In spring, life begins anew. When the World Amateur Team Championships visited Santiago, Chile, last November, it was springtime in the Southern Hemisphere. An interesting rules situation developed when it was discovered that queltehues, ground-dwelling birds native to South America, were quite busy tending to nests and their newly born young during the time the Championships were scheduled.

The situation was made more prominent because of two factors. First, these birds prefer well-groomed, comfortable areas for their nests; that made fairways an ideal location. Second, the adults have intimidating bright red spines or thorns in the middle of their wings and will bare them to protect their young. Understandably, queltehues don't take kindly to humans who venture too close and have been known to circle and dive toward those who dare come near, while simultaneously squawking harsh cries of warning.

When planning how to treat a rules situation that might involve these birds, the World Amateur Golf Council knew it could turn to two "equity" decisions found within Rule 1-4.

Decision 1-4/9 contemplates whether a player is obligated to damage a nest in playing his ball as it lies. The answer is, in part, "[no], the player may, without penalty, drop the ball at the nearest point not nearer the hole which would allow him to make his stroke without damaging the nest."

Decision 1-4/10 is of assistance if a player might be harmed. It states, in part, "It is unreasonable to expect the player to play from such a dangerous situation and unfair to require the player to incur a penalty under Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable). In equity (Rule 1-4), the player should be permitted, without penalty, to drop a ball on the nearest spot not nearer the hole which is not dangerous."

As a result, the players would neither be required to damage the promise of new life or expose themselves to potential danger. It is worth noting that there is no penalty in either case. In addition, it is helpful that in the second decision listed above, a player may drop "a" ball; he is not obligated to retrieve the original ball because it could be somewhat dangerous to either species to do so.

Prior to the start of the World Amateur Team Championships, there is a meeting of the captains of each country's team and tournament administrators. The Rules Committee advised the captains during this meeting that the relief described previously would be available to their players. It was also suggested that the players consult with a rules official if such a situation arose. That way, an official would serve to protect the players as the proper procedure would then be followed.

Since Mother Nature's color camouflage of the nest and egg was sometimes difficult to differentiate from the ground, small bamboo shoots were stuck in the grass around the nests as a caution to players and to alert them to the nests' locations. This is a common practice of South American ground crews so as to prevent maintenance equipment from damaging the nests and to keep spectators from getting too close to the young birds.

Some two dozen newborn queltehues watched golf for the first time during those two weeks last November. Golf courses provide sanctuaries for wildlife, and it's that cooperation that makes the game unique. It is satisfying to know the Rules of Golf provide ways for golfers to share such havens peacefully.

— Stephanie Parel