NZ & WORLD NEWS
Revisions to R&A Rules of Golf
effective from January 1, 2012
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THE RULES OF GOLF
Main Amendments to the Rules of Golf 2012-2015
R&A Rules and USGA have announced their four-yearly revisions to the Rules of Golf, which became effective worldwide from 1st January 2012. The good news is that there are very few changes that will cause us any difficulty in understanding or remembering. The majority of the changes are amendments aimed at improving the clarity of the Rules.
Definition of Addressing the Ball:
At present, a player has addressed their ball when they have taken their stance and have also grounded their club. Under the revised Definition a player will have addressed their ball as soon as they ground their club, whether in front of the ball, or behind it. There is no requirement to take a stance. Consequently, a player will no longer address their ball in a bunker or a water hazard, as the Rules do not permit the grounding of a club in a hazard.
Rule 6-3a. Time of Starting:
Previously, a player arriving on the 1st teeing ground even 15 seconds later than their official starting time incurred the penalty of disqualification from the competition, unless the Committee had introduced a condition of competition reducing the penalty. Now, the penalty for players arriving within five minutes of their official starting time is two strokes in stroke play, or loss of the first hole in match play. Anyone who arrives more than five minutes late still incurs the penalty of disqualification.
Rule 12-1 (Seeing Ball; Searching for Ball)
Until 1st January 2012, there was no penalty for moving a ball while searching for it in loose impediments (e.g. leaves) in a hazard, whilst there was a penalty for the same act through the green (e.g. in the rough). Many golfers considered this differentiation curious as the player whose ball was in a hazard was treated more favourably than the player whose ball was not in a hazard. With the change, a ball covered by loose impediments moved during search will be treated the same both in hazards and through the green - with a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a and the ball must be replaced. Changes such as this one are steps towards the goal of simplifying the Rules.
Rule 13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions:
This will be a welcome change for golfers and course maintenance staff alike. Players will be permitted to smooth sand or soil in a hazard at any time, including before playing from that hazard, providing it is done for the sole purpose of caring for the course and nothing is done to improve the position or lie of their ball, the area of their intended stance or swing, or their line of play. How often have we wanted to smooth irregularities made by previous groups at the back of a bunker when our ball lies waiting to be played at the front? Well, now we can.
Rule 18-2b. Ball Moving After Address:
Most of us will have been sympathetic when Padraig Harrington penalised himself one stroke during The Masters in Augusta, in 2008, because his ball had moved after he had addressed it, even though the movement was obviously caused by the gusty wind blowing around the course. There have been several other similar, high-profile incidents since then. An Exception to Rule 18-2b now exonerates the player from any penalty if their ball moves after it has been addressed (remember the new definition of address) when it is known or virtually certain that they did not cause the ball to move.
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Early warning of heart attack
See video tutorial on CPR for a heart attack
Every minute of the day someone dies from a heart attack. Early treatment is crucial for heart attack victims. Prompt CPR can save a life. Quick treatment with drugs that break up blood clots can greatly improve a person's chance of surviving a heart attack. Since early treatment makes a difference, it is important to know the early signs of a heart attack.
Signs of a heart attack may be one or more of the following:
- Discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath, which often comes with chest discomfort but can occur before the chest discomfort.
- Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
If you or someone in your four feels chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical care. Do not wait longer than 5 minutes before calling 111. Calling 111 is usually the fastest way to get medical help in an emergency.
If you think a person is having a heart attack, follow this emergency plan:
- Call for emergency help by dialing 111. Remain on the line. Do not take the person to a hospital in your own car.
- Be calm and take actions that make the victim feel less excited.
- Have the victim sit or lie down.
- Ask the person if they take any medications for chest pain, such as nitroglycerin. If so, get it and follow the written instructions on its use.
- Ask the person if they are allergic to aspirin. If they are not allergic, have them chew an aspirin as soon after calling 111 as possible.
- If the person stops breathing, start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Tell the 111 operator that this has happened.
- If the pulse stops, begin CPR. Continue until help arrives.
- The technique to use is a ratio of 30 chest compressions to two breaths.
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RECOGNISING A STROKE
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of the stroke ...totally.
He says the trick was getting a stroke recognised, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours.
Remember the 3 steps ... STR
Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S: Ask the individual to SMILE.
T: Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE.
R: Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the emergency number 111 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
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