October 20 — Auburn High School golfer Matt Carville cost his team the Central Massachusetts Division 2 championship by one stroke and a shot at the state title after tournament officials disqualified the senior from the event Tuesday for using an iPod.
You read that right. The Auburn Rockets recorded a three-shot win over Groton-Dunstable until officials deemed Carville’s 6-over 78 out of bounds because he donned iPod earbuds during his last two holes, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
No USGA rules breach. You are correct if you know that Carville broke no USGA rules. Indeed, Rule 14-3 says players may wear headphones and earplugs as long as they don’t communication information on weather and other conditions relevant to play. The rules also let players use earplugs as long as they do provide them any advantages.
The rule also states, though, that players must “avoid any appearance” of a rules breach, and that rules officials may determine whether players have broken the rule “on a case by case basis.”
Players’ responsibilities. In this case, a “Coaches and Players Responsibilities” rules sheet made it clear that officials had no choice but to DQ Carville.
The rules, which officials read to coaches before play, specified that, “No electronic devices (including cell phones) allowed on course (penalty disqualification),” according to the Telegram.
“The rules are clear,” tourney director Ron Spakauskas told the Telegram. “No electronic devices are allowed. It was headphones connected to a device. They were reported. Both the coach and the player were notified, and they accepted the penalty.”
Golf’s other rules. With almost all public-course golfers surveyed (98 percent) and 83 percent of those who belong to private clubs telling Golf Digest they believe they want to use cell phones while playing, the reg seems somewhat archaic.
Rules are rules. Still, rules are rules, and Auburn coach Mike Kaczynski did not dispute them.
“I am so saddened by this. This is a great disappointment for our team,” Kaczynski said to the Telegram. “It just hurts to go from district champions to not even making the states. But rules are rules, and I have no problem with the decision.”
“Don’t get DQed.” Kaczynski noted he had warned his players not to “get DQed” directly before their matches. “Hopefully, our younger players will learn a lesson today,” he said.
Groton-Dunstable hoisted the trophy, and while the Auburn team will not advance, the Rockets’ Ryler Lamonda will play next week in the state tournament at Pocasset CC. Lamonda shot a 79.
Kaczynski was unavailable to provide New England Golf Monthly with a comment.
Carville is hardly the only golfer — pro or amateur — to suffer through a DQ (see: Dustin Johnson, Juli Inkster, Jim Furyk). Let’s just hope the high-schooler can move on as quickly as Johnson said he did. Read how DJ left his bunker blowup behind him.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out at the Boston Golf Examiner and National Golf Examiner websites.)
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