The Club | Stuck balls in golf, winning without losing in series and… scoring on the backhand

Every week, journalists from the Sports team answer your questions

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The ball stuck between the edge and the stem

I was playing golf yesterday and the ball got stuck between the flag post and the edge of the hole without falling to the bottom. In a professional tournament, what is the judges’ decision? This situation of course happens if the player hits the ball off the green.

Daniel Beauchesne

Response from Simon Drouin:

Excellent question, Mr. Beauchesne! Believe it or not, I asked myself this question while enjoying a refreshing Aperol Spritz on the patio of my local country club this summer. See, the barmaid had forced a little on the ice cubes, and a large cube remained stuck between the edge of the glass and the metal straw, like the situation you experienced on the green. Frankly, my thoughts turned out to be as evanescent as a sparkling bubble and stopped there. Now you are relaunching it with your question to the Club, and I thank you for that.

And consultant The Official Rules of Golf Guide of Golf Canada, I discovered that a specific rule, 13.2C entitled “Ball pressed against the flagstick in the hole”, answers your question. He specifies that in the case where “part of the ball is in the hole under the surface of the vertthe ball is considered entry into the hole even if the entire ball is not below the surface of the vert ».

Otherwise, the ball must be played where it lies. If the ball moves when the flagstick is removed – whether it falls into or away from the cup – it must be returned to the edge of the hole (without penalty).

Win without losing

I would like to know which NHL team won the Stanley Cup with the fewest losses during the playoffs.

Stéphane Bouffard

Response from Katherine Harvey-Pinard:

According to the StatMuse website, this is the Edmonton Oilers from the 1987-1988 season. They only lost two games total in the playoffs that year. Wayne Gretzky had scored 43 points in 18 games and Mark Messier, 34 points. Five teams are tied for second place with just four losses in a single playoff run: the 2021-2022 Colorado Avalanche, the 2011-2012 Los Angeles Kings, the 1996-1997 Detroit Red Wings, the New Jersey Devils from 1994-1995 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1992-1993.

A story of shoes

Do tennis players wear the same shoes on clay, grass and hard court?

Gaétan Bisaillon

Response from Katherine Harvey-Pinard:

Each surface is different and has its own characteristics. To ensure the safety and health of the player, the shoes are not the same on each surface. On hard surfaces, the sole must be durable, provide good grip and offer good support to absorb shocks. On clay, stability is obviously necessary; the sole is designed to prevent the player’s foot from sinking into the ground. On grass, the shoe must have good grip to avoid slipping.

The fourth team at the Memorial Cup

The four teams that are represented at the Memorial Cup are respectively the champions of the QMJHL, the OHL, the WHL and the team from the host city of the tournament. I would like to know how 4 is chosen^e team when the host team is also champion of its league. Has this situation ever happened?

Stéphan Labbé

Response from Katherine Harvey-Pinard:

If the host team is also champion of its league, then it is the other finalist team in the same league which will be the 4^e participating team. This has happened seven times in history. Only once has the finalist team – which normally would not have played in the Memorial Cup – won the tournament. It was 2006; the Quebec Remparts participated in the event after being defeated by the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL final, and emerged champions.

Score from the backhand

Are there any statistics for backhand goals and which team has the record? THANKS.

Pierre Pepin

Response from Guillaume Lefrançois:

Hello, Mr. Pépin. The NHL has been tracking goals by shot type since 2009. The Pittsburgh Penguins lead the NHL with 383 backhand goals, far ahead of the Minnesota Wild (347). The Penguins also have 2 of the 21 players who have scored the most backhand goals: Sidney Crosby (2^e68) et Evgeni Malkin (21^e37). The leader is Brad Marchand, a fellow Nova Scotian of Crosby, with 70 back-to-back goals.