Rules and Rants

TARS 2015: The start of something good

Dale Jackson, Mark Dusbabek, Adam Helmer and Grant Moir (Gerry Bower/ twitter.com)

Golf Canada hosted its inaugural Tournament Administration and Rules Seminar this past weekend in Toronto.  Sixty participants attended the four-day seminar which covered everything from course setup to rules scenarios and amateur status.  We were extremely fortunate to have had a number of notable guest speakers on-hand to enhance the seminar.

Grant Moir, Director, Rules of Golf from the R&A, lent us his expertise throughout the weekend.  Grant’s vast knowledge of the rules and his experiences at professional and elite amateur championships certainly brought an invaluable perspective to the participants.

In addition to instructing, Mark Dusbabek, PGA TOUR official and advance official for the RBC Canadian Open, offered many stories and scenarios from the PGA TOUR and gave a great lesson on relief from Temporary Immovable Obstructions (TIOs).

Dale Jackson, Rules Chairman of the Golf Canada Rules Committee, and Jack MacDonald – a past Rules Chairman and a past President – supported the instruction.  With their many years of experience, the participants were offered unique insights into officiating from two of the best officials in the country.

Barbara Allan, Chair of Golf Canada’s Amateur Competition’s Committee, shared best practices for starters and scorers.  Golf Canada’s Director of Rules, Competitions, & Amateur Status, Adam Helmer, coordinated and led a number sessions throughout the seminar.

Golf Canada’s Chief Championship Officer, Bill Paul, shared his background and vision for the RBC Canadian Open while Golf Canada’s Chief Championship Officer, Jeff Thompson, presented on Team Canada and the second generation of Golf Canada’s Long-Term Player Development guide.

While it takes a knowledgeable staff to instruct, it takes an equally attentive and focused group of participants to make any seminar a success. This past weekend’s group showed a great deal of both and demonstrated that the nation’s tournaments are in good hands. Golf Canada would like to thank all the participants and instructors for the passion they showed for guiding the game we love.