Curious how THPers would rule on the following situation.
I'm playing in a team match play event at our club. We scheduled the match and I looked up our opponents on GHIN.com (we didn't know either guy). GHIN.com says their indexes are 7.0 and 9.0 the night before our match. Our side is 2.1 and 7.2.
I'm the first player, of the foursome, to arrive at the course and the pro shop gives me the official card. I noticed the 90% course handicap numbers are 8 and 13 for them and 3 and 8 for us. Our numbers are right. The 9.0 should have a course index of 11. How did this change so much in 2 days? New index system? Additional scores? Hmmm.
I hit the range before the match and the guy next to me has a butter swing and is pounding the ball. Very good player. We arrived on the first tee and, you guessed it, he's on the opposing team. We chat for a bit and learn that Mr. Butter is the 13. Double hmmm. I specifically asked him if the card is correct. "Yeah, that's about right". Okay, and we start the match. He stripes his opening shot down the middle of the fairway and outdrives everyone. The discussion quickly becomes; is the card right? The "better" player says he'll call the pro shop to check. Mr. Butter puts the approach shot on the green and he's closer to the pin than anybody else. He slaps the ball around for a bogey after his partner's in for par. We shake our heads with a disbelieving smirk and decided to give it our best.
A member of the pro shop responds to the call and visits our group on the second hole. We ask if Mr. Butter's index is correct and the pro shop guy says they looked everyone up this morning. I assume Mr. Butter loaded a bunch of BS scores the previous day and the case is closed. The guy proceeds to challenge my partner (who's a legit 2) on most holes. WTF? I semi-lose it after Mr. Butter makes an amazing par save on 8 and look him up on the GHIN app. Yep, he's a 9.0 (who's really a 5.0 but that another story). We get to the 9th green and I let the guys know I'm going to the pro shop because the card is wrong. It's late in the day and the tournament leader is gone so we decided to play on. On the 11th tee box, I said we have to figure this out. Mr. Butter's 90% course index is 10 on the GHIN app. He says that's not right and he should be 11. What?, you waited until the 11th hole to say your real number is 11. Side note: the pro shop said they're seeing some discrepancies between the GHIN software and the app.
We finish the match and lost 1 down. I handed in the card and wrote "PROTEST, THE CARDS SHOULD BE MARKED ACCURATELY!!!". I know the pro pretty well and the primary reason for the note is to give him grief. It's not a huge deal to us but we'll like to win, or lose, fair and square.
I saw the head pro yesterday for the first time since he learned about the situation. He said he needs to research what should be done. I said "it's not a big deal". He has a different take because they have to follow the rules otherwise they're opening Pandora's Box for other matches.
Upon more reflection, I agree with his point. What you guys think the ruling should be?
I'm playing in a team match play event at our club. We scheduled the match and I looked up our opponents on GHIN.com (we didn't know either guy). GHIN.com says their indexes are 7.0 and 9.0 the night before our match. Our side is 2.1 and 7.2.
I'm the first player, of the foursome, to arrive at the course and the pro shop gives me the official card. I noticed the 90% course handicap numbers are 8 and 13 for them and 3 and 8 for us. Our numbers are right. The 9.0 should have a course index of 11. How did this change so much in 2 days? New index system? Additional scores? Hmmm.
I hit the range before the match and the guy next to me has a butter swing and is pounding the ball. Very good player. We arrived on the first tee and, you guessed it, he's on the opposing team. We chat for a bit and learn that Mr. Butter is the 13. Double hmmm. I specifically asked him if the card is correct. "Yeah, that's about right". Okay, and we start the match. He stripes his opening shot down the middle of the fairway and outdrives everyone. The discussion quickly becomes; is the card right? The "better" player says he'll call the pro shop to check. Mr. Butter puts the approach shot on the green and he's closer to the pin than anybody else. He slaps the ball around for a bogey after his partner's in for par. We shake our heads with a disbelieving smirk and decided to give it our best.
A member of the pro shop responds to the call and visits our group on the second hole. We ask if Mr. Butter's index is correct and the pro shop guy says they looked everyone up this morning. I assume Mr. Butter loaded a bunch of BS scores the previous day and the case is closed. The guy proceeds to challenge my partner (who's a legit 2) on most holes. WTF? I semi-lose it after Mr. Butter makes an amazing par save on 8 and look him up on the GHIN app. Yep, he's a 9.0 (who's really a 5.0 but that another story). We get to the 9th green and I let the guys know I'm going to the pro shop because the card is wrong. It's late in the day and the tournament leader is gone so we decided to play on. On the 11th tee box, I said we have to figure this out. Mr. Butter's 90% course index is 10 on the GHIN app. He says that's not right and he should be 11. What?, you waited until the 11th hole to say your real number is 11. Side note: the pro shop said they're seeing some discrepancies between the GHIN software and the app.
We finish the match and lost 1 down. I handed in the card and wrote "PROTEST, THE CARDS SHOULD BE MARKED ACCURATELY!!!". I know the pro pretty well and the primary reason for the note is to give him grief. It's not a huge deal to us but we'll like to win, or lose, fair and square.
I saw the head pro yesterday for the first time since he learned about the situation. He said he needs to research what should be done. I said "it's not a big deal". He has a different take because they have to follow the rules otherwise they're opening Pandora's Box for other matches.
Upon more reflection, I agree with his point. What you guys think the ruling should be?
