# Getting Out before the competition starts!



## Davethebulldog (Aug 5, 2007)

Hi All.

Yer a little annoyed about this morning but please give me your general views on the matter.

I am a member at a local club (small private 9 holer). Every Sunday its members competition which kicks off at 0730. I decided to take a fellow colleage for a quick nine before the comp started. We tee'd off at 0655 so where well out of the way. . . . On the way back in after finishing the 9th, the propertier addressed us and gave us a ticking off........Whats your opinions..?

Should you be able to go out before a comp starts? What does your clubs say on the matter?:cheeky4:


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

My course it wouldn't be a problem unless the club intended to have a shot gun start with all holes in play at the same time. As a matter of common curtesy normally I would check in with the club scheduler, last thing I would want is to get in his bad books, its his job to organize, you go around him and your making him look bad with management. As far as management is concerned, its their course and their rules, membership dues does not circumvent that.


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## Topflite_d2 (May 7, 2007)

At my course it usally doesn't matter unless the competition starts really early. My course is public but still, it usally doesn't matter they just give you a time you have to be done by. I don't think you could find a more friendly course then the one I play on all the time.


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## Foster4 (May 2, 2007)

Most public courses wouldn't mind ..more money for them ...private courses or if it was a big competition i could see them getting mad ..cuz they want the course perfect or in the best shape ...with you playing i guess it could mean spike marks etc to the freshly cut greens or w/e ..idk ...he was probably just having a bad day and don't worry about it


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## mooseduck (Aug 28, 2007)

Maybe this will help:

USGA RULES OF GOLF - 2007

*7-1 Before or Between Rounds*
*a. Match Play*
On any day of a match-play competition, a player may practice on the competition course before a round.
*b. Stroke Play*
Before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke-play competition, a competitor must not practice on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface. 
When two or more rounds of a stroke-play competition are to be played over consecutive days, a competitor must not practice between those rounds on any competition course remaining to be played, or test the surface of any putting green on such course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface. 
Exception: Practice putting or chipping on or near the first teeing ground before starting a round or play-off is permitted.
Penalty for Breach of Rule 7-1b:
Disqualification.
Note: The Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), prohibit practice on the competition course on any day of a match-play competition or permit practice on the competition course or part of the course (Rule 33-2c) on any day of or between rounds of a stroke-play competition. 


The rule is designed to promote fair competition among competitors. It may apply if you were planning on playing in the club competition. Otherwise, I suppose the owner could have legitimate reasons to keep people off the course before the match as pointed out above.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

Dave - I think I'd complain about that organizer to the highest management who will listen to you.

You said you are a member of this club and that it is a private club. I'm going to presume that by that, you have to pay to be a member. If you pay for membership, there MUST be certain rights that you can exercise.

You also say this competition is held every Sunday. Is there nothing allowed to precede the competition every week? Personally, I find that ridiculous in that it means you couldn't play until you were forced to be behind a tournament EVERY week???

The guy owes you an apology. Unless you played so slowly that you held up the tournament, which it doesn't sound like you did, he is dead wrong.


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