TIPS FOR CAPTAINS

Most of our Captains are well experienced, but we do have inexperienced people who are placed in that role. As a result, the list of Captains is constantly changing, and the newer guys don't always know what is expected. Perhaps some additional communication can be helpful.

1. The Captain selects the shots which will be used. If more than one ball is in position to be considered, most players will automatically wait for him to make the call. There are occasions when players will pick up the balls before the Captain arrives on the scene, and before he has a chance to consider which ball should be selected. In that case, the Captain needs to be assertive enough to ask players to let him make the selection.

2. The Captain is responsible for ensuring that all members of his team follow the rules. The ball may be moved a driver length in the fairway, and most captains take the lead in being sure that rule is followed. A more difficult situation is when a player bangs his club on the ground or twists the grass to "make a tee" in the fairway. That is embarrassing because it is a deliberate violation which requires the Captain to directly confront the player and tell him he is violating the rule. Inadvertent violations by new players are understandable and just need to be explained. No shot should be used if a rule has been violated. Deliberate violations by veteran players should be reported to the Game Organizer.

3. Some players like to be the one to mark the ball. They sometimes get ahead of their teammates, and mark the ball before other players actually see where it was lying. The Captain should insist that he and others actually see where the ball is lying before it is marked. On the fringe, the ball may be moved nearer to the green as long as it is not moved nearer to the pin. The Captain should either do this himself, or supervise the way it is done to ensure that the ball does not get moved nearer to the pin.

The job of Captain requires the person to become a leader as well as a player. The responsibility of requiring teammates to follow rules, fill divots, and repair ball marks, can sometimes cause conflict. Committee members are here to help. Please talk with us if you experience problems as a Captain.

We have occasionally had reports of rule violations. When we investigate such reports, we sometimes find a Captain who "didn't see anything". Perhaps that is because nothing happened. However, Captains do have the major responsibility to ensure that the game is honest and fair! Perhaps it is convenient not to notice if a player makes a tee in the fairway, but our veteran captains do notice, and will not allow that type of violation. Rules require that the Captain sign the scorecard. When he signs he certifies the score, I believe that he is also certifying that the rules of the Game have been followed by his team.