There are specific designations assigned for events that take place during a golf tournament. These are commonly listed on the golf scorecard as a way to designate what’s happening and a player’s status.
With this in mind, a specific designation that tends to pop up from time to time would be “WD” in golf.
What does WD mean in golf?
WD stands for “withdrawal” in golf and is cited when a golfer cannot participate in the tournament any longer. This is a common term that’s used in the world of golf including PGA, LPGA, and LIV events. Reasons for this can include an illness, personal emergency, or injury.
With WD golf enthusiasts will often feel like it is misused in events. This is not always fair as some golfers do get seriously injured and/or fall ill due to the nature of the sport. This is when WD in golf becomes the only viable option for the golfer to use.
Whether it is WD in PGA or WD in LPGA, it’s a common designation that you are going to notice at professional events.
This article will look at the WD meaning in golf, JWD meaning in golf, reasons for WD in golf, and why people don’t like the use of WD for golf.
What Does WD Mean In Golf?
WD means “withdrawal” in golf and is commonly used when a golfer can no longer participate in an event and has to be withdrawn. This can occur for numerous reasons including an illness, personal emergency, physical injury, or having a poor start making it difficult to win.
The golf WD designation is not something you are going to see often but it does happen depending on how a golfer is feeling at that moment.
This designation is often used as a way to clarify why a golfer is not playing in the event after it starts.
The withdrawn designation keeps things straightforward.
What Does JWD Mean In Golf?
JWD stands for “Justified Withdrawal” and is only used when it’s the reason for not being able to play is clear. This can include something as simple as a gruesome injury, medical illness, and/or family bereavement.
In these cases, there is a separate designation aside from WD (withdrawal).
The goal here is to not punish the golfer for withdrawing from a golf event. Instead, it is simply listed as JWD in golf and the golfer will not be penalized for it.
It’s important to know the JWD meaning golf scorecards have because it is different from WD.
Common Reasons For Golfers Withdrawing
1. Injury
One of the reasons for WD in golf would be general injuries.
For example, let’s assume a golfer is playing and they tweak a hamstring during their swing. At that point, it is going to come down to how well a golfer can play with the hurt hamstring.
Some will be able to fight it out and others won’t. This can also come down to the severity of the golf injury.
Due to this, some golfers will withdraw from a golf event.
This is to preserve their bodies and also make sure they are not wasting their time playing through an injury with no way of winning.
If the injury is severe, it can also receive a JWD or justified withdrawal designation.
2. Personal Emergency
This is another reason that is commonly listed with a WD designation in golf.
If a golfer’s loved one passes away or they are dealing with a different personal emergency that demands their attention, it’s common for a golfer to step away from the event.
At this point, the WD designation for golf is going to be used.
In some cases, if a loved one has passed away, it is going to be cited as JWD or justified withdrawal. This is a clear case of needing to withdraw from a golf event and therefore is not going to lead to the golfer being penalized.
3. Poor Start To The Tournament
This is one of the main concerns golf fans have when it comes to golfers withdrawing.
Some golfers have high standards.
This means they only want to win the event and will not settle for less. They don’t want to blemish their overall record, which means they begin using strategies that are not ideal for the sport.
This includes starting, checking how they are doing, and then withdrawing if things look like they won’t end well.
4. Illness
This is another common reason for a golfer to withdraw from an event.
It can be something as simple as having the flu and not feeling well. If a golfer is sluggish and/or not 100% with their health, it is likely they are going to want to withdraw from the golf event.
This can vary based on severity.
Some golfers will receive the JWD designation if the illness is significant.
Golfers prefer to withdraw rather than blemish their records due to illness. It is also possible the golfer simply can’t play as they are too ill to go to the golf course.
Does PGA Golfer That WD Get Paid?
No, a PGA golfer with WD does not get paid. This is deemed to be a no-show on the golfer’s behalf and therefore they are not eligible for earnings from participating in the event.
A golfer that withdraws from a PGA tour event is also going to receive no additional points toward their rankings.
This is regardless of how they performed during a portion of the PGA tour event.
This is done to keep things as fair as possible between golfers and their rankings. A golfer will only receive points when they have completed the PGA tour event.
What Does WD Mean In LPGA?
WD stands for “withdrawal” in LPGA events and is designed as a way to showcase when a golfer is not going to be participating in an event any longer. This can occur for numerous reasons including a personal emergency, illness, injury, or a bad start to the event causing a golfer to not want to continue.
Each situation is different as to why a golfer will withdraw from an LPGA event.
The most common reason will be injury as it is a sport where golfers do get hurt. When there is an injury, the golfer will take a step back and not continue with the LPGA event as it is not worth it.
Negatives Of WD In Golf
1. Weakens The Competition
One of the issues with withdrawing in golf has to do with the weakening of the event’s competition.
There is a standard that is set for PGA, LPGA, or LIV events.
The best golfers participate in these events and fans in those areas expect for those standards to be upheld. If multiple golfers withdraw from an event, this is not good for the sport’s health.
It harms the competition and that is why golf fans don’t like when golfers withdraw for reasons such as a poor start.
2. Bad For Sponsors
Sponsors also don’t like when golfers step away from a tournament.
Let’s assume The Masters event is going on.
Everyone is going to be watching and the ad rates for these events are high. This means the sponsors are looking to ensure they are getting their money’s worth.
This only happens when the ratings are high and the golf fans are happy with what they are watching.
This does not happen when certain golfers withdraw from the event.
When the sponsors are not happy, they also tend to take a step back from paying the higher rates for these tournaments. This can also harm a golfer’s earnings depending on the prize money.
3. Lower Ratings
This goes hand-in-hand with the other reasons why WD is frowned upon in golf.
The ratings tend to drop when certain golfers are not present in the event.
For example, let’s assume Tiger Woods in his prime is playing at an event but then decides to step away. Anyone that was watching for him is now going to take a step away too because they are not as hooked by the tournament.
This is why the ratings tend to drop as some of these golfers use WD as a way to get out of the event.
Does LPGA Golfer That WD Get Paid?
No, an LPGA golfer does not get paid if they withdraw from an LPGA tour event. This is designated as a no-show on the player’s behalf and they will not receive earnings from the event regardless of how long they participated in it.
It’s also important to note that the LPGA player is not going to receive points from the event if they withdraw.
It is going to be seen as not participating in the tournament whether WD or JWD is used as the designation on the scorecard.
What Is The Meaning Of WD In Masters?
The meaning of WD in Masters is withdrawn, which indicates a golfer is not going to be playing in The Masters tournament this year. It is done when a golfer is ill, injured, or dealing with a family emergency.
It is also common for golfers to step away from the tournament if they have a bad start. This is frowned upon by the golfing community but it does happen from time to time as a golfer can’t be forced to continue.
As a result, a golfer will step away if they realize they are not going to win at The Masters tournament.
Final Thoughts
What does WD mean in golf?
WD stands for “withdrawal” on a golf scorecard. This indicates a golfer is not going to be participating in the event any longer. This can occur due to numerous reasons including illness, injury, or a family emergency.
Each situation is different when it comes to golfers withdrawing from a tournament. There are certain rules in golf that also need to be accounted for. These golf rules are stipulated well in advance.
Golfers are expected to go through the rules of golf one by one and also understand what it means to withdraw from a golf tournament.
