I was mulling over some issues the other day and decided that other members may also been wondering about them too. So, after consulting with Sam Jenkins, the ASGA Tournament Director and Paul Redden, the ASGA President and guru of all things digital, I decided to pose some do's and don't's as well as a few questions and answers.
First, let's talk about scorecards, the official ones and the unofficial ones. The unofficial ones are easy. You know. the ones found in a stack in the pro shop or attached to the steering wheel of your cart. These don't have your name or the title of the tournament or your handicap, its just a blank course card. These you can do anything with, i.e., keeping everybody's score, recording what you think is the proper format of the tournament, and maybe even the bets and debts that you make during the round. Go for it, have fun!
Then there are the official cards, you know, the ones with your name(s) and handicap. These are ones that have to be turned in with the proper recorded score for the proper format of the tournament. Yea, yea, yea, I know, why is this so important. Well, it determines whether you are a potential winner and it is the official result of your play. Hmmmm.....it may also be about how knowledgeable you are of the real format rather than some preconceived notion of what you think it is. According to our tournament director, Sam Jenkins, this is the most common fault for being disqualified, trying to use the official scorecard as you see the format, not using it as it should be.
How is the safest way to avoid this trap? Simple, put the gross scores of all players listed on the card for each hole they played regardless of the format! You can't go wrong! Let the course officials or the ASGA computer figure out the proper format. Admittedly, the ASGA has a large number of formats, some even have names that are confusing. Don't risk screwing up, put only gross scores down.
Another reason for recording only gross scores is that they are used to maintain your handicap. So finish out that hole with a completed score regardless of whether it matters for that particular tournament! Neatness would help too!
Some do's and don't's: Consult the ASGA website often, especially the NEWS site. Yea, go ahead, click on it, yea, really. you might be surprised at what you might find. Maybe you'll find an article about you and your Hole-in-One that you have or have not paid for;Do speed up! Everyone likes a unhurried but undelayed round. I'm slow, but I know I'm slow. So what do I do to keep me from being a drag on my team and the other groups? I try to putt continuously once I start. The damage from stepping on somebody's line is a fallacy (unless it rains). I start walking to my cart after I putt out until I am at least half way to my cart. I take one practice swing, really, just one. I need to save those swings for when I really need them. I'm out of my cart with club in hand before it is my time to hit. I don't wait to be driven to my ball if my cart mate is hitting his ball within quick walking distance of mine. If you are driving, drop him/her off and drive half way to your ball and begin walking. He can catch up after hitting and you can walk back. I don't spend more than three minutes looking for a ball while I have a barrel full at home. It's just a ball, not your wife's diamond ring!
Oh, and by the way, wear sunscreen to protect your pretty face, okay, your face. Find shade to park, even if there is a little walking involved. It's nice to come back to a cool seat.
Gosh, I'm exhausted, I may have gotten carried away but I need some rest for a mind that has many gripes.........I mean do's and don't's left. I'll continue this line at another time.
