Ladies Captain alters card after signature

by Roger
(France)

We play in France at a club with no committee but a couple who decide everything. There has been a ladies captain for years; she helps choose and award prizes. She is known to bend the rules!

Last week my wife signed her card and the captain handed the two cards in to the club owner for the results. My wife was suspicious and asked the owner to see the card again. The captain had written over a cross (Stableford) and changed it to a 5. She proceeded to win the ladies prize!

The other two players in the 4 ball confirmed the alteration since they had also marked all scores. The owner was not prepared to act and so after a week of deliberation I angrily accused her. Denied of course but ... the evidence is conclusive.

How should one go about these matters when there is no committee and it is the captain who cheats? We are dismayed by the lack of concern about cheating at the club.

Roger

Roger, thanks for the question on what happens when there is altering of the scorecard after signature.

To answer your question, the captain should have been disqualified from the competition for changing the score. This rule can be found on the USGA's website at (32-2a 6-6d) or the R&A's website at (32-2a 6-6d).

By altering the score to a lower score that would benefit the "side" then that "side" is disqualified in a Stableford competition.

Assuming there is no head professional on site and the club owner is unable to govern the rules then in the future there should be an appointed committee by the club to oversee the competition.

However, in appealing this past competition, you could contact R&A's Rules of Golf committee for further information. You can contact them via their contact form.

I hope this information helps and if you have any further questions in regards to altering the scorecard after signature then please comment below.

All the best,

Bo