Cha-Am Members joined the Charity Day at Springfield on 20th October 2018 as a most successful 2018/2019 season curtain raiser which also helped raise funds for Cha-Am Schools.
The lack of match practice and continuous rain may have explained the absence of any winners on the day but that did not reduce the enjoyment of Club Members.
The Club’s participation and contributions to the Cha-Am community was recognised by the course management during the event presentations, and we believe it will help to strengthen our relationship with Springfield.
The Club purchased a number of green vouchers during a charity auction to be used during the season for the benefit of Club Members.
Our participation in this event and the positive feedback from those taking part suggests that the season to come will be full of great events and great golf!

Posted by Paul Graff

 The recommended Local Rule would state: When a player’s ball cannot be found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or a substituted ball in a relief area (see Rule 14.3):
Two Estimated Reference Points:
A. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball (see position A in the diagram above)
 Is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or
 Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
B. Fairway Reference Point: (see position B in the diagram above)
The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point. For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: 
Anywhere between: A line from the hole through the ball reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and a line from the hole through the fairway reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line). 
But with these limits:
Must be in the general area, and must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
The player may not use this option when:
The ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).”
Another Relevant Rule Change 
Proposed change last year would have allowed a player to drop from any height but this has now been altered. Golfers will now drop from knee height when taking relief. That is knee height when in a standing position, although the player need not be standing when the ball is dropped.
For more information see www.randa.org or find the  complete Rules available at www.usga.org.