Golf Clap and Standing Bench Personnel

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Yes any if we take the logic if the OPer's assertion about what he described.

I think that I agree. Mike Goodwin's original post was a lot more complicated than, as allowed by rule, bench personnel spontaneously reacting to an outstanding play by a teammate and immediately returning to their seats.

Wasn't spontaneous (appears orchestrated over many years). Doesn't appear to be a reaction to a single outstanding play by a teammate (more of a reaction to an assured victory). Bench personnel did not immediately return to their seats. They were up for about ten seconds.

Lots of "gray" areas.

To agree with your earlier point, that's where using our experience, game management skills, judgement, local "culture", common sense, and looking at each situation case by case allows us to react to the situation, maybe ignoring and letting the clock run out, or maybe "bumping up" the situation as a question to be answered by a higher authority. I don't believe that a technical foul in that game based on a single official's belief that it's illegal or unsporting is the way to go here. But I don't question his wanting some outside input into a situation that he believes is questionable in terms of the "standing" rule as written, or as an unsporting act. If the situation keeps bothering him over many years, his best bet is to discuss it with his assigner, an assigner who can then bump it upstairs if he wishes, or if not, tell the official to take a hike.