Changing lives... one trip at a time.

The Rule 12 Story: It all started in late summer, 1999, when Paul, Tom, Dalph & Craig were eating dinner on the porch at Pinecrest.  "A lot of guys go to Myrtle Beach to play golf in early spring... that sounds like fun",  said one.  "Yeah, but all the groups are already formed and there are never any openings.  You know, we should start our own group", said another.  "Yeah, let's do that", said yet another.  And then someone else said, "You gonna eat that?"  And then Pinecrest Marsha brought us another pitcher.  Such is the way of all good ideas.


From our first trip in 2000 to today, the Rule 12 Trip is a welcome perennial reprieve from real life and the cold Pennsylvania winters and sign that spring is just around the corner.  Over 55 golfers have participated over the years to places like Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando and Biloxi.  The trip has varied in size from 12 to 24.  Memories have been made, friendships have been forged, incidents have transpired, clubs have been lost and pants have been soiled.  We've even been known to play golf.  Three of our comrades are no longer with us, but they are enshrined in Rule 12 lore forever... or until we're all gone and no one will give a shit and the Cup ends up back on eBay in 50 years.  But I'm getting off topic.


On these pages you'll find a veritable plethora of photos, results, history and general information about the well-meaning but slightly dazed and confused group known as the Rule 12 Group, that is currently biding their time in the Clarion & Jefferson County, PA area until the next trip.  Enjoy.



Yea, whatever... so what does Rule 12 mean anyway??

Here's the explanation from Paul Pysh, our Rule 12 Keeper of Odd Knowledge ( The Rule 12 KOOK):

When we first organized this trip (Tom Ray, Dalph McNeil, Craig Coon, and I), for some reason I was in charge of the games/scoring/rules. 

So, there I was, writing the rules, when it dawned on me our average handicap was over 20 (Poor Dan Luton, I think a 5 or 6 hdcp at the time, had to play with us hackers).  I realized this group was going to try to “bend” the rules, mostly because few of us actually KNEW any golf rules.  I just happened to have already written 11 rules and was on the 12th.  That’s when I just threw up my hands and wrote what is now our “motto.”  Still, a joke, but our motto. 

Rule #12: "When in doubt, do what you think is fair... or what you think you can get away with".

The man who gets kudos for the group being known as “Rule 12” is Russ Wieszczyk.  During the second year, we were thinking of a new name for ourselves, because the original “Myrtle Beach VIP Tour” suggested something more than golf (if you know what I mean).  So, we are in a bar someplace and something happens like a drink was spilled, or somebody drank somebody else’s drink,  and somebody says to the guy it’s no big deal, just refer to rule #12.  Russ looks at me and says, “That’s what we should call ourselves.  Rule 12.” 

And there you have it.