Rattray Cup Update

There is a saying "...you can't please everyone, all of the time..." and having done the SGU Referee's Course, I can add, "...a referee is 95% bored and 5% terrified...". And so you have the Match Secretary's job in a nutshell, when it comes to making decisions.

So when the 4th round (best 3 cards of 4), of the Rattray Cup saw some players abandoning their game due to a water-logged course, the buck stops at the Match Secretary for a decision as to what to do next!

Initial decision....course closed...round abandoned...no scores count. Competition to be reduced to best 2 scores from 3, and so the email to members is sent.

Light the touch paper and step back!!!!

Now I won't bore you with the details that followed, the threats made of certain consequences, the " that wouldn't happen in my day" (how many times have I heard that in my life), so who does the Match Secretary turn to for advice.....non other than the helpful bunch at the SGU or the R&A; after all they wrote the rules and advice.

Now there are various suggestions of solutions....stick with the original decision, replay the round (not with a full fixture diary we're not), or use the cards that were submitted (nope...not according to the SGU).

SGU stated that even if one player out of the field fails to complete the round due to a course closure, all other cards for that round do not count. So that made things easy.

Replay the round? Well we have already been criticised for holding two competitions on one day, and to cancel an extra medal at this late stage in the "Canter to the Cowan" won't be good for some folk in contention.

So you now know the reasons for the decision to make it 2 cards out of 3.

That means it is good luck to Steven Park and Steven Gilroy who tie on 132, and according to the rules have to play an 18 hole best net play off.

I have left the decision on when they play this, to them!!!