Golfing News & Blog Articles

August 3, 2020

Rule of the Month: Fairways and Rough

Most of your shots during a round will be made from the fairway or rough, which are part of an area of the golf course called the “general area.” This area includes everywhere on the course except bunkers, penalty areas, and the teeing area and putting green of the hole you are playing. In the general area, you will normally play your ball as it lies, but you get free relief for an embedded ball or interference by an abnormal course condition (including artificial structures, temporary water, and ground under repair). Click here to learn how to take free relief from abnormal course conditions.

If you can’t play your ball as it lies in the general area, you can always take unplayable ball relief. Under this Rule, you can choose between three different relief options that allow you to drop your original ball or another ball out of your original lie for one penalty stroke. The three options are: stroke and distance, back-on-the-line between your ball and the hole, or lateral relief within two club-lengths of your ball. Click here for a short video that will show you how these three relief options work.

You have three minutes to find your ball. If it is not found, it is lost and you must go back to play under stroke and distance.

Remember, if you have any Rules questions or feel stumped, you can Ask the NCGA Expert 

July 29, 2020

NCGA Hall of Famer Grant Spaeth Dies Age 88

Grant Spaeth, who proudly served the USGA in a variety of volunteer roles, including as the Association’s president in 1990-91, and was also elected to the NCGA Hall of Fame in 2011, died July 28 at the age of 88.

Spaeth, who was born in Oxford, England, had a  lifelong impact on golf.

From his NCAA team title at Stanford in 1953 to his eventful years from 1990 to ’92 as president of the USGA, Spaeth’s contribution to the game continues to this day.. He was a graduate of Palo Alto High and the son of the Dean of the Stanford Law School. While his father was stationed in Montevideo, Uruguay, Spaeth was introduced to golf on a course across the street from his home. Later as a teenager, he caddied for the Stanford golf team, and it wasn’t too long before he and his Stanford teammates became national champions.

Spaeth graduated from the Harvard Law School and served in the U.S. Army followed by the Reserves. His law practice in Palo Alto was the foundation to years of public service. Spaeth was the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare from 1978 to ’80 and also served as a Palo Alto city councilman. Then came years of work on various USGA committees, leading to his USGA presidency and a list of accomplishments to remember. He may have been the best reach-out-to-people person who ever filled the USGA president’s chair. Spaeth was instrumental in bringing the British Open back to Carnoustie, Scotland. He founded the U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships. He created the USGA’s regional affairs departments.

July 29, 2020

Kiara Romero, Baron Szeto 2019-2020 JTNC Players of the Year

San Jose resident Kiara Romero already has aspirations of someday playing on the LPGA Tour.

Still only 14, she’s still a bit away from that. But her amateur career is off to a promising start.

Romero joined Sabrina Iqbal as one of the youngest winners of the prestigious JTNC Girls’ Player of Year award for the 2019-2020 season.

She’d finish the season with 1,955 points thanks in part to victories at the Fall Series IV and VI Championships and the Summer Series II Championship. Romero also had runner-up finishes at the Holiday Series III Championship and Tour Championship and a third place finish at the Fall Series III Championship.

July 16, 2020

New Steph Curry Signature Shoe to Benefit Ace Kids Golf

Limited edition Under Armour signature shoe inspired by The Masters

Warriors star Stephen Curry showed off more than his golf game at the recent American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. And Bay Area youth have reason to celebrate.

Prior to starting his first round, Curry released a limited edition drop of his signature sneaker. The newest version–Under Armour Curry 7–was inspired by the  par-5 13th hole at Augusta National, which is named Azalea. Along with floral accents, the shoe features a bright green and pink colorway.

Golf weekend drop …a limited edition #Curry7 inspired by my favorite hole in golf, 13 at @themasters…aka azalea! AND 100% of net proceeds are going to @acekidsgolf in Oakland.

— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) July 10, 2020

FINAL_80-81_Winter NCGA_Rules Quiz_v5

 

The post 2020 Winter Rules Quiz appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

July 15, 2020

Safeway Open to Kick Off 2020-2021 Season Without Fans

The Safeway Open presented by Chevron announced today that the 2020 event, the first of the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR season, will not have fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual PGA TOUR event held at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, CA will be played as scheduled, September 10-13.

“The health and safety of the Napa community, as well as our players, volunteers and partners, has remained of utmost importance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re disappointed to announce that we will not be able to host our tremendous fans at this year’s event and we will continue to work closely with the PGA TOUR as well as local, state and federal agencies to ensure the well-being of all who are allowed onsite during tournament week,” said Executive Director Jeff Sanders.

With deadlines approaching tied into the operational logistics of running the Safeway Open presented by Chevron, conducting the 2020 event with fans onsite was not a possibility in the current health climate.

 

The post Tracy City Four-Ball appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

June 29, 2020

The Story Behind Dropping

Golf is a complicated game. No matter how low your handicap, you will still occasionally end up in a situation where you are dropping a ball. Sometimes dropping can benefit your situation, such as when you get free relief from a condition on the golf course that is not meant to be there (like temporary water or a cart path). Other times, you are dropping because you are in a situation where you cannot or do not want to play your ball as it lies (such as in a penalty area).

In 2019, the dropping procedure saw a major overhaul when it shifted from shoulder height to knee height. However, this was not the first time that this procedure saw a major pivot. In 1984, the Rules of Golf went through another significant reorganization which, at the time, was considered the biggest in the history of the game. While the Rules of Golf had been written jointly by the USGA and The R&A since 1952, each organization was still issuing separate Decisions on the Rules. In 1984, the two organizations came together to write a truly unified code with a single set of Rules and a single set of Decisions.

To take a drop prior to 1984, you were required to stand facing the hole and drop your ball over your shoulder and behind you. Effective in 1984, the Rules of Golf shifted to the shoulder height drop that we are all familiar with.

Dropping Over the Shoulder

June 25, 2020

NCGA Mourns the Loss of Past President Jerry Blackmore

Jerry E. Blackmore, who served as NCGA president in 1992, died June 23.

Mr. Blackmore was born August 19, 1940 in Great Falls, Montana.  The only child of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Blackmore, he grew up as a young child in Duluth and Ely, Minnesota.  His family moved to Castro Valley when Jerry was a freshman in high school.  He’d graduate from Castro Valley High in 1958.

Later, Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from San Jose State and an MBA in Taxation.  He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity while at San Jose State and was a member of the California Society of CPA and American Institute of CPA.  He served in the Vietnam War in 1962 and 1963.

June 24, 2020

Sharing the Game With Friends and Family

After some very challenging months, we are all now enjoying the perks of summertime golf.

In taking stock of the situation, we more appreciate and realize how smart and fortunate we are to have chosen a sport that is proving to be such a great outlet in the midst of a pandemic.

Hopefully you’re not only getting back out to enjoy a few rounds, but getting some friends, colleagues or family members to join you. It’s time for some fun games again – but to play the games at even odds, everyone ought to have a handicap index.

In sharing the game with friends and family, here’s a reminder that there are several ways to join the NCGA and obtain an official handicap index via the new World Handicap System.

June 20, 2020

18 Things to Like About the New World Handicap System

NCGA Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jim Cowan presents us with 18 reasons to appreciate the new system: (as seen in the Spring 2020 issue of NCGA Golf Magazine)

Click Here for a Printable PDF 

Global reach – The WHS is…well…worldwide. By year’s end, wherever you go, wherever you play, Course and Slope Ratings will greet you. And, you will be able to return those scores. Daily Updates – Play today… post today… receive a new Handicap Index (HI) tomorrow morning. Talk about a “current” handicap!  my NCGA App – For the first time ever, more NCGA scores were submitted by app in 2019 than via the posting kiosks at golf courses. Capture your new HI in the morning…determine your Course Handicap (CH)…play…post before midnight. Rinse, repeat.Ghin.com – Check out the features. My favorite? The ability to “follow” a golfer(s). Look up your 10 golfing buddies once. Designate you wish to “follow” each. Click the “Following” tab thereafter to view their current handicaps. Best 8 of 20 calculation – The new math for determining your handicap is more responsive to the entry of a good score…less responsive to a poor one. Reducing the number from 10 to eight of 20 also rewards consistency. Fewer scores to acquire a HI – Brand-new golfers are issued a handicap faster. You only need to post scores for 54 holes… in either 9 and/or 18-hole increments.Maximum HI of 54.0 –Let’s face it, there are many golfers with games that fall in the high 40’s/low 50’s HI range, which rendered the old limits of 36.4 (men) and 40.4 (women) inaccurate and a source of discouragement. With a goal of greater inclusiveness, the WHS gives such golfers a meaningful number that they can track. Par is important – Par held very little significance within the USGA Handicap System (single-digit handicappers limited to a max hole score of double-bogey, “par, plus any handicap strokes” applied to unplayed holes).
Under the WHS, no change to the un-played holes policy. Par impacts the net-double-bogey procedure. And par is a factor in the computation of a course handicap (CH). Net Double Bogey – Easily the source of the greatest confusion surrounding the WHS. I like the maximum-hole score procedure because it is tried and true (been used worldwide for years) and is favored by the mathematicians to generate superior results…and it’s not rocket science!
Imagine mapping out your entire CH over 18 holes according to the Stroke Index rankings. A 25, for example, receives two pops on the 1-7 ranked holes; one stroke on the remaining. Gross double bogey plus these handicap strokes represent your max hole score for posting purposes.Course Rating minus par – Prior to 2020, a CH represented the number of strokes you needed to play to the Course Rating of the tees you were playing (i.e., achieve a net score equal to the Course Rating). Now a CH represents the number of strokes you need to play to par. This is achieved by factoring the difference between the Course Rating and par directly into the CH.
Where once your CH varied little between tees, now you will find you receive more strokes from highly rated tees/fewer strokes from tees that carry a low Course Rating. Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) – A score of 80 at Poppy Hills on a day the wind is howling is a better performance than an 80 on a dead calm day . . . that’s common sense. The old system could not detect this; the WHS can.
The PCC is an automatic scores-driven calculation performed each evening that determines if conditions on that day of play (weather and/or course conditions, course set-up, etc.) at that golf course differed from “normal” enough to significantly skew scores up or down. If so, those scores/performances will be adjusted down or up. Limit on upward movement of a HI – Caps are in place to prevent wild upswings in your HI. A soft cap starts pumping the brakes once you stray 3.0 strokes above your Low Index of the past twelve months. Without club intervention (for injury, illness, etc.), a hard cap prevents an increase of more than 5.0 strokes.Exceptional scores – Submit any score 7.0 – 9.9 strokes below your HI and you will be assessed an automatic 1.0 stroke reduction. 10.0 below and more, a 2.0 stroke reduction.The USGA Course Rating System – One of the wisest decisions made in devising the WHS was to adopt the former USGA Course Rating System. No need to re-rate all courses, current ratings will do just fine, thank you.Section 3-5…gone! – Section 3-5 was the adjustment for golfers competing from different tees. It awarded the difference in Course Ratings between tees to the golfers playing the set with the higher value.
No more.
With CH now calibrated to par, no adjustment required if the pars of the multiple tees are identical. If different, those playing the tees with the higher par receive additional strokes equal to the difference in par…and pars do not have decimal points!New Handicap Allowances – New and improved handicap allowance recommendations for popular formats of play have been developed. Everything from an individual gross/net competition (95% allowance for fields of 30 and above), to scrambles. Check out Appendix C of the Rules of HandicappingNew Stroke Index Allocation –The recommendation for the ranking of stroke holes is now based on a raw difficulty standpoint (difficulty versus par) and not from the match play perspective that prevailed for decades. As these stroke play derived rankings will likewise be used for match play, it is recommended that certain accommodations be made to spread out the strokes, to avoid back-to-back high rankings, etc. See Appendix E of the Rules of HandicappingNew CH Tables – The USGA has developed better, cleaner CH tables that we hope to distribute soon. CH can also be determined via app, kiosk and ghin.com.

 

The post 18 Things to Like About the New World Handicap System appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

 

The post West Coast Women’s Amateur appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

June 22, 2019

2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park Will Have No Spectators

 

The post 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park Will Have No Spectators appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

June 19, 2020

We Stand United–NCGA Statement Against Racism and Injustices

The NCGA is committed to delivering our vision to ensure the game of golf is vibrant, inclusive and accessible to all.  We know this is a challenging and hurtful time for many of our members and golf community.

We stand with you against racism and the injustices that have occurred.

Although we’ve made progress and are more diverse than most golf associations, there is always more that can be done to achieve equality for all.

While we can’t change the past, we can continue to work towards a better future for all our minority members, and those who have historically been excluded.

June 18, 2020

Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods release plans for reimagined short course facility at Pebble Beach

New facility will include a nine-hole par-3 short course, a putting course, and an indoor/outdoor food and beverage venue overlooking one of the Resort’s most stunning views

Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods, through his TGR Design firm, today released plans to transform the former site of Peter Hay Golf Course. Located directly between the Pebble Beach Pro Shop and Golf Academy, the new facility will include:

A short course comprised of nine par-3 holes ranging in length from 47 to 106 yards and measuring 670 yards in total;A 20,000-square-foot putting course that can be set up in a variety of different hole and routing combinations; andA 5,000-square-foot food and beverage venue featuring a full kitchen and bar, indoor seating, and the resort’s largest outdoor patio positioned for expansive views of the short course, putting course, Carmel Bay, and Point Lobos

“We are thrilled to elevate the quality of our short course to a level consistent with our other world-class golf courses,” said Bill Perocchi, Chief Executive Officer of Pebble Beach Company. “You can see the genius of Tiger Woods and TGR Design come to life when you walk the site, the way it all fits together. I expect all aspects of this new facility will be very popular for junior golf events, Resort golfers, outings, resident hang-outs, and everything in between.”

Woods’ design philosophy for the short course is anchored on playability and creativity. His vision is that the course will draw new players to the game, bring families together, and provide a fun golf experience for players of all ages and abilities, while still offering a challenge for skilled players.

 

June 17, 2020

USGA Announces Exemption Categories for 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Amateur Championships

The USGA today announced the exemption categories for the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, set to take place Aug. 3-9 at Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Md., and the 120th U.S. Amateur, which will be held Aug. 10-16 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore. As previously announced, the fields for both championships will be comprised entirely of exempt players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Making the decision to forgo qualifying for our championships this year was extremely difficult, but we’re glad to be able to continue the legacy of these competitions and provide the best amateur players in the world the opportunity to compete for a USGA title,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. “We aimed to create fields that most closely resemble those for a typical Amateur and Women’s Amateur, and are confident we will crown two worthy champions in August.”

Exemption categories for both championships are highlighted by expanded use of the World Amateur Golf Ranking® and Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®, as well as finishes in recent USGA championships. A full list of U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur exemption categories can be found on usga.org. All exempt players must file an entry. Entries open Friday, June 26 and close Wednesday, July 8 at 5 p.m. EDT.

June 1, 2020

Rule of the Month: Movable Obstructions and Loose Impediments

One of the fundamental principles of the Rules of Golf is that you play the course as you find it, but sometimes, you find things on the course near your golf ball that simply are not meant to be part of the challenge of the game. Loose impediments and movable obstructions both fall into that category of items. Because of this, you may remove them in most cases.

What is the difference between Loose Impediments and Movable Obstructions?

Loose impediments are unattached natural objects like stones, loose grass, leaves, branches, pine needles, clumps of compacted soil (including aeration plugs), etc. Other things that fall into this category are dead animals and animal waste, plus worms, insects, and other similar animals as well as the mounds and webs they build (for example, worm casts and spider webs).

It is important to note that there are a few things that may seem to meet the definition of a loose impediment but are not actually considered loose impediments under the Rules. Sand, loose soil, dew, frost, and water are not loose impediments. Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are treated either as loose impediments or as temporary water (when on the ground), at your option. This means that you may either remove snow and natural ice, or take free relief, depending on the situation and what you prefer.

A natural object is also not a loose impediment if it is attached or growing, if it cannot be easily picked out of the ground, or if it is sticking to your ball. The Rules allow you to move a natural object to see if it is loose before you remove it. If you do choose to do this and find that the natural object is growing or attached (meaning it is not a loose impediment), it must stay attached and be returned as nearly as possible to its original position.

June 6, 2020

NCGA Events Are Back!

NCGA Events Resumed June 6

Dear NCGA member,

In an abundance of caution, the NCGA had previously made the decision to suspend all event activity through June 1.

Given the recent easing of Shelter-in-Place mandates, the NCGA began resuming its events calendar but with new tournament procedures in place.