5 Free Golf Winners in August

Congrats to Matt Kuchar who won The Barclays yesterday with an improbable playoff against Martin Laird.  It’s painful to watch a golf professional 3 putt from 25 feet, but reminds us amateurs how tough golf really is.

For the regular Houston Golf Nut readers (if you exist), you know that I have a man-crush on Tiger Woods and I optimistically picked him to win the British Open.  Okay, I was wrong there, but you have to admit he’s close.  If he had putted better on Friday and Saturday (and not hit that wayward opening tee shot on Saturday), Tiger would have been in contention on Sunday.

Most of the year, golf writers and media folks have been writing Tiger’s career off, like he may never even win again, much less beat Nicklaus’s major record.  Well, where is the same criticism when it comes to Phil?  Here’s a guy who is consistently picked to win tournaments week in and week out, who’s had a small myriad of chances to take over the #1 spot, and hasn’t succeeded.  He didn’t even make the cut this week.

Logically, how can they act like Mickelson walks on water (age 40) and Tiger might as well quit (age 34)?  Doesn’t make any sense to me.  Well, that ends my latest Tiger rant for the week.

Okay, now what you all have really visited the site for.  The August Trivia Contest has ended.  The question was:

In match play, through the green, a player accidentally kicks and moves his ball during search. Which one of the following is TRUE?

(A) The player incurs no penalty.
(B) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and he must drop the ball within one club-length of its original position.
(C) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and he must play the ball as it lies.
(D) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.

This Rules of Golf question and answer were pulled directly from the USGA.org site.  The answer is (D), according to Rule 18-2a:

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
a. General
When a player’s ball is in play, if:

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it, touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it) or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule, or

(ii)equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

If the ball is moved, it must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his ball to move in the following circumstances:

• In searching for a ball in a hazard covered by loose impediments or sand, for a ball in an obstruction or abnormal ground condition or for a ball believed to be in water in a water hazard – Rule 12-1
• In repairing a hole plug or ball mark – Rule 16-1c
• In measuring – Rule 18-6
• In lifting a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-1
• In placing or replacing a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-3a
• In removing a loose impediment on the putting green – Rule 23-1

The winners were chosen at random from the 19 correct answers.  They are:

Carrie Rosado – Free Golf* at Bear Creek Golf World (for 2)
Paul Thompson – Free Golf* at Clear Creek Golf Club (for 1)
Russell Bancroft – Free Golf* at Fort Bend Country Club (for 1)
Brad Rochman – Free Golf* at Houston National Golf Club (for 2)
Joshua Long – Free Golf* at Longwood Golf Club (for 4)

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to everybody who entered.  If you’re not already on the Contest Notification list, please add your email address to be notified for future contests.

*some restrictions may apply