On 23 January 2019, a formal complaint was lodged with the Committee regarding “manipulation of the Competition Course by the re-positioning of the Movable Gold tees mid-round on the 12th tee on that day”. The complaint raised the potential for the integrity of the day’s competition being brought into question.

As the result of that complaint, an investigations officer was appointed to conduct a preliminary investigation. This involved establishing the group / groups or individuals that may be involved and speaking to any parties deemed to have relevant information to aid the investigation, to determine if a breach of rules of golf or code of conduct had occurred.

The conclusion of that investigation was that the tee markers on the 12th hole had in fact been re-positioned mid-round, and they were not replaced, resulting in close to half the field playing from a different, and ostensibly easier position. The identity of the member alleged to have moved the tee blocks was also established. 

Whilst there is an individual penalty (the general penalty: two strokes) that can be assessed for unauthorised movement of the tee markers; and a further 2 stroke penalty able to be assessed if it affects another player; it was deemed that as nearly half the field was affected by the tee movement, the breach fell into a far more serious category.

The member involved was spoken to regarding this incident, and admitted that he had indeed moved the markers. 

Given that admission by the member, on Monday 4 February 2019, the Disciplinary Subcommittee (DSC) met to determine an appropriate penalty.

The DSC comprised:

Stuart Thompson – President & investigations officer 

Joe Caruana – Club Vice Captain

Mark Wilson – Match Committee

Ian Witham – Independent Peer member

David Morley – Independent Peer member

 

The DSC was presented all the available evidence and the explanation offered by the member concerned and then deliberated.

Whilst it was unanimously felt that this was an egregious breach of the Rules of Golf and the Code of Conduct; it was the desire of the DSC to impose a reasonable and balanced  penalty, yet one that appropriately reflected the serious nature of the offence, and the impact it could have on some 90 other members on that day. It is acknowledged that some may consider this a lenient penalty.

The result of the DSC was a 4 week suspension (reduced from 6 weeks on acceptance of an early guilty plea).

This is a suspension from all Golf link competitions and social playing events organised, run or coordinated under the auspices of YGC Inc.

It does not prevent the member exercising his rights as a member of this or any other golf course to play outside YGC or Golf Link events.

 

Stuart Thompson

President YGC

 

 

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