H-1 Use of Caddie Prohibited or Required; Caddie Restrictions
Purpose. A Committee can choose to modify Rule 10.3 to
- Prohibit the use of caddies,
- Require players to use a caddie, or
- Limit a player’s choice of caddie (such as not allowing a caddie to be a professional, a parent or relative, another player in the competition, etc.).
Model Local Rule H-1.1
If caddies are prohibited:
“Rule 10.3a is modified in this way: A player must not have a caddie during the round.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule:
- The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which he or she is helped by a caddie.
If the breach happens or continues between two holes, the player gets the general penalty for the next hole.”
Model Local Rule H-1.2
Or, if there are limits on who the player may have as a caddie:
“Rule 10.3a is modified in this way: A player must not have [identify prohibited type of caddie for example, a parent or guardian] as his or her caddie during the round.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule:
- The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which he or she is helped by such a caddie.
- If the breach happens or continues between two holes, the player gets the general penalty for the next hole.”
Model Local Rule H-1.3
If a player is required to have a caddie:
“Rule 10.3a is modified in this way: A player must have a caddie during the round.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which he or she does not have a caddie.”
H-2 Appointment of Advice Giver in Team Competitions
Purpose. Under Rule 24.4a, in a team competition the Committee can allow each team to name one or two people who may give advice to team members while they are playing on the course:
- Any “advice giver” must be identified to the Committee before giving advice.
- The Committee can limit the types of advice that this person may give (such as not allowing the advice giver to point out the line of play when a ball lies on the putting green).
- The Committee can prohibit an advice giver from walking on certain parts of the course (such as putting greens).
- It not normal for a Committee to allow two advice givers per team, unless the nature of the competition warrants it, for example in a competition where no caddies are permitted or there is a large number of players on each team.
- The Committee should determine the appropriate penalty for a violation by an advice giver. This may be a penalty to a specific player who was assisted in a prohibited manner or an overall penalty for the team, for example the addition of two strokes to the team’s score in a stroke-play event.
Model Local Rule H-2
“Each team may name [one/two] advice giver[s] whom players on the team may ask for advice and receive advice from during the round. The team must identify each advice giver to the Committee before any player on the team begins his or her round.
[The team may change its advice giver during the round, but must tell the Committee when it is doing so.]
[The advice giver must not point out a line of play [or walk on the putting green] when the ball of a team player lies on the putting green.]”
H-3 Restricting Who Can Be a Team Captain
Purpose. Under Rule 24.3, in a team competition the Committee can set limits on who may serve as a team captain and on the conduct of the team captain under Rule 24.4a. Where advice givers are allowed (see Model Local Rule H-2), the team captain may also be an advice giver.
Model Local Rule H-3
“A team captain must be [insert eligibility restriction, such as a member of the same club].”
H-4 Treating Advice Giver as Part of the Player’s Side
Purpose. The Committee can provide that the advice giver has the same status as a member of the side to ensure the Rules of Golf apply to that person’s actions.
Model Local Rule H-4
“The advice giver has the same status as a member of the side in relation to each member of his or her team.”
H-5 Advice: Team Members in Same Group
Purpose. Under Rule 24.4c, in stroke play where a player’s score for the round counts only as part of the team’s score, the Committee can adopt a Local Rule allowing team members playing in the same group to give each other advice even if they are not partners.
Model Local Rule H-5
“Rule 10.2 is modified in this way:
Where two players from the same team are playing together in the same group, those players may ask for advice and receive advice from each other during the round.”