THE GIFT OF GOLF
Despite having not hit a ball in almost
40 years, I was recently reintroduced to golf by my daughter’s boyfriend, a committed and talented member of a club in Huddersfield. A lot has changed over the last five decades, not least a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, which impacts my movement, balance and overall health. However, a little research on the internet has shown the many benefits of playing golf for sufferers of such a cruel disease. They are varied and range from increasing stability and strength, to improving co-ordination and general fitness. I now look forward to picking up where I left off some 40 years ago. My first step is to find a suitable local coach to make sure I’ve left behind the bad habits from my youth…
Paul Baker, Huddersfield
COLD FACTS ABOUT GOLF BALLS
To keep my hands warm, I use a hand-warmer, which is held in my pocket alongside my golf ball. However, by keeping my ball warm, could this be classed as influencing and affecting the ball condition, thus contravening the rules?
David Sadler, email
Ed’s reply: The R&A told us that a player must not make a stroke at a ball whose performance characteristics have been “deliberately altered”, which includes it being heated. If a player makes a stroke at a ball that has been deliberately heated, they will be disqualified as a breach of Rule 4.2a.
ROLLING BACK THE YEARS
With this current rollback proposal, I wonder how much it will render golf balls of not so long ago redundant? I often use older iterations of the Pro V1, so at what point between 2000 and 2028 will a Pro V1 become non-compliant? I’ve still got old wound golf balls such as the revered Maxfli Revolution and would gladly roll back the years, but to what year? I can only imagine the carnage in 2030 when competition organisers start checking each player’s ball of choice before they tee off!
Kevin Francis, email
LANGER’S LEGACY
I read your article on Golf’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 and was surprised to see that Bernhard Langer was left out. What he achieved by winning again in 2023 at the age of 65 was very much influential and inspiring for golfers of all ages worldwide. He is contributing more to growing the game than some in your list. Carsten Becker, Munich
RORY’S CHANGING TUNE
Is Rory losing his marbles or is he simply two-faced? Jon Rahm has lined his pockets and joined the great sandcastle of golf, yet Rory is shouting that they should change the Ryder Cup criteria so that he can be included. Wind the clock back 12 months and the other ship jumpers, such as Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, didn’t get the same consideration from Mr Magnanimous. You can’t pick and choose to suit your agenda, Rory! Mark Dougall, Fife