The results of the second-ever BMC quiz are now in— and here are the takeaways:
- Not surprisingly, most guys prefer questions on course knowledge over those tackling the (admittedly somewhat stuffy) rules of golf.
- But at the same time BMC members (or at least those taking the quiz) know the rules and understand how to follow them.
It was probably apparent that several of the questions in the quiz illustrate how, at times, following the rules can seem like adding insult to injury (eg, having to hit out of a divot or a footprint in a bunker). Yet, BMC members (or at least those taking the quiz) seem to overcome those disappointments and do the right thing.
A word on the topic of divots and footprints: for guys who don’t fix them and rake them, please bear in mind that rule-following golfers get stuck playing out of your divots and footprints! And as for golfers who struggle physically to rake a trap themselves, how about finding a volunteer in your group who’s willing to rake traps for you?
The quiz results overall were excellent, but there were a couple of questions that caused some guys to stub their toes. One of them addressed the embedded ball rules. To clarify: due to a relatively recent rules change, you now get a free drop from either the fairway or the rough if your ball is embedded in its pitch mark (as opposed to becoming embedded on a bounce). Although the rules allow courses to adopt local rules restricting free drops to fairways, Braemar and most other courses have not done that.
Some guys also struggled over the rule on accidentally kicking your ball on the green. Again, a relatively recent rule change clarifies that, if you accidentally move your ball on the green, no penalty is incurred. You simply replace the ball in its original position.
Lastly, no one was fooled by the question about hitting the wrong ball. But few respondents appreciated that, in match play, the penalty is loss of hole, not two strokes. Nevertheless, the question was simply whether there’s a penalty for hitting the wrong ball– it didn’t ask you to specify what the penalty actually is. So, no one got demerits for miscuing on loss of hole.
With all that said, it’s time to announce the winners. First, special kudos go to the three BMC members who scored 100% on the quiz: Tom Klassen, Drew Cripps and Mike Longman. Great work, guys! And Mike Funck’s only misstep was on embedded balls because he cited the former rule, but, to his credit, Mike also recalled that the general rule can be overridden by a local rule, so he gets an honorable mention.
Tom Klassen (our champion from the first quiz) was the first one to ace the second quiz, so Tom is again our champion. Congrats, Tom! And thanks to each of you who took part.