Weekly Recaps
Post-round write-ups from the commissioner
TONAWANDA, NY – The Putter-In-Hand commissioner knows his job of governing the league isn't easy given the cast of characters it has drawn, but what he didn't know was the number of controversies he would have to overcome in an 8-week span.
While league officials are busy fending off the Grand Island Six, accusations of money laundering, stroke shaving, equipment tampering, infidelity, rampant substance abuse by it's members, and obstruction of justice, they were hit with another bombshell Tuesday evening. This offense, they are taking to the members of the league for a vote.
The newest (potential scandal): Pre-Putting Legitimacy. Here's how things transpired:
At 8:49 am league officials received a text message from Tony Rotella asking league commissioner Jeff Luke if he should post-putt for last week and "is it worth it?". Commissioner Luke, who wants nothing but the fairest play and best for the league and its putters, informed Rotella that his score could impact the standings and that if he putted well in the final two weeks he could overtake Luke for 3rd place. Luke also stated that he could putt with him after work hours stating "The league's good name has been tarnished by some members nefarious activities". Rotella responded with "The comish is the worst offender!", a statement that would not only be telling in the hours to come but also hurtful as Luke, as commissioner, has done nothing TO Rotella to cause such a verbal attack.
At 4:43 pm Luke informed Rotella that he was unable to make it that evening as he had a dinner engagement he could not get out of.Rotella responded "ok".
[caption id="attachment_889" align="alignleft" width="260"]
Scorecard in question[/caption]
The series of communication between the two ceased there until 7:37 pm when league officials received Rotella's scorecard and a note "All done. I had the guys here verify the second score. I putted last week and this week. I just got sent out of town starting tomorrow so i won’t be there this week." Rotella's scores: week-seven 38; week-eight 35 with 2 holes in one.
The scorecards included signatures from course starters as Rotella claimed "I even had the guys here watch". What they watched was not clear as they didn't watch each of the 18-holes Rotella putted.
Dismayed that a (potential) record score was recorded with no witnesses, a series of texts between Rotella and Luke continued until Rotella interrupted Luke's dinner with a personal call to Luke backing the legitimacy of his scores.
[caption id="attachment_888" align="alignleft" width="257"]
Picture of course starters taken by Rotella proving...they exist?[/caption]
Rotella claimed he had putted each hole twice at a time, hole by hole, saying it "Seemed silly to go around twice". An advantage of playing a hole twice immediately after one another? Definitely. An offense? Possibly. League rules state: "If you miss a week you may make it up the next week by first playing that week’s match then playing the make-up round." This rule is intended to prevent a player from playing a hole twice, drawing an advantage of learning "the feel" from the previous putt.
League rules also state "You can also play during the week as long as you play with at least 1 other league members and call in your score." A rule that commissioner Luke has been lenient on as this is a league intended to be competitive and fun, not dictatorial and rigid.
It should also be noted that Rotella isn't new to the scandal scene as his first two weeks of the season were equally as controversial as his last. Rotella turned in two score cards which he claimed he scored two holes in one on hole-18, a feat that has not been replicated by another putter in 128 attempts this year.
The exchange between Rotella and Luke ended with Luke informing Rotella that Bryan An had also turned in an honest pre-putt round of 41. Rotella quipped "I resent that, you saying I'm not honest...just because I'm from the falls...so is John Coyle (sic)". Though being from the Falls is definitely a factor, Rotella putting himself in the same boat as Coyle is not a smart defense, not to mention Luke never called Rotella dishonest.
So with the evidence in-front of you, the league has asked that your voice be heard. Please complete the following survey as the results will dictate the league's decision. Results must be in by noon on Thursday.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/63KBS98
Thank you.
Jeff Lukasavich
PIH Commissioner
2016 PIH Champion
3-time Green Jacket Winner
Scorecard in question[/caption]
The series of communication between the two ceased there until 7:37 pm when league officials received Rotella's scorecard and a note "All done. I had the guys here verify the second score. I putted last week and this week. I just got sent out of town starting tomorrow so i won’t be there this week." Rotella's scores: week-seven 38; week-eight 35 with 2 holes in one.
The scorecards included signatures from course starters as Rotella claimed "I even had the guys here watch". What they watched was not clear as they didn't watch each of the 18-holes Rotella putted.
Dismayed that a (potential) record score was recorded with no witnesses, a series of texts between Rotella and Luke continued until Rotella interrupted Luke's dinner with a personal call to Luke backing the legitimacy of his scores.
[caption id="attachment_888" align="alignleft" width="257"] Picture of course starters taken by Rotella proving...they exist?[/caption]
Rotella claimed he had putted each hole twice at a time, hole by hole, saying it "Seemed silly to go around twice". An advantage of playing a hole twice immediately after one another? Definitely. An offense? Possibly. League rules state: "If you miss a week you may make it up the next week by first playing that week’s match then playing the make-up round." This rule is intended to prevent a player from playing a hole twice, drawing an advantage of learning "the feel" from the previous putt.
League rules also state "You can also play during the week as long as you play with at least 1 other league members and call in your score." A rule that commissioner Luke has been lenient on as this is a league intended to be competitive and fun, not dictatorial and rigid.
It should also be noted that Rotella isn't new to the scandal scene as his first two weeks of the season were equally as controversial as his last. Rotella turned in two score cards which he claimed he scored two holes in one on hole-18, a feat that has not been replicated by another putter in 128 attempts this year.
The exchange between Rotella and Luke ended with Luke informing Rotella that Bryan An had also turned in an honest pre-putt round of 41. Rotella quipped "I resent that, you saying I'm not honest...just because I'm from the falls...so is John Coyle (sic)". Though being from the Falls is definitely a factor, Rotella putting himself in the same boat as Coyle is not a smart defense, not to mention Luke never called Rotella dishonest.
So with the evidence in-front of you, the league has asked that your voice be heard. Please complete the following survey as the results will dictate the league's decision. Results must be in by noon on Thursday.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/63KBS98
Thank you.
Jeff Lukasavich
PIH Commissioner
2016 PIH Champion
3-time Green Jacket Winner