Former Driffield Golf Club ladies president and captain Mary Foster certainly knows a thing or two about golf. But it was as she came to collect her scorecard for the weekly Tuesday morning ladies golf that I noticed she possessed a wonderful selection of colourful ball markers .
The collection consisted of swimming badges, themed poker chips and more conventional ball markers!
When a ball is obstructing another ball on the green, one should mark the closest ball to the hole with a flat marker such as a coin or other small object immediately behind the ball.
As regular golfers will know, it is the honour of the player furthest away from the hole to play next and if another ball interferes with play it should be marked.
It is also deemed to be showing polite etiquette if you do not stand on your fellow players’ putt line.
As rule 19.5a. states: If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by a ball in play and at rest, the player must play his ball as it lies.
In match play, there is no penalty. In stroke play there is no penalty, unless both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke in which case the player incurs a penalty of two strokes.
Golf is one of the few sports that allow you to be virtually your own referee, good etiquette towards other players is one of the aspects of the game I feel is at the heart of this honourable game.
In my experience, it is necessary to mark the ball with a clearly visible marker, and Mary certainly would receive top marks!
‘Loft Up’
Driffield Golf Club member and long hitter Jeff Stevens, owner of the ‘Sugarshack’ on Driffield main street, has been playing with a 12 degree lofted driver for the last two years.
And Jeff noticed that for the last couple of weeks many of the players on the European and American golf pro tours have been playing with drivers with more loft.
These players have also been wearing caps with the wording loft up’ on them.
Quite simply modern golf balls are been specifically manufactured to deliver less spin at impact with a driver to help the ball fly on ‘rainbow’ shaped trajectory.
The initial high launch helps increase both improved carry plus added roll once the ball hits the ground again. The other added benefit of more loft improves accuracy as sidepin found on less lofted drivers is vastly reduced.
As a Professional golf coach I see the majority of golfers wanting more accuracy with their drives, one of the main factors is whether the loft of the club matches up with their ability. Golf is a game where hitting the fairway off the tee is one of the main keys to improving your score, keep the ball in play and the whole game becomes more fun.
Steven Gallagher, winner of last week’s Dubai Desert Classic is one of the new generation of top players to Loft Up.
To give more loft a go, come to Driffield GC to give your game a lift.
For more information or to improve your golf via individual or group tuition give Kenton a call on 01377 253583 or email kenton.pga@btconnect.com
Loft and lie
If you are interested in trying new equipment one of the main keys to finding what suits you is going through a process of elimination.
The great new Nike range of equipment has just landed at Driffield Golf Club and there are hundreds of fitting options to help make sure your new equipment is made specifically for what you need.
Try before you buy, off grass, the only surface played during true competitive play where seeing is believing.