ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607290031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HOT SPRINGS
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
While Lee Shirley enjoyed the experience of a lifetime here Friday, another Salem player would prefer to forget the day ever existed.
For Dot Bolling, Friday's final of the VSGA Senior Women's Amateur at The Homestead course was the pits.
Bolling was fit to be tied after dropping a 2-and-1 decision to Virginia Beach's Peggy Woodard in the title match.
"This is the most miserable day I've ever had in golf,'' Bolling said. "I'm as disturbed as I've ever been in all my years.
"This was my first Seniors and it will be my last. I'm never going back. When I'm too old to play in the regular Amateur, I'll just quit.''
Bolling was infuriated by a ruling on relief of her ball "from a rock road'' on No.13 and a friendly reminder by an official to Woodard that she needed to return her ball mark after moving it out of Bolling's line on No.14.
Bolling lost both holes to fall 2-down and could never recover.
"I would like to know why we didn't have a VSGA official at the Seniors and had one at the Amateur,'' Bolling said. "Here you've got people playing in the tournament making a call. And that's not right.''
Bolling's problem with the call at No.13 was that in Monday's qualifier, defending champion Chris Epperly got a free drop to an open area when she hit her ball on the same path. Bolling, however, was given the option to hit her ball off the rocks, or drop in an area filled with trees.
"Next on 14, Peggy moves her mark for me to putt,'' Bolling added. "Then, she forgets to move her mark back. Before she putts, an official reminds her to remark her ball in the original spot.''
Lorraine Houlahan, who was refereeing the match, said Bolling had no argument in either case.
"Dot chose not to drop on No.13 when she had the option,'' Houlahan said. "And at 14, it's in the Decisions of Golf manual somewhere that an official can warn a player of a possible violation.''
Bolling, 50, said the two holes cost her the match.
"I have nothing against Peggy, she played well,'' Bolling said. "I just have a problem with a shoddily run tournament.''
Woodard, 53, chose to stay away from the controversy. She was too happy for that stuff.
"What a week!'' Woodard said. "On Monday, I hit my head on my car window and had to go the hospital for eight stitches before qualifying.
"So, yes, I'd say the week ended much better than it started.''
LENGTH: Medium: 55 linesby CNB