Video (Kind Of): Official Explains Rules Issue That Led To Player-Caddie Manspat In The Bahamas

The team at Morning Drive put together a stellar segment from their PGA Merchandise Show live coverage on yesterday's brouhaha in the Bahamas.

It's now posted online but with still images replacing the video shown today. However, you get a good sense of the rule involved, though I'm still not sure we will ever know the sequence of events. The manspat spilled over onto Twitter with apologies and non-apologies.

Anyway, Gary Williams and Damon Hack host, interviewing PGA Tour Vice President Jim Duncan about the outburst by Rhein Gibson towards his caddie in the Web.com Tour's Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.

Comments

[JS]

Advice to the caddy...when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging...

[rrr]

Am cutting caddy slack. Seems unlikely Davis could/would have played the ball, which BTW, HE hit there. Dec 26-1/9 is most reasonable, excusing a penalty under R18--2 for a caddy who touches a ball IN A HAZARD when its clearly not playable. If Davis had tried to play the ball, it could have been very bad news. He might have gone for many more strokes than the one stroke penalty under R26. There is some conjecture on my part. Wasn't there and didn't see it. Poor caddies do often get the blame.

[JS]

It’s a virtual certainty that Davis is wrong about the playability of the ball...but it’s not his call so he cannot be absolved.

[JS]

I meant NOT wrong...

[Carson Pilcher]

Weak explanation from Jim Duncan. He uses the reference, "as if a player hits it in the ocean". How is a caddy going to pick up a ball that is in the ocean????

[rrr]

Quite possible Davis could have played the ball, though it was SAID the ball had rocks next/on it. These players can do remarkable things. It should also be pointed out that Rule 15 Wrong Ball now shares some fault. It requires the player to play the correct ball; thus, it must be ID'd even in a hazard. Under the old rule, nobody--caddy included--would have be obliged to be certain it was Davis' ball.

[hacker]

JS- what player wants his looper making decisions about what is or is not playable?

[FC]

Looper's wrong. Throw the bag of clubs at him, and make him walk to the next venue.

[JS]

Hacker, I think that was my point, no?

[John]

Throwing something at your caddie is a remarkable lack of composure and class and I don't care if it was the caddie's fault. I hope the Tour secretly fined Gibson.

[Bob]

The second that Gibson said "I guess I can't play it now" this became a dead issue. That in and of itself suggests that the decision to take a drop was not final, which means the caddie broke the rule when he picked up the ball.

[Tim M]

I think here the important point is that golf is both a physical and a mental challenge. The player has to make the decisions. Lord knows, enough players have made the wrong calls. And that's part of the game. We can't have the caddie do more than advise the player.

[KLG]

Yeah, the caddie might have made a mistake by touching the ball. That tells me nothing about him, except he is human. But, I'm going with the likelihood the player implied he would take the drop, so picking up the ball is just fine. Still, shut the hell up!

On the other hand, the behavior of Rhein Gibson tells the world pretty much everything we need to know about him. For now.

[mark]

I wonder how the new intent rules apply here. To everyone, i think, the ball was in a spot that was impossible to play it. So if that was the case, and the intent was to see if the ball was playable, I think there should be no penalty. Would love to get a real take of what happened and a real usga ruling.

[In the grip of the game]

Mark,
under the new rules it will be nobody's fault, everyone will get a gold star, lollipop and counselling.

[Pete Blaisdell]

Having been involved with Rules and Competitions for 40 years at the highest levels (now retired), I found this situation to be most interesting. I've reviewed all the statements from the player ,caddie and the attending official and watched the available video feeds .
It is my opinion that Jim Duncan made the correct ruling.Some may say that I am just backing up a fellow official but that would be incorrect. Those that have worked with me will tell you I take everything at face value .I have on a few occasions been called in on a second opinion and changed a ruling.
This was a sad situation for the player and could have been avoided. Perhaps the caddie was a bit overzealous and the player let his emotions cloud his judgement or lack of.
What's that old saying, " Anticipation is the mother of all @&)#ups ".
Some will argue that the Decision absolves the player. Not in this case.
This is a good lesson for all players AND caddies.

[munihack]

Next time people wonder why so many pros won't do anything without an official holding their hand in a tourney show them this video. Golf has some of the most absurd situations arise because the rules are so arcane. The contrasting comments on whether this should have resulted in an additional penalty proves the point.

[Pete Blaisdell]

Just an added comment to Mark.

Your post should have read ," Under the PROPOSED new rules.......".
Stay tuned for the final resolution by the joint Rules Committees of the USGA and R & A.
I'm as anxious as anyone to learn what they decide. I'ts being kept under wraps as to how they are proceeding.

[+++++++++]

"Mark, under the new rules it will be nobody's fault, everyone will get a gold star, lollipop and counselling."

Good information Pete. Moral of story for caddies, never ever touch the golf ball when it is on the ground.

[digsouth]

It sounds to me like the player was trying to kick the caddie whike he was down, with the ''I guess i can't play it now'' comment. Sarcasm dripping from his words.

again, it appears to be a 3 way CYA, sorry Pete. *dig*

[Rules Official]

The rules are not arcane munihack.

The caddie picked up a ball in play. You do not get to do that.

And there is no new "intent" stuff. They've actually done a lot to REMOVE intent in the proposed/2019 rules that we have seen so far.