What should tournament staff do if the course is deemed unplayable?

When a golf course is deemed unplayable, the best course of action for tournament staff is to postpone the event. This decision usually arises from conditions that significantly impair the ability to play the course, such as severe weather, unsafe conditions, or damage to the course. By postponing the event, staff ensure the safety of players and maintain the integrity of the competition, allowing for a fair and equitable playing environment when conditions improve.

While notifying participants is crucial, it is secondary to the action of postponing the event, as it is essential to make a decision about the tournament status first. Changing the course layout or applying a Local Rule might be considered under different circumstances where the course can still be played in some capacity, but these alternatives do not address situations where general course conditions make it impossible to play safely. Therefore, postponing is the most comprehensive and prudent solution when encountering unplayable conditions.