These Guys are Wimps!

The PGA Tour is in Annandale, Mississippi this week, which is about three hours north of Biloxi, the site of "World Of" XXVI and close to Scratch's hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. Surprise, it is still raining in Mississippi! The first round of the Viking Classic was postponed on Thursday and Friday and the officials did not even consider starting Saturday. Maybe the pros can caravan down to Baton Rouge to see the LSU Tigers play Tulane and hang out at the Station Sports Bar and Grill. There is a Halloween Bash at the bar tonight! Tournament officials are meeting this morning to assess the course conditions and make a decision on whether to start play on Sunday, postpone the tournament until the following Thursday or cancel the tournament completely. They may want some advice from the "world Of" stalwarts that surveyed the situation at "World Of XXVI - Day 2".

About 25 inches of rain has fallen in the Madison area in the last 30 days. That does not even include the 5 inches of rain during the "World Of"! Tournament officials discussed shortening the tees. One official commented that "as far as unplayable conditions, there are spots that you would actually have to go up and the driest place may be the park bench." I am sure that Turtle can advise the Tour officials on "lift, clean and place" and "casual water" rules for a saturated golf course (for my novice followers, see jargon definitions below).

In addition to the lost revenues for local and national charities, canceling the tournament would adversely affect those players trying to finish in the top 125 or top 150 of the PGA money list in order to secure their PGA playing card for the following season.

"Lift, clean and place" is a modification to the normal rule of golf that the player must always play the ball as it lies without making any improvement to its lie. Generally, under very wet conditions, the Rules Committee may modify the normal rule to permit players to lift the ball, clean the ball and then place it back within 6 inches of the original position, no closer to the hole.

"Casual water" is temporary water on the golf course (not a lake, for example) that accumulates and affects the ball, the player's stance or the player's swing. In such case, without a penalty a player may lift his ball (but not clean the ball) and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, but not nearer to the hole. In the case above, the nearest point of relief may be on the park bench!