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Sonia talked me through the equipment you need to take with you: Rule Book and Decisions Book obviously, stop watch (to time 5 minutes), mobile phone, start sheet, card, local rules, waterproofs, food … the list is endless, plus Sonia’s trade mark: a shower cap to cover the steering wheel and protect your paperwork from the rain.
I asked her what was the most commonly asked question – after some thought the answer came: “whose shot is it?” Naturally referees hope there will be no difficult problems but, on those rare occasions, they do need to get the answer right. Try your hand at the following situation that occurred at Saltford in the foursomes matches.
Player 1 plays from a bunker - the ball goes beyond the green into thick rough. Player 1 starts to rake the bunker. Player 2 goes to look for the ball and then decides to take stroke and distance and replay a ball from the bunker; but Player 1 has raked the bunker where the ball is to be dropped. Try using the Rule Book to decide the penalty situation.
A great deal of a referee’s work is done before the competition: walk the course, talk to the Greenkeeper, decide on the best vantage points, study the local rules, identify problem holes etc etc. The more work that’s done in advance, the less hassle there will be on the day.
Sonia is a great role model – she seemed unflappable, and that I think is the secret of refereeing: know the rules and where to find the answers, but above all be confident.
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