By Senior Rules Officials, Pete Scholz and Terry McEvilly
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
The holiday season is in the air and hope for 2024 begins. As we look back over past years, we recognize people in our lives that have made the holidays special and memorable. They have defined the meaning of Christmas and brought joy when things were bleak.
No, we are not talking about your grandparents, parents or even brothers and sisters. You can also rule out the USPS and UPS delivery people. While they bring holiday specials to our doorstep, they hardly make the moment memorable. We are speaking about a group of people, known worldwide primarily by their first names. Created by Charles M. Schulz, an avid life-long golfer, they are Lucy, Linus, Rerun, Shroeder, Franklin, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Snoopy, Woodstock, Frieda, Pig-Pen and, of course, Sally and her big brother, Charlie Brown and his love, the little red-haired girl. Little did Charles Schulz realize that he was creating a Christmas phenomenon that would bring joy to millions of people well into the future.
This year’s holiday edition of the Rule of the Month will bring you tidings of great joy and a smile to your face as the Peanuts gang enjoys a round of golf during the holiday season (complete with Rules situations). As is our annual tradition, we are giving you a break from the Q&A format normally found in this monthly feature. Happy Holidays to all. Pete and Terry.
On the first tee, Lucy, realizing that she won’t be able to pull the ball away as Charlie Brown makes his swing, secretly switches the ball with a trick ball beforehand. Charlie Brown makes his swing and the ball disintegrates into a puff of white powder. Does Charlie Brown have to count the stroke? Since the stroke was at a non-conforming ball, is he disqualified? Or is Lucy disqualified for actions contrary to the spirit of the game? The Committee discusses the incident and issues an official ruling; “mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa” and play continues.
On the second hole, it begins to rain. Frieda is concerned that the rain will take the curl out of her naturally curly hair. Since she is the only girl on the baseball team that doesn’t wear a ball cap, she is not about to wear one on the golf course. She decides to stop play and seek cover to protect her naturally curly hair. Will the Committee consider her reason for delaying play reasonable? She reports the temporary stoppage of play to the Committee, who rules “mwa mwa mwa mwa”.
On the third hole, a par three, Franklin hits his ball to the fringe of the putting green. Before he is able to make his next stroke, Pig-Pen walks near Franklin’s ball and deposits dust on the ball. Franklin marks and lifts his ball from the fringe and then cleans and replaces it. Lucy objects to Franklin lifting the ball in the general area and also to his cleaning the ball. She also wants two penalty strokes added to his score. A member of the Committee arrives to sort out the dispute and after much explanation, which no player really understood, Franklin is not penalized for the actions.
On the fourth hole, wanting to keep his swing tempo smooth, Shroeder sits down in the middle of the fairway, pulls his piano from his golf bag, and plays Beethoven’s 8th. Sally, being totally enthralled, leans against the piano to listen and swoon. When Shroeder finally makes his approach shot, he shanks it and Sally responds, “Isn’t he cute”. When the Committee becomes aware of the situation, a representative of the Pace of Play Committee is sent out, who rules “mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa”.
On the fifth hole, Snoopy’s ball comes to rest against the flagstick with part of the ball below the level of the hole. Thinking that he has holed out, he lifts the ball and tees off on the next hole. After his tee shot, his caddie, Woodstock, is rolling on the ground with hysterical laughter thinking that his pal is disqualified for not holing out at the fifth hole. A referee is called and Snoopy gets the last laugh, even though his ball was not at rest entirely in the hole.
On the sixth hole, Peppermint Patty wishes to play a provisional ball and instead of using the phrase “provisional ball” in her announcement, she tells Marcie that she will proceed in accordance with Rule 18.3 located on page 249 of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf book. Marcie’s response, “You’re weird Sir. Everyone uses the USGA Rules of Golf App today and nobody uses the book”.
On the putting green of the seventh hole, Rerun’s three-foot putt misses the hole. The ball continues to roll down the slope of the green and is stopped 40 feet from the hole by a golf security blanket left on the green by Linus. Being true to his name, Rerun says he gets to retry the putt again and not count the first putt which hit the blanket. He holes the second try. Linus, knowing what really counts in life and golf, congratulates Rerun on a nice putt and for knowing how the Rule works.
On the eighth hole, Snoopy’s ball lies just off the green on the fringe. There is a puddle of water on the putting green that intervenes on his line of play. Woodstock is practicing his backstroke in the puddle. Snoopy asks for free relief but is denied. He chips the ball over the puddle and holes it. To which Charlie Brown replies, “Good grief”.
On the final teeing area of the round, Charlie Brown, being somewhat frustrated with all the different Rules situations and not sure why some players have received an advantage by applying a Rule and others have been penalized, asks if anyone really understands the Rules of Golf and the decisions made by the Committee? Linus steps forward and says, “Sure Charlie Brown, I know the meaning of all this. The true meaning is that there is no meaning. Even though the Committee is not understandable at times and the Rules don’t always seem fair, it is how the game is played. And all participants must adhere to the Committee’s decisions and the same set of Rules as interpreted by the Committee.” The Committee members standing nearby shout out a collective “mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa mwa”. To which everyone breaks out in laughter and song while yelling, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown”.
We hope the holidays are special for your family and that the Great Pumpkin fills your stockings with a better sense of the Rules for 2024.