In the News

[Jeffrey Reed]

GOLF ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO LONDON DISTRICT
MARCH 2010 NEWSLETTER

Go Team Canada! EH!
Please excuse my transgression in talking about something other than Golf, but this deserves comment. Unless you live under a rock, you just saw the greatest spectacle in all of sports, the Olympic Games. You also
saw the Canadian athletes win a record number of Gold Medals. In a word,WOW! A wave of the flag to everyone who participated in the competitions, as well as the many coaches and support staff in the background, and since the GAO is a volunteer organization another wave to all the volunteers who battled Mother Nature and won!

How Well Do You Know The Rules?
Back to Basics
Three strikes and your out . We all recognize this as a basic rule of baseball. Never do we see a batter allowed more than three strikes. If he did, he would not be playing baseball – it would be some other unknown game. If we had a game between two teams we would expect each to play to this rule or else we would not have a fair competition.
So too in golf, to have a fair competition, we need the players to play by the same rules at all times. The basic rule of golf is to play the course under the conditions you find it and to always play the ball as it lies. If you
tipped up your ball in the deep rough and you want to tell me your score – don’t bother because you have not been playing “golf” and it means nothing to me. The golf course you play will have dips and hollows, bumps
and mounds, divot holes, tall grasses and tree branches, etc. all of which can make your shot more difficult, but this is the golf course. You must accept it as it is and you must not move your ball or you must not move items, except loose impediments, in the area of your swing. Regardless of where you find your ball, don’t touch it or move it, and play the ball as it lies. We will then all be playing by the same rules and we will have a fair
competition. There are situations where the rules of golf do allow you to move your ball. Thus the rules are there to help the player. But you have to know the rules in order to get this advantage. I will explain some of these in future articles. In the meantime, go to www.rulesofgolf.ca. You can learn the rules and get a Level 2 certification.

At the RCGA web site, www.rcga.org, there is a “Rules of Golf” section with an “Ask the Expert” tab where you can get your questions answered, or, you can send an email to our very own London District’s Rules Guy,
Roy Bratty at roybratt@rogers.com.

Brush up Your Rules
This is a service available to all member clubs at no cost. This is a interactive presentation of the most common rule situations you encounter while playing golf. The presentation is done indoors, using props, and allows attendees to actively participate in actual rule situations. Even for those that know the rules, we guarantee that
you will learn more. Assemble a group of 25 or more (at your club?) and arrange for the presentation by me.

Groups can be a mixture of males and females of any age. A great opportunity for juniors to learn, and for ladies to show how they are more familiar with the rules then are men? Contact me to arrange a time and date - you will never regret it. Roy Bratty, 519 649 6594, or roybratt@rogers.com.

Why Are There Rules?
I was at a meeting a short while ago, and a gentleman sitting at the same table asked why we needed all these rules in Golf. He complained that the rule book is 1/2 an inch thick and the decisions on those rules is three
times thicker. He then went on to say that kids playing ball hockey don't have rules and that's the way all games should be played` Since I didn't know this person or why they were at this particular meeting, I didn't respond. He was obviously correct. In the perfect world the Game of Golf would be played for the enjoyment of the time spent in the pursuit of perfection, but that's not how we all play it in our real world. Our competitive nature demands that we need to have some sort of ranking process in everything that we do. A winner must be identified, a trophy given, a refreshment enjoyed, a pocket filled, or a congratulations given to satisfy the competitive beast.

If a winner is to be declared, then fair-play requires that all competitors play by the same rules and if the tournament relies on historical information for handicapping, then all games used for that purpose MUST also be played by the same rules. An that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why we have rules!

2010 Ontario Summer Games
The 2010 Ontario Summer Games are scheduled for this coming August at Timberwolf GC in Sudbury. 25 boys and 25 girls will compete for medals. For information about the selection process and to find out about eligible events, look at Mary Ann Lapointe’s blog on www.gao.ca.

Want Your Course Distance Measured?
The GAO is offering a distance measuring service to all member clubs to re-measure their course. Contact Craig Loughry at cloughry@GAO.ca to get on the list for this year. Craig’s staff will use GPS to re-measure all holes from each tee box and will even give you the distances from the sprinkler heads to the green. And it’s a free service too!

Canadian Men's Amateur Championship August 10-15
This event is being held at Redtail G&CC and at The London Hunt G&CC. Volunteers are needed at the Hunt Club as scorers, forecaddies, drivers, caddies, and general function. Volunteers must be available the period of
August 10-15 and be able to work a minimum of two five hour shifts. Volunteers over the age of 10 and under 14years of age will require a parent volunteer to accompany them and both must complete an application. Assigned volunteers will be required to attend a training and orientation session prior to August 10 and to purchase a uniform shirt ($28). A hat will be provided. Some volunteers will be required to pass a Police background check. Volunteer at www.londonhuntclub.on.ca.

Want to Play in a GAO Tournament?
The GAO has long been accused of hosting tournaments for the lower handicap golfers and to a large degree that is true. Well, this year, all GAO members will have an opportunity to play in a GAO tournament against players of all handicap ranges. On May 26, 2010 you can play in a GAO One Day Tournament at The Oaks Golf and Country Club in Delaware for an entry fee of $125. The tournament will have a Men’s, a Women’s and Senior Men's sections playing off different tees for NET prizes. On-line registration is available now at www.gao.ca under the Competitions Section.

If You Went South This Winter?
If went south to a warmer climate this past winter and played golf please remember that you MUST post those scores when you return. Yes, those scores will have to be entered into the handicap system. Here is a section of the Handicap Manual dealing with this issue:
Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap purposes. Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club from which the player receives a Handicap Factor is observing an inactive season. The club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season. Florida for example does not have an inactive season. Their golf season runs 12 months of the year.

Spring Captains Meeting
This years Spring Captains Meeting is scheduled for April 12, 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Yes, you read it correctly. We're holding it in the evening so that those of you who still toil at what you commonly refer to as “Real Work” may attend. Refreshments will be available. If you are the Men's or Ladies Club Captain, please let me know if you plan on attending.If you are a past Captain at your club, please pass this on to the new Captain.

Did You Know
Ontario golfers cleaned up in the National level tournaments.
Cam Burke of Foxwood GC is the 2009 Canadian Men's Amateur Champion.
Jennifer Kirby of Brantford G&C is the 2009 Canadian Women's Amateur Champion
and the 2009 Canadian Junior Girl's Champion.
Dave Bunker a GAO Public Player is the 2009 Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master Champion.
Daniel Kim, Mackenzie Hughes, Bill Muzak, Albin Choi, and Brandon Ng are the 2009 Canadian Junior Boy's
Inter-Provincial Champions.
Nathan Komsa, Tyler McDannold, Rob Cowan, and Dave Bunker are the 2009 Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur
Inter-Provincial Champions.
Lisa Maunu, Jennifer Kirby, Stephanie Sherlock, and Nicole Vandermade are the 2009 Canadian Women's
Amateur Inter-Provincial Champions.
The Golf Association of Ontario gave scholarships to:
David Olejnik at University of Western Ontario.
Amy Williams at University of Western Ontario.
Rachael Andrew at University of Western Ontario.
Mathew Wheeler at university of St. Andrews, Scotland.
Mackenzie Hughes at Kent State.
Bradley Altenhoff at Eastern Michigan.
James Krantz at Winona State.
The Golf Association of Ontario administered scholarships for:
Taylor Prilisauer receives the Helena Harbridge Award to university of Guelph.
Brett Mitchell receives the Craig Revell Award to Brock University.
Alexandra Hughes receives the Christine Fisher Memorial Student Award to Wilfred Laurier.
Megan Zalewski receives the Christine Fisher Memorial Student Award to Queens University.
In addition to all this, The Golf Association of Ontario ran 22 Provincial level tournaments and an additional 49
qualifiers, several Rules Seminars and Certifications, a few Handicap Seminars, rated about 71 courses and ran
a bunch more District level tournaments. Not bad for a volunteer based organization!

The Golf Association of Ontario donated over $46,000 to Ontario Turf Grass Research Association for the benefit of all course. Congratulations
Our congratulations to Judy Oryniak of RiverBend Golf Community, formerly of Sarnia Golf and Curling Club who successfully applied for the position of Secretary for the London District Executive.

We are in transition mode right now with files and contact lists being migrated. Judy will be sending out the next Newsletter.

2010 Tournament Schedule
Tournament Date Club
Junior Spring Classic Qualifier Boys 2-May Westminster Trails Golf Club, London
Men's Better Ball Qualifier 3-May Highland Country Club, London
Men's Match Play Qualifier 10-May Greenhills Golf Club, London
Men's Better-Ball 13-May Oakdale G&CC
Men's Mid-Amateur Qualifier 17-May Craigowan (Oxford) G&CC, Woodstock
Women's Champion of Champions 20-May Oshawa G&CC
Investors Group Jr Boy's Spring Classic 22-24-May Wooden Sticks GC
Investors Group Jr Girl's Spring Classic 22-24-May Weston G&CC
Senior Men's Champion of Champions 26-May Mad River GC
One Day Net Event 26-May The Oaks GC, Delaware
Men's Match Play 1-4-June The Lake Joseph Club
Men's Amateur Qualifier 7-June St. Thomas Golf & Country, St. Thomas
Investors Group Men's Mid-Amateur 8-10-June Donalda Club
Women's Match Play 14-16-June Hawk Ridge G&CC
Junior & Juvenile Boy's Qualifier 21-June West Haven G &CC, London
Men's Champion of Champions 22-June Loyalist CC
Junior Boy's Match Play Qualifier 28-June St. Mary's Golf & Country, St. Mary's
Junior Boy's Match Play Qualifier 4-July Huron Oaks Golf Club, Brights Grove
Investors Group Jr & Juv Girl's 6-8-July Rivendell GC
Investors Group Ontario Amateur 6-9-July Idylwylde G&CC
GAO Under 15 Tour-National Pines 11-July National Pines GC
Investors Group Jr Boy's Match Play 12-15-July Glendale G&CC
Investors Group Women's Amateur 13-15-July OslerBrook G&CC
GAO Under 15 Tour-Cherry Downs 18-July Cherry Downs G&CC
Investors Group Jr & Juv Boy's 20-23-July Listowel GC
Bantam Boy's Championship 27-28-July Puslinch Lake GC
Bantam Girl's Championship 27-28-July Puslinch Lake GC
Investors Group Sr Women's Championship 4-6-Aug The Club at North Halton
GAO Under 15 Tour-Heron Point 8-Aug Heron Point Golf Links
Williamson Cup Matches 10-Aug Essex G&CC
Investors Group Sr Men's Amateur 11-13-Aug Ambassador GC
Ontario Summer Games 11-12-Aug Timberwolf GC
Investors Group Men's Amateur age 70+ 11-13-Aug Ambassador GC
GAO Under 15 Tour-Station Creek 15-Aug Station Creek GC
Investors Group Women's Mid-Amateur 17-19-Aug Loyalist CC
Baka Wireless Men's Public Player 23-24-Aug Black Diamond GC
Baka Wireless Women's Public Player 24-Aug Black Diamond GC
Jr & Juv Boy's better-Ball 24-Aug Shelburne G&CC
Ontario Jr Tours Championship 31-Aug-1-Sep Deerhurst Highlands
Mixed team Championship 3-Sep Wooden Sticks GC
George S. Lyon Club team Championship 7-Sep Rattlesnake GC
Senior Men's Better-Ball 13-Sep Dundas valley G&CC
Women's Four-Ball 20-Sep Ladies GC of Toronto
We'll update this with London District Tournaments next month. Also, if you tell us about them, we'll add in
any local Open or Invitational tournament.