GRAA TOP 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional
We are truly honored to announce that Mike Fay has been named a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional from the Golf Range Association of America and PGA Magazine. This is the 4th time in Mike’s career receiving this national award. We want to thank the GRAA and PGA Magazine for this honor which encompasses the work we do at the academy including all levels of play. Thank you members of Walnut Creek Country Club for supporting such programs as the POD Program, FORE Ladies Only, various clinics, and taking advantage of private coaching programs. Your support of social media to keep you engaged in the game as well. Without your support, this would not be possible. Thank you!
The Claret Jug The first British Open was contested in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club and stayed there for some 11 years. Originally the winner of the British Open received something called the “Challenge Belt.” The...
So, I’ve had some time for this to sink in and I still don’t understand it. I’ve tried to see it from other perspectives but simply cannot. Thinking he might be not aware of the situation isn’t going to work. ...
How To Repair A Ball Mark The USGA has released a great video about repairing ball marks we wanted to share with you. In the following video, find out why it's important to fix a ball mark and why doing it...
Using The Body's Three Energy Systems For Golf The human body needs energy to move and do things. The human body has three energy systems that are used to generate the energy used by the body for different daily...
Working on the hooks working both the low point and the path. A former slicer that went a little too far. Looking much better! Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to...
Earlier this week, I asked Mike what he thought would be a good topic to write about when it comes to the mental side of the game. He threw out the notion of #17 at Sawgrass which allows for insight into the mental...
The Head Controls The Spine In GolfThe head plays a big role in what the body does in the golf swing. Moving the head too much in the wrong direction can cause many problems. In this video, Mike works on limiting the...
How To Regrip A Golf Club In this video, Mike spends some time with Steve Heuston owner of Precision Fit Golf teaching us the finer points of how to regrip a golf club. Most people do not really think too much...
Risk-Reward Is the risk worth the reward? When playing par 5's it's tough not to want to "go for it" every time. You have a access what is really going on with the golf course. Course management alone can help...
Should You Try To Keep Your Head Down? Walk up and down any driving range and you will at some point hear those famous words, "Keep Your Head Down". Unfortunately, that advice has never worked. Golf could be...
Pre shot routines are so important. In this video Mike discusses how a limited focus and picking a smaller target to hit a larger one can help you hit the golf ball straighter. Pleae leave your comments below. With...
Body Weakness & Swing Faults The topic of my latest blog is something that has caught my interest for a while now. As a coach, I see a lot of swing faults that are caused by the golfer’s body inability to move in a...
Build A Better Set Up With HackMotion In this video for HackMotion, Mike shows you how HackMotion can help your golf set up. Specifically, your arm structure and wrist angles. Wrist angles at set up and at...
Play Faster Golf A movement across America in the last several years has been finding ways to play faster golf. One of the main reasons why golf has been on the decline lately is because people don't feel they...
First Tee JittersIn a resent poll taken on our Instagram account we learned that over 80 percent of you suffer from first tee jitters. It is totally understandable for sure! I have found that the best way to overcome...
After several near misses, Dustin Johnson finally closed the deal and won the 2016 US Open at Oakmont Country Club. Added to the pressure of trying to win the US Open was a possible penalty lingering over his head from the fifth green where he was standing over a putt when his ball moved. The ball moved ever so slightly as he got ready to hit the putt. Johnson immediately called in a Rules Official and insisted that that he was not the cause of the ball moving. After listening to Johnson and assessing what he heard, the referee made the judgement that Johnson had not caused the ball to move and no penalty was issued. Play resumed. Seven holes later, Johnson was informed by a USGA official that the incident was still under review.
Rule 34-2 Referee’s Decision states: “If a referee has been appointed by the Committee, his decision is final”, whether or not the decision is correct. Sounds cut and dried. But that is not necessarily correct. The Committee reserves the right to review all infractions. In this case they did just that, they reviewed Johnson’s actions on video tape and they felt his actions may have caused the ball to move. By the time they called in the head Rules Official and the referee that made the call, Johnson was on the eleventh hole. A USGA Official met Johnson on the 12th tee and apprised him of the situation. They also notified the rest of the field.
Rule 34-3 Committee’s Decision, does not prevent a Committee from changing a ruling (See Decision 34-3/1). Based on the evidence furnished, the referee determined that Johnson did not cause the ball to move and he instructed Johnson to play the ball as it lies without penalty. After a player plays, the Committee can assess the the same evidence or additional evidence. In Johnson’s case, the Committee reviewed the tapes of his actions and determined that he had caused the ball to move. He was assessed a one stroke penalty on the completion of his round.
Under Rule 34-3, a Committee’s decision is final. The Rule does not prevent a Committee from correcting an incorrect ruling and imposing or rescinding a penalty provided that no penalty is imposed or rescinded after the competition is closed, except in circumstances set forth in Rule 34-1b.
A current fad in golf is to mark one’s golf ball with a poker chip or a poker chip sized ball marker. This brought up an interesting question with regards to “size” or “type” of object used to mark one’s golf ball. The Note to Rule 20 – 1 (Lifting and Marking) states that “the position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball – marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball.” A player asked me if they would be penalized for using a poker chip as a ball marker because it did not seem to fit by size under the “small coin or other similar object” outlined in the Note. My answer to player was no, you would not be penalized for using a poker chip as a marker.
The provision in the Note to Rule 20 – 1 is a recommendation of best practice, but there is no penalty for failing to act in accordance with the Note. Examples of methods of marking the position of a ball that are not recommended, but are permissible are as follows: *placing the toe of a club at the side of or behind, the ball; *using a tee; *using a loose impediment; *scratching a line, provided the putting green is not tested (Rule 16 – 1d) and a line for putting is not indicated (Rule 8 – 2b). As this practice may cause damage to the putting green, it is discouraged.
However, under Rule 20 -1 it is necessary to physically mark the position of the ball. Reference to an existing mark on the ground does not constitute marking the position of the ball. For example, it is not permissible to mark the position with reference to a blemish on the putting green.
Frank Guastella
PGA Rules Official | PGA Master Professional
Frank Guastella has over 35 years of golf management experience focused on planning, marketing, operations and administration at leading golf facilities. Currently, Frank serves as a PGA Teaching Professional at St. Clair Golf Club in St. Clair, Michigan
Club Replacement and Normal Course of Play During the second round of play of the 2015 WGC - Cadillac Championship a frustrated Rory McIlroy hurled a golf club into the water in anger, playing the remainder of the round without his three iron. According to the Rules...
How To Take Relief From Immovable Obstructions In the Rules of Golf an obstruction is a movable obstruction if it can be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction and the...
The Use Of A Provisional Ball This is the next in the Playing By The Rules Video Series. Mike and Frank discuss the proper way of using a provisional ball. We discuss what the rule states and how to go about it properly, because it matters to your score!...
We are truly honored to announce that Mike Fay has been named a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional from the Golf Range Association of America and PGA Magazine. This is the 4th time in Mike's career receiving this national award. Thank you GRAA and PGA...
Working on the hooks working both the low point and the path. A former slicer that went a little too far. Looking much better! Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of...
Let Your Shoulder Hit Your Chin On Your Backswing Staying centered in your backswing swing is important. Allowing your left shoulder to hit your chin helps you stay centered and to not sway your chest too much off the golf ball. Please leave your comments below.With...
Just Push, Don't Slide Getting foot pressure to the lead side is so important. Lead side foot pressure starts with a push and not a slide. Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the...
Feel That Pressure On Your Thumb Keeping your hands together on the club is super important. If they seperate you lose control. Here we use trail hand thumb pressure to improve impact. Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's...
Move The Handle On The Takeaway It's no good when the hands go out and the club goes in on the takeaway. Here we get the feeling of moving the handle without moving the club head so much. #golf #Detroit #golfswing #takeaway Please leave your comments below.With over...
In this post we discuss what a caddie’s responsibility is under the rules of golf. Rule 6, The Player, is one of the Rules that deals with a players responsibilities during a stipulated round of golf. Rule 6-1 specifically states: “The player and his caddie are responsible for knowing the Rules. During a stipulated round, for any breach of a Rule by his caddie, the player incurs the applicable penalty.”
According to the Rules of Golf definitions, “a caddie is one who assists the player in accordance with the Rules, which may include carrying or handling the players clubs during play. When the caddie is employed by more than one player, he is always deemed to be the caddie of whose ball (or whose partners ball) is involved, and equipment carried by him is deemed to be that players equipment, except when the caddie acts upon specific directions of another player (or the partner of another player) sharing the caddie, in which case he is considered to be that other players caddie.”
So, what is the meaning of “Specific Directions” in the definition of a caddie. Let’s say players A and B are sharing a caddie. Player A asks the caddie to bring him a club. The caddie takes the club out of A’s bag, places both bags behind the green and walks toward A to hand him the club. While doing this, Player B now plays and his ball strikes one of the bags. Player B incurred a penalty stroke under Rule 19-2 (Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped by Players Equipment).
The definition of a caddie provides that, when a caddie is shared by more than one player, the equipment he carries is deemed to belong to the player whose ball is involved in any incident (in this case, B).
The only exception to the above provision occurs when the shared caddie is acting upon the specific directions of another player (or partner of another player) sharing the caddie. In this case, although A asked the caddie to bring him a club, he did not instruct the caddie, when complying with his request, to place the two bags in a particular location. In placing the bags where he did, therefore, the caddie was not acting on “specific directions” of A within the meaning of that term in the definition of caddie. Before playing, B could have asked the caddie to move the bags if he thought his ball might strike them.
