The Gentlemen's Game

J.P. Hayes turned himself in for using an incorrect golf ball during Q-school. He played a non-conforming, "prototype" golf ball on one hole and disqualified HIMSELF for the infraction. He could have been mum and nobody ever would have known. The fact that he did this, to himself, again shows the nature of this game.

Policing ones self is the order of the day in this game. There have been moments where I have taken liberties, above the rules, and those moments are permanently burned to my memory as some of my weaker decisions. I wasn't playing for my livelihood, though. This guy was playing to get back on tour full-time and was man enough to do what he did.

The understanding of what he did is a little tough for most of us "weekend warriors" though. He violated what is called the "one ball rule." The PGA Tour, as well as USGA events and most collegiate events, institute a rule that holds the player to one golf ball through play. This means that if you tee off on the first hole with a Nike One Platinum golf ball, you finish the last round of the tournament with that same golf ball.

This doesn't mean that you can't lose a ball. It just means that if you take a ball out of play, or lose a ball, the replacement ball that you put in play must be the same make and model of golf ball. The number on the ball can be different, but the ball itself must be the same. This prevents players from teeing off with a distance style golf ball on longer holes and switching to a soft ball for par 3 holes.

The violation was very unintentional. It turns out that his caddy flipped him the ball and he teed it not even realizing that it was different. His knowledge of the rules and his conscience, as a man, would not let him play it off without penalty. Hopefully he is rewarded with sponsor's exemptions this year.