By John Egnot
Tournament Director

The AJGA Tournament Operations Department recently loaded into four vans and traveled to Orlando for its annual appearance at the PGA-USGA Rules Workshop. This year, 20 tournament directors, the most ever, participated in three days of classroom-style lectures and question-and-answer sessions to learn more about the Rules of Golf.

All of this led up to the famed Rules Test, a three-and-a-half hour, 100-question exam that tests not only one’s knowledge of the Rules, but also one’s time management and his or her ability to stay sane through the most difficult test that any of us had seen since college. Actually for most, if not all, it was tougher than any college test could possibly be.

While the PGA-USGA Rules Workshop took place March 12 – 15, the 20 tournament directors started their preparation well in advance. Leading the charge for the third straight year was AJGA Director of Education Andrew Greenfield. The Association’s resident Rules guru, Greenfield started the AJGA’s In-House Rules School at the end of December and continued it until the luggage was loaded in the vans.

Director of Tournament Operations Darren Nelson scored an AJGA-high 99 on the PGA-USGA Rules Exam

Every morning for at least an hour, the entire Tournament Operations Department partook in Rules quizzes, tests and explanations from Greenfield and some of the other veteran tournament directors. Every “class” started out with a 15-question quiz, which was the responsibility of each tournament director to put together. This was followed by the Rule of the day, when a Rule was read and followed up with a discussion of a number of important decisions about that Rule.

Then, every Friday, the department took a 50-question rules test created by Greenfield, not only to show how one was progressing, but also to prepare everyone for what the actual test would be like. Finally, on Friday, March 9, the tournament directors took a 100-question exam. This simulation of the actual test to be taken a week later gave everyone a good idea what to expect and let them know where they were at with their knowledge.

“The tournament directors take studying for the PGA-USGA Rules Workshop very seriously,” Greenfield said. “The goal of the AJGA In-House Rules School is not only to help the tournament directors achieve a 92 on the final exam, but more importantly to prepare the staff for the 76 tournaments on the AJGA schedule and the many rules situations we will encounter during the season.”

Finally, the much-anticipated trip began March 11 as the tournament directors headed to Orlando. Although the trip was all about the Rules, as is custom with the AJGA, we found some ways to have fun, including pick-up basketball, putt-putt golf and a tour of Golfweek’s headquarters.

The Rules Workshop itself was a great opportunity for everyone to freshen up on the Rules and to gain some extra knowledge. The session, led by Genger Fahelson of the USGA and Don Essig of the PGA of America, provided a plethora of insight for each of us leading up to the big test.

The week culminated with the much-anticipated Rules Exam. The 100-question gauntlet was broken into two parts, 50 closed-book questions and 50 open-book questions, where you were allowed to use the Rules of Golf book, the Decisions book and any other materials/notes that you had. Three-and-a-half hours later, everyone learned what they had scored.

TD Preston Etheridge spends time with Senior Rules Official Jerry Hagen at the Junior All-Star Championship.

A score of 75 deemed you eligible to officiate any USGA competition starting in 2009 other than the three USGA Open championships, the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. However, the magic number, 92, meant that you had achieved the highest level of rating, making you eligible to officiate at all USGA events. In addition, a score of 92 would make one eligible to serve as a Senior Rules Official at AJGA competitions.

In the end, six AJGA Tournament Directors scored a 92, including Director of Tournament Operations Darren Nelson, who recorded an impressive 99 on what many said was the most difficult Rules Test they had ever seen. Nelson’s 99 was the best score ever recorded by an AJGA staff member.

“I truly believe that the AJGA tournament directors are more prepared for the upcoming AJGA season than ever before,” Greenfield continued. “Everyone has worked so hard over the last three months and I know that all the hard work and studying will pay off exponentially over the very busy season to come.”

In the end, everyone came away with a greater understanding of the Rules, which will provide the AJGA membership with a knowledgeable staff at each tournament in 2007. For those that earned a 92, they’ll have the chance to do it again in 2008. For those who didn’t, 2008 will serve as the next stepping stone toward the highest level of rating.