When the score doesn't add up

This was one of the better Rules of Golf questions I've ever received. The names and clubs will remain anonymous, but the story is priceless.

The club president was on the phone. "My tournament committee is ready to quit," he said. "We have about 80 people who play in our monthly tournaments, most of them are 70 to 80 years old, and about 30% of them can't add. Our committee spends a lot of time correcting addition. Can we make a local rule allowing us to DQ them for bad addition?"

The answer (unfortunately for this Committee) is "no." Rule 6-6d states: "The competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole." Note 1 to this rule adds: "The Committee is responsible for the addition of scores and application of the handicap recorded on the scorecard."

The reason for not making the player responsible for addition is that The Rules of Golf nearly always apply to situations on the golf course. For example, a player may have more than 14 clubs in his or her golf bag. It's doesn't become a penalty situation until the player begins a competitive round. From the rulesmakers point of view, penalizing a player for a nongolf-related reason is unfair.

So, why can't The Committee make its own rule? Rule 33-1 states: "The Committee has no power to waive a Rule of Golf."

I suggested a calculator, but that's already been tried. Keep those pencils sharpened, boys.