Selborne Weekly Tribune – 14 September 2024

1. Teeing Off: Welcome to the Weekly Tribune!
Welcome to the 19th Edition of the Selborne Tribune!
As December rolls in, the summer weather has arrived in full swing, bringing warm and inviting conditions for golfers eager to hit the course. This year, the return to play is even sweeter with the long-awaited reopening of the N2 bridge, providing seamless access once more.
While the festive season often comes with its share of challenges, we’re fortunate to see this one start on a high note. The bridge is back in action, and so is Selborne Golf Club with an exciting lineup of events to keep the holiday spirit alive. View our December events Calendar here: 
Get ready for an action-packed December as Selborne offers a fantastic array of golf and clubhouse activities. Whether you’re here to perfect your swing, enjoy the camaraderie of fellow golfers, or simply soak up the festive atmosphere, there’s something for everyone.

Get into the Swing with Score Capture!

Selborne has teed up something exciting for our weekly competitions—Score Capture! While some members are already scoring birdies with the app, others are still taking a mulligan trying to find their way around it. But trust us, this app is easier than filling out a scorecard and adds a fun, social element to your game. With Score Capture, you can effortlessly record your scores and even keep tabs on how the rest of the field is performing. It’s a fantastic way to stay connected and add a little extra buzz to the competition day!
From December onwards, using the app will be a requirement to participate in competitions. Don’t worry— only one person in your fourball needs to manage the app during the round.
We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of Score Capture. If you’re feeling stuck, don’t hesitate to reach out, Ryan is always just a chip away, ready to help you ace this new system.

2. Pro Tips: Mastering Your Swing: Know Your Distance!
IMPROVE YOUR GAME WITH THESE EXPERT TIPS FROM THE PRO:
Understanding Your Club Distance and How Conditions May Affect Them
Yesterday, I had the absolute privilege of teeing it up at our beautiful course. Yes, I say “privilege” because let’s face it, we’re incredibly lucky to have a course in such immaculate condition. Selborne isn’t just a place to play golf; it’s a sanctuary, where health, fresh air, and lush greens combine for the ultimate day out.
But let me confess something: as I strolled the fairways soaking in the splendour, I was reminded that golf isn’t always as straightforward as hitting the middle of the green. After a long break from the game, one vital aspect of my performance had taken a hit—my feel for distance.

Gadgets vs. Golf Instincts
Don’t get me wrong, gadgets are fantastic. I had my trusty GPS ready to tell me exactly how far the flag was. But here’s the thing, your most powerful “gadget” is the one between your ears. Despite what my tools told me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I’d see a number on the screen, then glance at the target, and my gut would disagree.
This is where knowing your clubs and understanding  the impact of conditions on distance becomes invaluable. After a pause from the game, I noticed my shots coming up a bit shy. While my tech and I weren’t always on the same page, thankfully, my short game came to the rescue on more than one occasion.

Establish Your Baseline Distances
The first step to mastering your club distances is knowing your averages. Follow these steps to create a
reliable baseline:

• Practice on a Launch Monitor: Use a launch monitor at the range to measure the carry and total distance of each club. If one is not available which in most cases it won’t be, the good old pen and paper always helps. Head to the range and play 5 to 10 shots with a club and work out the average distance per club. This was touched on in the 10th Edition of the Tribune.
• Track On-Course Performance: Note distances during rounds to see how they compare to practice. Apps like Garmin Golf can automate this and even some of the newer scoring apps record your distance per club when playing on the course.
• Be Honest About Consistency: Don’t just record your best shots. Focus on your typical, well-struck shots to establish realistic expectations.

How Lies Affect Distance
The type of lie you face on the course can significantly alter how far your ball travels. Here’s what to expect:
Fairway Lies

• Typically offer clean contact, allowing the ball to travel the expected distance.
• Avoid over-swinging, as good lies can tempt players into going for extra power.

Rough Lies

• Grass can get between the clubface and ball, reducing spin and control.
• Expect shorter distances and adjust by taking more club. For example, if a 7-iron usually works for 150 meters, consider a 6-iron in thicker rough.

Uneven Lies (Tribune – Edition 2)

• Uphill Lie: Adds loft, increasing height but decreasing distance.
• Downhill Lie: Decreases loft, leading to lower ball flight and more roll.
• Adjust stance and club selection to counteract these effects.

Bunkers (Tribune – Edition 5)

• A ball in a fairway bunker often requires a lower-lofted club for better distance.
• In greenside bunkers, distance control depends on how much sand you take with your shot.

Weather Conditions and Their Impact
Weather can drastically affect how far your ball travels. Here’s how to adjust:
Wind (Tribune – Edition 17)

• Headwind: Expect a noticeable loss in distance. Take 1-2 clubs more and swing smoother to reduce spin.
• Tailwind: The ball will travel farther, so consider taking one less club.

Temperature

• Cold air is denser, which can reduce your distance by up to 5-10 yards. Warmer air allows the ball to travel farther.
• Keep your golf balls warm by storing them in your pocket on cold days for better performance.

Humidity

• Contrary to intuition, humid air is less dense than dry air, so the ball travels farther in high humidity.

Rain

• Wet conditions reduce roll, and water on the clubface decreases spin. Club up and aim for higher trajectories to maximize carry.

Adjusting Your Approach
Knowing your distances and accounting for conditions allows you to make better decisions:

• Play Smarter, Not Harder: Instead of forcing a club to cover more distance, take an extra club and swing with control.
• Practice Situational Shots: Simulate rough lies, windy conditions, or uneven lies at the range to build confidence.

Let’s face it, knowing your distances is the secret sauce to playing better golf. Sure, you might have a great swing, but if you’re grabbing the wrong club or ignoring the weather, you’re setting yourself up for trouble.
Golf loves to throw curveballs: a tricky lie here, a gusty wind there, or even a little drizzle just to keep things interesting. The trick is to turn those variables into opportunities rather than obstacles.
When you truly understand your distances and how conditions like wind, rain, or that pesky uphill lie affect them, you’ll arm yourself with the confidence to pick the right club and play the right shot. Fewer wrong guesses mean fewer wasted strokes.
So, next time you’re on the course, remember: distance isn’t just about numbers; it’s about adapting,
strategizing, and trusting your skills. Get it right, and you’ll not only play better, you’ll have a lot more fun doing it!

4. Golf Rules & Handicapping: Make The Rules Work For You
Rules/Course Knowledge Episode 19!
In this episode, we cover the important aspect of what to do if the player’s ball in motion hits a person,
animal, equipment or anything else on the course. As it is quite an extensive topic we will cover it in two parts. It can sometimes be confusing, so feel free to engage us!
When this happens accidentally, there is no penalty and the player normally must accept the result, whether favourable or not, and play the ball from where it comes to rest. This is covered in Rule 11 and also restricts a player from deliberately taking actions to affect where any ball in motion might come to rest.

It is important for this rule to understand the definition of outside influence:
Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to
the course:

• Any person (including another player), except the player or their caddie or the player’s partner or opponent or any of their caddies,
• Any animal,
• Any natural or artificial object or anything else (including another ball in motion), except for natural forces, and
• Artificially propelled air and water, such as from a fan or irrigation system.

Ball in Motion Accidentally Hits Person or Outside Influence:
If a player’s ball in motion accidentally hits any person (including the player) or outside influence:

• There is no penalty to any player.
• This is true even if the ball hits the player, the opponent or any other player or any of their caddies or equipment.

Exception – Ball Played on Putting Green in Stroke Play: If the player’s ball in motion hits another ball at rest on the putting green and both balls were on the putting green before the stroke, the player gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes).

Place from Where Ball Must Be Played:
(1) When Ball is Played from Anywhere Except on Putting Green. If a player’s ball in motion played from anywhere except the putting green accidentally hits any person (including the player) or outside influence (including equipment), the ball must normally be played as it lies. But if the ball comes to rest on any person, animal or moving outside influence, the player must not play the ball as it lies.
Instead, the player must take relief:

• When Ball Comes to Rest on Any Person, Animal or Moving Outside Influence Located
  Anywhere Except on Putting Green. The player must drop the original ball or another ball in the
  relief area (see Rule 14.3):
  o Reference Point: The estimated point right under where the ball first came to rest on the
  person, animal or moving outside influence.
  o Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:
  o Limits on Location of Relief Area:
• Must be in the same area of the course as the reference point, and
• Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point.
• When Ball Comes to Rest on Any Person, Animal or Moving Outside Influence Located on Putting Green. The player must place the original ball or another ball on the estimated spot right under where the ball first came to rest on the person, animal or moving outside influence, using the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.

Penalty for Playing from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 11.1b(1): General Penalty Under Rule 14.7.(2)

When Ball Is Played from Putting Green. If a player’s ball in motion played from the putting green accidentally hits the player or an outside influence, the ball must normally be played as it lies. But if it is known or virtually certain that the ball in motion hit any of the following on the putting green, the player must replay the stroke by playing the original ball or another ball from the spot where that stroke was made (see Rule 14.6):

• Any person other than:
  o the player, or
  o a person attending the flagstick (this is covered by Rule 13.2b(2), not by this Rule).
• A movable obstruction other than:
  o the club used to make the stroke,
  o a ball-marker,
  o a ball at rest (see Rule 11.1a for whether a penalty applies in stroke play), or
  o a flagstick (this is covered by Rule 13.2b(2), not by this Rule).
• An animal other than those defined as a loose impediment (such as an insect).

If the player replays the stroke but does so from a wrong place, they get the general penalty under Rule 14.7.If the player does not replay the stroke they get the general penalty and the stroke counts, but the player has not played from a wrong place.

5. Golf Rules & Handicapping: Make The Rules Work For You

Rules/Course Knowledge Episode 16

In this episode, we are going to cover a couple of interesting situations that happened on tour and apply to our everyday games too.

Joaquin Niemann, Mayakoba, Mexico

Going into the final round in Mexico, Joaquin Niemann was given the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play) following an incorrect dropping procedure. When taking free relief from a cart path, Niemann dropped his ball clear of the path and played onto the green. After Niemann had returned his scorecard, it was noticed that he had played from more than one club-length from his nearest point of relief, and so he should have included a two-stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place on his score for the hole. However, as Niemann was unaware of the Rules breach, there was no additional penalty for signing for a wrong score (Exception to Rule 3.3b(2)) only the wrong place penalty.

For more information on how to take relief from a cart path, watch the video on the link (scroll down on the webpage to the applicable video):

https://www.randa.org/articles/rules-from-the-tours-24

Rahil Gangjee, Kolkata Challenge, India

Now over to India, and Rahil Gangjee playing in the Kolkata Challenge at Royal Calcutta Golf Club. A referee was called to the 15th green, where Gangjee’s ball had been moved by a bird on the putting surface. As a bird is an outside influence, the referee instructed Gangjee that the ball was to be replaced on the spot where it originally lay. However, as this exact spot was not known, the ball was replaced on the spot where it was estimated to have been before the bird moved it, with no penalty (Rule 9.6). Gangjee was able to continue his round and eventually finished in a tie for second. Meanwhile, some local assistance was sought to act as scarecrows on the 15th to deter further bird and golf ball interactions!

Rory McIlroy, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Perhaps a ruling you have seen or read about, involved Rory McIlroy and an unplayable drop at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. On the 7th hole at Spyglass Hill, McIlroy’s tee shot found a low hanging tree and he decided to declare his ball unplayable. One of the relief options available under the unplayable ball rule (Rule 19) is to drop back on the line. This option allows the player to drop a ball behind the spot where the ball lay in the tree, but he is required to keep the spot of the original ball between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped. The ball must then come to rest within one club-length of that spot. Unfortunately, McIlroy dropped one club-length to the side of this line rather than attempting to drop a ball directly on it, thus incurring the general penalty (two-strokes in stroke play) for playing from a wrong place.

For more information on how unplayable relief options, watch the video on the link (scroll down on the webpage to the applicable video):

https://www.randa.org/articles/rules-from-the-tours-24