When a golfer is disqualified from a competition, they are given an "NC," which stands for "No Card." This means that the player did not submit their round scorecard. However, it is difficult to understand what NC truly means in golf!
To avoid receiving an NC, golfers should always check with officials before leaving the course and inform them if they are unable to play the full 18 holes.
No Card (NC) vs Withdraw (WD) - As stated above, a Withdraw is generally only applicable if a player has turned in an official score for a round; thus, any player who chose not to complete Round 1 will be designated as "NC" (No Card) instead of WD because no official score (i.e. no completed round) can be reported.
In addition to disqualifications, there are other reasons why a golfer may receive an NC. If they have too many penalty strokes added to their score (more than two), or if their scorecard is deemed invalid by officials, they will also receive an NC.
The term NC is also used in other popular sports such as volleyball and tennis, where it has the same meaning as in golf: to disqualify someone from playing due to late submission of the scorecard.
Also Read: Who Is The Youngest NFL Player In 2023?
Types of Disqualification in Golf
There are three types of disqualifications in golf:
- The first is known as procedural disqualification, and it is given when a player violates one or more rules without realizing it before making a stroke (i.e., violating rules while putting the ball). For example, a player is disqualified if he fails to take relief from an immovable obstruction by not marking his ball behind the obstruction and then hits it out of bounds, or if he takes relief from an immovable obstruction but fails to replace his ball on its original spot after taking relief (d).
- The second type is a disqualification for a rule violation, which occurs when a player intentionally violates one or more rules during play (i.e., violating rules while making a stroke). For example, if a golfer hits his ball while it is in motion, he violates this rule and is disqualified from the round.
- The third type of penalty is a disqualification for illegal action by the player or caddie, which occurs when they violate the rules of golf. If a golfer tampers with his ball after it has been addressed in play, he will incur a two-stroke penalty and be disqualified from the hole.
A disqualification is always an option for the referee (who represents the governing body) or their designee who acts on their behalf.
In other words, it is up to the officials, not the player, to decide whether to continue playing after breaking one of these rules.
What Happens When a Player Gets Disqualified in Golf?
Final Words
FAQs
Q. What is no card in golf?
If a participant fails to turn in a scorecard, the Tournament Committee will impose a penalty or infraction as a result. It is your responsibility to ensure that your scorecard is submitted. If you do not comply, you will be removed from the competition.
Q. What does WD mean in golf?
In golf, a player withdrawing from a tournament is referred to as a WD. A golfer who withdraws usually has a very good reason for doing so, which necessitates the decision in the first place.
Q. What does NC mean on the golf scoreboard?
NC is a golf abbreviation that stands for no Card. It is used in golf scoring when a player takes a penalty stroke and cannot count the stroke toward their score.