The Pros on the European Tour have just been given the hard word by Europe's top two officials, John Paramor and Andy McFee.

AP’s Doug Ferguson reports that  Messrs Paramor and McFee, “have finished making a DVD that educates players on simple rulings. If they deem that a player has asked for a ruling he should know on his own, the player has three tournaments to attend a seminar (and watch the DVD) before he can enter another event.”

Wot no test at the end to check if it’s sunk in? Sounds kinda like the “nobody fails” idea that’s infiltrating some of our schools.

The criteria for being sent to the dunce’s corner to watch the DVD is not too specific, but Andy McFee, the senior referee in Europe is quoted as saying, "It's for when you get a guy asking for what we consider a frivolous ruling,"

When asked to give (frivolous) examples, McFee came up with some very interesting examples of rules which your average weekend golfer would be embarrassed to ask their mates. And yet were asked by the guys who make a living from the game.

Doug tells of how, Dustin Johnson had to call for a ruling on consecutive shots around the fifth green in the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. One was for relief from the grandstands, the other because his chip came to rest in a sprinkler head.”

Relief from the grandstands can be tricky, but not knowing the ruling when a ball comes to rest in a sprinkler head is unforgivable for someone who calls himself a professional.

But it won’t be back to DVD school for Dustin since he plays on the US Tour.

McFee also mentioned ignorance of the ruling for relief from a cart path.

"They need to know how to take relief from a cart path…Most golfers around the world know this, and our players should not be exempt from that."

McFee also described an incident at Abu Dhabi last month where a player (who shall remain nameless) called for an official ruling on, "Is it two club lengths if I declare an unplayable?"

The official who arrived on the scene was several holes away from the player’s location. And no doubt there was a considerable hold up in play.

It’s said that the “back to DVD school” policy is aimed at younger players who are reluctant to take drops on their own.

I have to say, I’m not an expert on the rules and the other day, had I been playing on the European Tour I may well have been told to attend the DVD seminar.

The scenario was double hit while coming out of a bunker. The first hit was while my ball was in the bunker and the second hit was when I struck the ball on my follow through and quite fortunately my ball landed on the green.

My foursome included someone who is something of a rules expert and even he had to resort to the rule book.

The answer is to be found in Rule 14-4. Striking the Ball More Than Once

“If a player's club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.”

Every golfer knows there has to be a penalty shot, what causes the uncertainty is; is there another penalty shot for hitting the ball while it’s in motion?

Here’s the link to Doug’s article

And here’s a Golf Observer comment, which I agree with, “With all of the crap and unfounded rumors on blogs and gossip website it's nice to see Jaime Diaz, someone that we can trust will be right, give us a look at on how Tiger Woods is struggling to regain control of his life and what he is doing.

Guid gowfin at the weekend

Slainte

Stan