Thank goodness the infraction that Brian Davis called on himself in the playoff did not apparently change the outcome. I was surprised that he noticed the "ticked" straw in the heat of the playoff - it was barely perceptible in close-up, slow motion, in HD (What's better than golf in HD?) My guess is that the players are conditioned to the reality that possible infractions will ALWAYS be caught and REPORTED by zealous, arm chair officials. Anyway, good for Brian because he did not even pause to think about it - he called it immediately. I believe he will gain some fans and hopefully win soon. He certainly has the game.
Did you understand the rule?
Rule 13-3. Ball in Hazard: Prohibited Actions
a. Test the condition...
b. Touch the ground in the hazard...
c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.
If the straw had been alive (growing), touching it in the take-away or downswing is allowed.
Speaking of Arm Chair Officials
It does help to know the rules. Years ago, I signed up for a USGA Rules Seminar. I was competing at more than just the club level (state and local Amateur) and thought it prudent to have a solid foundation. I was even considering serving as a local rules official.
As a preface to the seminar, I received a copy of the most recent USGA Rules of Golf and a rather substantial rules test. The test was to be taken "open book" and brought to the seminar to be graded and discussed. Open Book!?! Who would miss even a single question, I thought... and I saved the test to serve as my in-flight entertainment during a five hour return from a west coast business trip (I had a real job in those days). After a couple of hours on the first 2 questions, it dawned on me why the "Open..." AND that I would never finish in only 5 hours. I decided a better approach was to relax, close the book, order a drink and rely on my common sense - GUESS - thankfully, it was multiple choice.
The seminar was enlightening, in that I quickly became aware that I was totally out of my league. It seemed that my fellow participants were all retired lawyers and accountants that lived for the opportunity to debate these rules challenges. Suffice it to say, I did not pursue the rules official gig; but, I did not give up on my goal of expanding my knowledge of the rules. Further, I am proud to say that I am one of the guys to whom rulings on the course are referred. First, I do have a good general knowledge and second, I am there quite a bit - conducting "field tests." Here is how I learned the rules.
Whenever I am confronted by a rule or rules situation where I am in doubt, I jot it down on my scorecard and look it up when I get home. The USGA website is an excellent resource and has made the rules quite easy to search. When appropriate, I will email the results of my search to my playing companions (geek!!!) but, they usually appreciate knowing the right answer.
Recommendations
I do not recommend carrying a rules book in your bag. If you don't know the rule, chances are you won't find it when under the gun. Here are two typical types of events:
USGA Amateur competitions - There are always retired lawyers (officials) to interpret the rules for you and they love their job.
Club competitions - Try to work it out within your group or ask a nearby group. If you can't reach an agreement, play 2 balls and have the pro settle it after the match.
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