emporia member Larry Maitland and C.J. Fisher from Victoria Country Club finished 3rd
and 4th with 82 and 85 finishes.
The B
Flight saw the two lowest rounds of the day with two players turning in 77’s.
There would have been a playoff for first place but Rick Brockwell from
Dinwiddie ; an Emporia member was playing as a guest and was therefore
ineligible for Tour prizes. Robert Weaver from Virginia Beach claimed the First
Place prize with his 77. This was Weaver’s second win since being promoted from
the C Flight into the B Flight; and was his 5 win of the season overall. Weaver
who played very steady all day was only able to card one birdie for the day.
Brockwell although having one triple bogie used 3 birdies for his 77 finish.
Brockwell decided to join the Tour following his experience as a Tour guest
today. Charlie Powell from Danville trailed Weaver by a single stroke at the
turn but could never make a rally move on the back nine. Powell claimed 2nd
place with an 81 finish.
C
Flight saw two of the local members use their course knowledge and experience
to claim the two top spots in the Flight. Jim Wyatt turned in a very solid 81
to claim his second win of the season. Wyatt picked up a stroke lead on the
first hole and was never tied or trailed after the 4th hole. Larry
Bass also playing out of Emporia finished 2nd with an 84.
The
Tour has two tournaments next week as the season heads down the home stretch
toward the National Finals in November. The next tournament is at The Crossings
in Glen Allen, VA. next Tuesday September 17th beginning at 10am.
Entry fee is $70 and registration due by September11th. The following day
Wednesday September 18th the Tour will hold its 3rd MAJOR
of season at Brickshire in Providence Forge at 10am. Double points and
automatic qualification to Nationals are up for grabs at this event. Entry fee
is $70 and registration due by September 11, 2013 also. Only 5 more regular
season tournaments are on schedule so come out and get your game in order for
Nationals .
Emporia Tournament
Results:
Closest to the
Flag Winners were:
Rusty Ward – Championship & A Flights on Hole # 15
Mike Wren- B & C Flights on Hole #7
A- Flight:
Rusty Ward-Hopewell-79
Tim Matthews- Yorktown-81
Larry Maitland-StonyCreek-82
C.J. Fisher-Sutherlin-85
B- Flight:
Robert Weaver- Virginia Beach-77
Rick Brockwell- Dinwiddie-77
Charlie Powell- Danville-81
Winfred Powell – Emporia-82
Bill Knarr-Verona-85
Charlie Snipes- Keswick-90
Jim Goforth- Hartfield-96
C- Flight:
Jim Wyatt- Emporia-81
Larry Bass- Emporia- 84
Mike Wren – Virginia Beach- 85
Ed Harris- Jarratt-86
Roy Hodges- Dinwiddie-87
Richard Newsome- Emporia-88
Kenny Powell – Danville-90
Jerry Bryan-Williamsburg-94
Rules Review
It has been suggested that there should be a series of Rules scenarios for you to solve. So begins a series of problems titled What's the Score?
Doc Miller has graciously agreed to allow me to share these with you that he has been sending since July 2009.
I will include one each week. You should try to determine the answer based upon your knowledge of the Rules when ever possible and then use your Rule book to confirm.
There will be no trick questions or hidden information.
If you do not have a Rules of Golf book handy, go to: usga.org/Rule-Books and-Decisions
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Question from week #216 Marge has found her ball close to a retaining wall, the base of which is planted with widely spaced bushes. The wall is not deemed an integral part of the course. If she were to play the ball as it lies she thinks she would need to hit a low rescue under the nearest bush, however her backswing is partially obstructed by the wall. A fellow competitor confirms that she is entitled to immovable obstruction relief under R24-2b. She properly finds the nearest point of relief and correctly drops within one club-length of that point. After the drop, the point her ball has come to rest affords her sufficient room from the bush such that she could now hit a 9-iron or pitching wedge over the bush but if she were to still use the rescue as originally planned, the wall is still a hindrance. How should Marge proceed? A. Marge may change clubs for the next shot provided the wall does not interfere with her stroke with this new club. B. Marge may not change clubs for her next stroke, she is committed to using the rescue at this point and must re-drop her ball. C. Marge may change clubs for her next stroke, but at this point she must still re-drop as she does not have complete relief with her rescue. D. Marge has taken proper relief and may change clubs at this point, if she again has interference with the wall with the new club she may take relief a second time from this new spot because it is a different type of stroke.
Answer: C. When dropping her ball, Marge must drop her ball on a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction. (R24-2b) The point where her ball comes to rest, must also avoid interference with the immovable obstruction (R20-2c (v)). “Interference” is determined by using the same club with which she originally claimed the need for relief in the first place. After it is determined she has no interference using the original club selection, she may change her method of stroke, direction of stroke or club selected for play. Only then, if the wall were to again interfere with her next stroke, would this be treated as a separate relief process. Note the use of the phrase “integral part of the course”. When the Committee declares an artificial object, pathway, etc., as an integral part of the course, that feature would no longer be considered an obstruction if encountered during play of the course. The player would have to treat it as a natural feature no different from a large boulder or similar object. I once played a course in Maryland that had two small historic barns on the first hole. One was OB the other was on the course property and treated as an integral part of the course. You had to play the hole between them with no relief whatsoever. |
