Daily Nation ­ Friday
Date: 01.07.2016
Page 69
Article size: 324 cm2
ColumnCM: 72.0
AVE: 174240.0
The most important element in golf is the ball
The most important item in the
game of golf is the ball. In the
Rules of Golf, the small white
object that many golfers would like to
numbers. Some belonging to careful who played the Wrong Ball in stroke play, was
golfers may have some coloured dots not penalised if he went back and played the
or lines to differentiate them. One correct ball. The committee did not imagine
Kenyan golfer whom I have had the that a golfer could be so perverse as to use this
pleasure of playing with has his picture latitude to assist him in getting some use*®
emblazoned on his golf balls.
practice strokes without penalty.
Instead of making certain of
The loophole was closed in 1934 with
ownership before playing, many times introduction of the two­stroke penalty. The
golfers will jump to conclusions based Rules then still had a lot of grey areas and
on probabilities. Even when the brand over the years these have been cleared. It is
names and numbers are examined, interesting to see that some of the proposals
it can happen that two or more balls made in the 1950s in this regard are still in
in use in the same group, or a stray force to date. One such note from 1954 that is
ball outside the group, bear identical
propel 300 yards straight down the markings. So, by human carelessness still in force until now is, when the player and
middle of the fairway is mentioned
at least 155 times. It is perhaps the
most abundant commodity on the
golf course. This was not always
the case.
In the 17th century, the "feathery"
superseded the wooden missile that
was the earliest known ball. The ball,
that was tilled with as many poultry
feathers as it took to fill an entire
top hat to the brim, was expensive
and easily damaged. Despite its
drawbacks, the feathery did noble
service for over 200 years.
In 1848, a dramatic change came
with the arrival of the gutta percha, a
rubber like substance from the percha
tree. It was malleable when boiled and
even when misshapen or broken,
the parts could be reshaped after re­
boiling. The reign of the gutta percha
ball lasted until the introduction of
the rubber core at the start of the
20th century.
Nowadays the golf world is
filled with small white balls that
are indistinguishable from a close
distance. Looked at more closely
they are seen to bear brand names and
the opponent exchange balls, the first to play
or force of circumstances unwitting the wrong one shall lose the hole; when this
breaches of the Wrong Ball rule cannot be determined the hole shall be played
frequently occur. The penalties are out with the balls thus exchanged.
loss of hole in match play or two­
Many modern­day golfers are not aware of
stroke penalty in stroke play and the fact that a ball is not 'in play' between fte
the player MUST play the correct finish of one hole and the start of the nexf I
ball otherwise he is disqualified. The have heard of a player who was penalised for
strokes made at the Wrong Ball are changing his ball on a hole with a water hazard.
not counted.
He was accused of playing a Wrong Ball from
The golfers who played the feathery the teeing ground in his attempt to avoid losing
did not have the same problem. The his 'new; expensive, soft ball in the water hazard.
feathery had distinctive characteristics He was required to return to the tee and play
depending on the craftsman and the the expensive brand, which he promptly lost
use. It was not until 1839 when there in the water.
was official reference to playing the
wrong ball. Even then, the Rules were
lenient and the only serious breach
was moving of an opponent's ball
(match play) and that the playing of
a stray ball was considered a "Rub
of the Green" and no penalty was
Before starting a round of golf, it is usual for
golfers to announce the brand and number of
the ball they are using. Trouble usually starts
during the round when a player, through loss
or damage, puts another ball in play. If this
happens to be identical in brand and number to
another ball and the players cannot distingiMi
incurred.
their own, then the balls are lost and the players
In 1902, the newly­formed Rules of must return to the place where they played the
Golf Committee laid the foundation last shot. A golfer who makes a stroke at such
of the modern Rules in as far as the
a ball has played the Wrong Ball. jg
Wrong Ball is concerned. In match
play, the player who played the Wrong [email protected]
Bail lost the hole. However the golfer
The author is a Kenya Golf Union Executive
TOM OTIENO i NATION
Home player John
Orioro puts the ball
during the Prime
Bank Golf tourna­
ment at Nyanza
Golf Club on April 4.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
Daily Nation ­ Friday
Date: 01.07.2016
Page 69
Article size: 324 cm2
ColumnCM: 72.0
AVE: 174240.0
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya