Golf legend Bobby Jones...

We can all learn from his example.

They have written many articles about golf legend Bobby Jones but there is one story that sticks out in my mind.

The article referred to a tournament that he was leading in while playing the last hole. He was in the rough and called a two shot penalty on himself for causing the ball to move.

Nobody had seen the misdemeanor and the marshall wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. He however knew that the ball had moved and insisted that the penalty be given.

In the film 'The Legend of Bagger Vance' the incident is used and portrayed through the hero with Jones as his playing partner.

It was this incident and the way he conducted himself throughout his career that gave him the notoriety as a great ambassador for the sport.

Is there another sport where the participants wander so far and wide to reach such a tiny goal?

There is not another sport that has such intracacies which realise themselves on a vast playing field.

Jones's ball probably moved no more that a fraction of an inch and he probably had not changed the characteristics of the shot. However the rules are quite clear and he called it for what it was.

Don't alter the lie of the ball, play it as lies.

This is probably the most abused rule of the game. I find the better the player, the less it is tampered with. We've all been guilty of abusing it at some time or other.

Jones, being one of the greatest golfers who ever lived, could not ignore the rules of the game and from deep inside himself showed an honesty that belongs to a great sportsman.

If you want to be a better player,

1) play the ball as it lies

2) count every shot

3) be polite and play fair.

Study the better players at your club and you will find that most of them follow these three rules.

Link to ‘Homepage’ from legend Bobby Jones.

Link to the previous page from legend Bobby Jones.