For the fifth consecutive year, the Ladies European Tour has required its Rookies to take the R&A Level 1 Rules exam which is available in the Rules Academy section of The R&A’s website. The exam covers the most commonly occurring rules situations and all those who complete the course receive an official R&A certificate.
The LET’s Development Director, Mike Round, explained why it is mandatory for the Rookies to complete the exam: “Obviously, incurring penalty shots increases the score for any player, but at the professional level, the implications can be very significant. It could also be the difference between making a cut or missing a cut.” He added: “If golfers know the Rules, be they professional or amateur, they are less likely to be stressed when faced with a situation on the course. They will feel in control and will have the confidence to deal with that situation. Therefore, we believe that it’s important for professional golfers to have a good understanding of the Rules. It could not only help to avoid the possibility of being penalized, but also reduce the potential for unwanted stress, thereby allowing them to perform better.”
The Rookies were all asked to complete the exam by a specific date and then, with the help of The R&A, the LET was able to identify the player with the highest percentage. It was Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir from Iceland who finished top of the ‘Rookie Rules’ leader board. The R&A kindly donated a Scottish quaich as first prize and this was presented to Gudrun on the LET’s behalf by Haukur Örn Birgisson, President of Golf Union Iceland (GUI), during the GUI Annual General Meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Grant Moir, Director – Rules at The R&A, said: “We have been working with our partners around the world to educate golfers about the new Rules and the induction programme which the Ladies European Tour runs for rookie players is an important part of that. We have been supporting this initiative for five years now and we hope that this year’s crop of new professionals has benefitted from using the updated Level 1 Rules Academy to learn about the new Rules and apply them on the course. Congratulations to Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir from Iceland, who scored an impressive 98 per cent in the Rules Academy exam, and to Georgia Oboh from Nigeria, Leona Maguire from Ireland and Kim Metraux from Switzerland who were runners up with 96 per cent.”
Commenting on her win, Gudrun said: “I think it is very good that the LET make the Rookies take this exam. It is a fun way to learn and refresh your memory with the golf rules. I think it is very important for every golfer to know the rules well so you play the game in the right way and it can also be beneficial for your own game if you get into any trouble on the course.”
Link to Golf Union Iceland article: Guðrún Brá dúxaði í golfreglunum hjá LET Evrópumótaröðinni
