The Scoring Area At The Jeld-Wen

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to go Inside The Ropes once again, and this time spend time in the Scoring Area.  My goal was to observe how The Champions Tour manages the process as well as how the players handle themselves and then compare that to what we see at the high-level amateur championships we conduct.  In the overall scheme of things, it is much the same. 

Last year, like many other State/Regional Golf Associations, we were asked to assist in the scoring area.  The Tour didn't have the road-crew necessary to handle all the required jobs and this was one where we could lend a hand.  Unfortunately, this policy also led to an inconsistency from site to site, as some events had trained personel assisting them and others just had volunteers. 

In fact, they had a situation last season where one of the players was disqualified for not having two signatures on their scorecard.  Its something we all try to guard against but ultimately it is not the responsibility of the scoring official, it's the players.  That's the rules, and its one we also enforce. 

Now, our scoring area is typically marked off since once the player leaves that defined area, they are basically done. The players are asked to come to the scoring area immmediately following their round (otherwise they could be subject to undue delay penalties - Rule 6-7) where they should check their score (maintained in the markers notes tear-off tab on the top of the card) and compare that to the score on their scorecard that was kept by the marker.  The marker should sign the scorecard first, then give it to the player.  Once the player is satisfied that the hole-by-hole numbers are correct, they sign the card and turn it in.

We then verify that we can read the scores, that there are two signatures and then we total it up.  The players should always sit tight and wait until the scoring officials confirms that everything is in order and that the players are free to go.

A few weeks ago we had to disqualify a player for an incident similar to the one the Tour had last year.  In our case, I was the the person responsible for taking the cards, checking to make sure that there were two signatures and ensuring that there was a legible score for every hole.    We had a two-tee start and often both sets of players were there at the same time leading to a bit of uncontrolled madness. 

The player in question was upset with his round after posting a bogey on a few of his final holes.  He signed his card, gave it to his marker and left - not even coming to the scoring area despite the fact that ultimately turning in a correct scorecard was his responsibility.  His marker never signed the scorecard and did turn it in, but left the scoring area before the problem was caught.   We had no choice but to enforce the rules and disqualify the player.

Rule 6-6b makes this clear. "After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee.  He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the scorecard, sign the scorecard himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible."  

This year the Jeld-Wen Tradition also had a two tee start on the weekend.  Their scoring area controls the madness a bit as the players don't just go to a roped in area, but also inside an enclosed trailer where they are not exposed to any distractions.  The scoring area is defined as the trailer plus the area outside the trailer where the players often sign autographs after their day is done.

With the extra resources available, the trailer has two doors -- one for the players finishing on 9 and the other for this ending on 18.  They enter the applicable door along with their walking scorer and sit down, tear off the tab on top of the card where they kept their own score and immediately exchange cards.  Remember, I mentioned in the last blog that many of the players sign the scorecard given to them by the starter as soon as they get it.   This ensures they don't have to remember that at the end of the day.

The walking scorer, in most instances, is asked to read off the scores that they kept as an additional check and balance.  The competitors check that score with their scorecard.  Next they compare their scoring tab with their scorecard.  Most never total the scorecard. (remember, Rule 33-5 specifically states that in stroke play, the Committee is responsible for the addition of scores and to apply the applicable handicap.)

When they are satisfied that everything is right, they hand the scorecard to the official and wait until told they are good to go!  The official places a checkmark or initial next to each of the signatures on the card, checks the hole-by-hole scores and then adds it up.  Sometimes while the players are still there, the official enters the card into a blind score entry screen which compares the final official scorecard to the scores entered by the walking scorer.  Each hole score that is correct is denoted with a green check mark, and if everything matches...they are done.  If not, there is still time to settle any discrepencies -- as long as the player has not left the defined scoring area.

A couple other things I noticed that were different.  For one thing, the players submit very legible scorecards.  There are no hash marks for every stroke, there are no circles, squares or triangles surrounding a hole score.  The score recorded fills the applicable box and is easy to read.  That's the way it should be.

Oh yeah, one other thing.  The Champions Tour has reading glasses available for each of the players in case the need it. 


This coming week is the LPGA Safeway Classic, where I will compare and contrast the two operations.

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