Linda,
We have been playing Cart Path Only recently and it is difficult to be totally aware of other players’ scores as one walks back across the fairway to move the cart forward on the path. In a recent Match Play match, A was driving the cart and B was walking to the green. At the green A putts and stops 2 feet from the hole and is lying 5. B putts and goes in the hole. A asks B what her score is and is told 5. A picks up because her next shot would be 6. While walking off the green B confesses she made a mistake and her score was 6.
Player A did not technically concede the hole. She picked up because she thought she had lost the hole. B corrected her mistake before the next tee although her mistake altered A's understanding of the hole. There was no ball marker to show where A's ball was when she picked up so she could not go back and putt. What is the ruling in this situation?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
This is a “lulu” of a question, Lulu. The answer is an exception to one rule that is found in another rule!
Ordinarily, in match play, if a player gives wrong information to his opponent about the number of strokes taken, he loses the hole if he doesn’t correct his misstatement before his opponent makes his next stroke [Rule 9-2b/ii]. However, there is an exception to this rule that comes into play under the circumstances you describe. When a player (Player B in your scenario) has already holed out and subsequently incurs a penalty (which happened when she gave the wrong stroke count that caused Player A to lift her ball), and the resultant score would be no worse than a half (her opponent was left with a putt for a half), then the hole is halved [Rule 2-2; Decision 9-2/6].
This answer might be easier to understand if I quote Rule 2-2 for you right here in my column: “When a player has holed out and his opponent has been left with a stroke for the half, if the player subsequently incurs a penalty, the hole is halved.”
Since this rule is unusual, and can be somewhat confusing when read for the first time, I’m going to take a brief walk through your situation, explaining the rule on the way.
In your scenario, player B holed out for a 6. Player A was lying 5 on the green with a chance to putt for a 6. B stated incorrectly that she had scored 5 on the hole. B’s window of opportunity to correct her misstatement ended when A picked up her ball. (In order to avoid a loss of hole penalty for giving wrong information, you have to correct it before your opponent makes her next stroke. Picking up the ball is equivalent to making another stroke.) However, all of the requirements for Rule 2-2 to be in effect were present: B had completed the hole, her incorrect information was offered after she had hole out, and A would had had an opportunity to halve the hole if she had not been misinformed about the stroke total. What this rule does, in essence, is concede A’s putt, since B denied her the opportunity to try to make it. This is a fair solution to a sticky problem.
For those of you whose heads are not yet spinning and want to explore this topic further, here are several summaries of Decisions based on Rule 9-2 where giving wrong information may or may not result in a loss of hole penalty.
Situation 1:
Daisy’s ball lies a few inches from the hole. Rose, her opponent, asks, “How many strokes will that be in the hole?” Daisy tells her “6.” Rose, who is lying 5, concedes Daisy’s putt. Before Rose putts, Daisy realizes she actually had a 5 and tells Rose.
Ruling: Daisy loses the hole. This is because her incorrect information led to Rose conceding her putt. A player will lose a hole if she gives wrong information that leads to her opponent taking action such as picking up a ball or conceding a putt. If Daisy had corrected the information before Rose conceded the putt, then there would be no penalty [Decision 9-2/7].
Situation 2:
Jack tells Charlie on the third hole that he scored a 5. Jack wins the hole, because Charlie had a 6. On the seventh hole, it suddenly dawns on Jack that he actually had a 6 on the third hole, and he tells Charlie.
Ruling: Jack loses the third hole, and the match has to be adjusted [Decision 9-2/9].
Situation 3:
During play of the fourth hole, Alice asks Jim how many strokes he has taken, and Jim outright refuses to tell her.
Ruling: Jim loses the hole. A player is always entitled to know how many strokes her opponent has taken, and the opponent must supply that information before the player takes her next stroke [Decision 9-2/3.5].
Situation 4:
Joe’s ball lies a few inches from the hole. Bob concedes the putt, and asks Joe what he scored. Joe says “6.” Bob, who is lying 5, holes his putt for a 6 and assumes the hole was halved. On the way to the next hole, Joe tells Bob he actually scored 5.
Ruling: Joe still wins the hole because the error was corrected before either of them played from the next tee [Decision 9-2/14]. However, if either player had teed off on the following hole before Joe corrected his score, then Joe would have been penalized and Bob would have won the hole.
Situation 5:
Same situation as #4 above, but Joe scores 5 and Bob scores 7. After Joe tees off on the next hole, he tells Bob that he actually scored a 6 on the previous hole.
Ruling: In this case there is no penalty, because the information that was corrected did not change Bob’s understanding of the result of the hole. Joe would have won the hole with a 5 or a 6 [Decision 9-2/15].
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Dear readers,
I sent the above answer to Lulu in advance of publication, and received the following reply:
Linda,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
In the situation I described both A and B settled it amicably, coming to the correct conclusion by an incorrect method. B conceded A's putt thereby halving the hole.
Rule 2-2 is interesting and would be more spectacular if A had been left with a 40 ft. putt!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ask Linda #126- Cell phone penalty
Dear Linda,
I belong to a golf association that has a rule for both stroke and match play stating that cell phone use is prohibited (except for emergencies), and that the use of a cell phone during tournament or match play will result in a two-stroke/loss of hole penalty per incident. This penalty sounds a little fishy to me. Would you know whether golf associations are permitted to implement such a penalty for use of a cell phone?
Thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
Cell phone rings and conversations can be a distraction on the golf course. Even the click of a camera in the middle of his swing can make Tiger growl.
Your instincts are good, Lulu. A straight out two-stroke/loss of hole penalty for the use of a cell phone is not a solution allowed by the USGA. Let’s take a look at what golf clubs and golf associations are permitted to do to save us from electronic distractions.
The most important thing to remember is that use of a cell phone for other than emergency calls is an etiquette issue. In the section on Etiquette in the front of your rule book players are reminded to show consideration for other players on the course. There is even a sentence stating “players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.” If a Committee decides to ban the use of cell phones (such a ban is within the rights of a Committee), then the use of a cell phone would be a breach of etiquette and should be reported to the Committee. The Committee would then have the option of immediately disqualifying the offending player (a bit harsh, in my humble opinion), or of issuing a warning and then disqualifying the player if the use is repeated (much more reasonable). The Committee is given the right (Rule 33-7) to disqualify a player for a serious breach of etiquette; repeatedly disturbing other players by using a cell phone, after having received a warning, could certainly qualify as a serious breach.
Under USGA rules, a Committee is not permitted to impose a two-stroke or loss of hole penalty for the use of a cell phone. This is strictly an etiquette issue, and the only penalty that is an option is disqualification.
There is another rules violation related to the use of a cell phone. If a player calls someone to ask for or offer advice during a round, which is a violation of Rule 8-1 (Advice), then he would be disqualified for a breach of Rule 14-3. This is probably not what your association was concerned about when it composed its cell phone policy, but any discussion of cell phone use would be incomplete if this unusual circumstance were not mentioned.
Please ask an official in your association to contact the USGA and ask for the official policy statement regarding the use of cell phones. That statement will clarify the issue, and should lead to your association publishing a corrected policy with regard to cell phone usage.
I’m delighted to learn that you are so vigilant about reading the rules of your golf association, and that it is important to you that your association apply the rules correctly.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
I belong to a golf association that has a rule for both stroke and match play stating that cell phone use is prohibited (except for emergencies), and that the use of a cell phone during tournament or match play will result in a two-stroke/loss of hole penalty per incident. This penalty sounds a little fishy to me. Would you know whether golf associations are permitted to implement such a penalty for use of a cell phone?
Thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
Cell phone rings and conversations can be a distraction on the golf course. Even the click of a camera in the middle of his swing can make Tiger growl.
Your instincts are good, Lulu. A straight out two-stroke/loss of hole penalty for the use of a cell phone is not a solution allowed by the USGA. Let’s take a look at what golf clubs and golf associations are permitted to do to save us from electronic distractions.
The most important thing to remember is that use of a cell phone for other than emergency calls is an etiquette issue. In the section on Etiquette in the front of your rule book players are reminded to show consideration for other players on the course. There is even a sentence stating “players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.” If a Committee decides to ban the use of cell phones (such a ban is within the rights of a Committee), then the use of a cell phone would be a breach of etiquette and should be reported to the Committee. The Committee would then have the option of immediately disqualifying the offending player (a bit harsh, in my humble opinion), or of issuing a warning and then disqualifying the player if the use is repeated (much more reasonable). The Committee is given the right (Rule 33-7) to disqualify a player for a serious breach of etiquette; repeatedly disturbing other players by using a cell phone, after having received a warning, could certainly qualify as a serious breach.
Under USGA rules, a Committee is not permitted to impose a two-stroke or loss of hole penalty for the use of a cell phone. This is strictly an etiquette issue, and the only penalty that is an option is disqualification.
There is another rules violation related to the use of a cell phone. If a player calls someone to ask for or offer advice during a round, which is a violation of Rule 8-1 (Advice), then he would be disqualified for a breach of Rule 14-3. This is probably not what your association was concerned about when it composed its cell phone policy, but any discussion of cell phone use would be incomplete if this unusual circumstance were not mentioned.
Please ask an official in your association to contact the USGA and ask for the official policy statement regarding the use of cell phones. That statement will clarify the issue, and should lead to your association publishing a corrected policy with regard to cell phone usage.
I’m delighted to learn that you are so vigilant about reading the rules of your golf association, and that it is important to you that your association apply the rules correctly.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ask Linda #125-Proper relief
Hi Linda,
Recently, I had the following situation. I hit a ball out of the woods, thru the fairway, and over the cart path. Ball stopped by a bush. To hit the ball, I would have had to stand on the macadam. I took relief and dropped the ball a foot behind the prior spot, which was hard-pan. In order to hit the ball from this spot I had to stand on the macadam. I selected to hit from this spot, since if I dropped the ball where my feet were off the macadam, I would be behind a large bush. This was a 2 of 4 best ball and my score didn't count on this hole. Was my procedure OK , or a no,no???????
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
This was a “no-no,” Lou. When you take relief from an immovable obstruction, you must take complete relief. In your situation, you were entitled to free relief because in order to hit the ball your feet would be on the macadam. After you dropped the ball, your feet were apparently still on the macadam. Rule 20-1c, which explains when to re-drop a ball, will tell you that you must re-drop if you still have interference from the same condition that caused you to take a drop in the first place.
When you take relief from an immovable obstruction, you must find the nearest spot no closer to the hole that affords complete relief. Once you establish that spot, you must then drop your ball within one club-length of that spot (Rule 24-2b). You will have to re-drop that ball if:
1. you were not in a hazard and the ball rolls into a hazard;
2. you were in a hazard, and the ball rolls out of the hazard;
3. the ball rolls onto a putting green;
4. the ball rolls out of bounds;
5. the ball rolls to a spot where you have interference from the same condition from which you were taking relief [your situation, Lou];
6. the ball rolls more than two club-lengths from the spot where it first hit the ground when you dropped it;
7. the ball rolls nearer to the hole.
Note that “nearest relief” means “nearest relief.” If your nearest relief is in an unplayable lie, that’s where you’ll have to take your drop. From your description, it sounds like your nearest relief was behind a large bush. When the nearest relief will put you in an unplayable lie, then I would recommend that you play the ball as it lies, if that is an option. With today’s required soft spikes, hitting the ball with your feet on the macadam was probably your best option.
A word of advice: Always assess your relief possibilities before you lift your ball. You may observe that the cure is worse than the disease, and decide that your best choice is to play it as it lies. Once you lift that ball, you are not permitted to replace it without penalty.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Recently, I had the following situation. I hit a ball out of the woods, thru the fairway, and over the cart path. Ball stopped by a bush. To hit the ball, I would have had to stand on the macadam. I took relief and dropped the ball a foot behind the prior spot, which was hard-pan. In order to hit the ball from this spot I had to stand on the macadam. I selected to hit from this spot, since if I dropped the ball where my feet were off the macadam, I would be behind a large bush. This was a 2 of 4 best ball and my score didn't count on this hole. Was my procedure OK , or a no,no???????
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
This was a “no-no,” Lou. When you take relief from an immovable obstruction, you must take complete relief. In your situation, you were entitled to free relief because in order to hit the ball your feet would be on the macadam. After you dropped the ball, your feet were apparently still on the macadam. Rule 20-1c, which explains when to re-drop a ball, will tell you that you must re-drop if you still have interference from the same condition that caused you to take a drop in the first place.
When you take relief from an immovable obstruction, you must find the nearest spot no closer to the hole that affords complete relief. Once you establish that spot, you must then drop your ball within one club-length of that spot (Rule 24-2b). You will have to re-drop that ball if:
1. you were not in a hazard and the ball rolls into a hazard;
2. you were in a hazard, and the ball rolls out of the hazard;
3. the ball rolls onto a putting green;
4. the ball rolls out of bounds;
5. the ball rolls to a spot where you have interference from the same condition from which you were taking relief [your situation, Lou];
6. the ball rolls more than two club-lengths from the spot where it first hit the ground when you dropped it;
7. the ball rolls nearer to the hole.
Note that “nearest relief” means “nearest relief.” If your nearest relief is in an unplayable lie, that’s where you’ll have to take your drop. From your description, it sounds like your nearest relief was behind a large bush. When the nearest relief will put you in an unplayable lie, then I would recommend that you play the ball as it lies, if that is an option. With today’s required soft spikes, hitting the ball with your feet on the macadam was probably your best option.
A word of advice: Always assess your relief possibilities before you lift your ball. You may observe that the cure is worse than the disease, and decide that your best choice is to play it as it lies. Once you lift that ball, you are not permitted to replace it without penalty.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Ask Linda #124-Match play confusion
Dear Linda,
We had a situation at my club a few weeks ago. We had 2 match play competitions in the same group. They were not in teams. A plays B and C plays D. A and B are putting when A gets B to move her marker. A putts and marks her ball, B putts and finishes, with B winning the hole. Then player C says: 'B' you didn’t replace your marker, you get a penalty. I am not sure if A had picked up at this time, but she had indicated she was conceding the hole. The question is, does C have any right/obligation to get involved ? I assume if A has picked up then it is too late to make a difference, but if not, can she continue to play?
Thanks
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
In a more perfect world, it would be best to play individual match play events unaccompanied by another match. The situation you describe would never have occurred had A and B been playing by themselves. In the real world, most golf courses (especially public courses) prefer not to send out players in groups of two. So let’s jump into the real world and find an answer to your question.
The key lies in your statement that A indicated she was conceding the hole to B. Once a player concedes a hole, that concession may not be declined or withdrawn (Rule 2-4). Therefore, B won the hole. The time for A to question whether B had properly replaced her ball on the green expired when she conceded the hole.
The obvious moral to the story is that A needs to be more vigilant of her opponent. However, in my opinion there is an underlying etiquette issue here that needs to be addressed. As I have expressed in previous columns, golf is not a game of “gotcha.” If you notice that an opponent or fellow competitor has neglected to replace her ball in the correct spot and is preparing to putt it from the wrong spot, point out her error before she putts. This is a common courtesy and should be extended to all golfers, regardless of the closeness or intensity of the competition. A golfer who knowingly allows another player to incur a penalty by putting from the wrong place is violating the spirit of the game of golf.
With regard to Player C (the player who pointed out the error), she is not part of the match between A and B and is under no obligation to point out the error. However, there is no rule that prohibits her from voicing her observation. If she made her statement before the hole was conceded, then it would be up to A and B to decide whether there was a rule violation and resolve the matter. I would recommend to any player in C’s position to point out the error if she could do so in time for the error to be corrected; otherwise, the most diplomatic route would be to say nothing at all.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
We had a situation at my club a few weeks ago. We had 2 match play competitions in the same group. They were not in teams. A plays B and C plays D. A and B are putting when A gets B to move her marker. A putts and marks her ball, B putts and finishes, with B winning the hole. Then player C says: 'B' you didn’t replace your marker, you get a penalty. I am not sure if A had picked up at this time, but she had indicated she was conceding the hole. The question is, does C have any right/obligation to get involved ? I assume if A has picked up then it is too late to make a difference, but if not, can she continue to play?
Thanks
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
In a more perfect world, it would be best to play individual match play events unaccompanied by another match. The situation you describe would never have occurred had A and B been playing by themselves. In the real world, most golf courses (especially public courses) prefer not to send out players in groups of two. So let’s jump into the real world and find an answer to your question.
The key lies in your statement that A indicated she was conceding the hole to B. Once a player concedes a hole, that concession may not be declined or withdrawn (Rule 2-4). Therefore, B won the hole. The time for A to question whether B had properly replaced her ball on the green expired when she conceded the hole.
The obvious moral to the story is that A needs to be more vigilant of her opponent. However, in my opinion there is an underlying etiquette issue here that needs to be addressed. As I have expressed in previous columns, golf is not a game of “gotcha.” If you notice that an opponent or fellow competitor has neglected to replace her ball in the correct spot and is preparing to putt it from the wrong spot, point out her error before she putts. This is a common courtesy and should be extended to all golfers, regardless of the closeness or intensity of the competition. A golfer who knowingly allows another player to incur a penalty by putting from the wrong place is violating the spirit of the game of golf.
With regard to Player C (the player who pointed out the error), she is not part of the match between A and B and is under no obligation to point out the error. However, there is no rule that prohibits her from voicing her observation. If she made her statement before the hole was conceded, then it would be up to A and B to decide whether there was a rule violation and resolve the matter. I would recommend to any player in C’s position to point out the error if she could do so in time for the error to be corrected; otherwise, the most diplomatic route would be to say nothing at all.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Ask Linda #123-Branch blows into trap
Linda, I love reading your posts...
This happened to us this past week...
My wife and I were playing in the late evening. The wind was blowing. She hit her ball into a sand trap guarding the green. As we walked up to the trap, a small, broken branch from a tree came tumbling across the fairway and blew right in the trap, pretty much on top of her ball. We remembered that only man-made impediments can be removed from a trap, but we also wondered if she would be entitled to the lie she had when her ball came to rest in the trap, which certainly didn't include this branch. Would she be within the rules to remove the branch?
Thanks...
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
I regret to have to tell you this, Lou, but since it was the wind that blew the branch on top of your wife’s ball, she may not remove the branch. That’s because wind is a natural cause. The rule that entitles a player to the lie she had when her ball came to rest applies only when the lie has been altered by another player. For example, if a player made a stroke and his divot landed on or near your wife’s ball in the bunker, she would be permitted to remove that divot [Decisions 13-4/18 and 13-4/18.5].
The rules of golf give you no relief from some of the unintentionally cruel acts of nature.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
This happened to us this past week...
My wife and I were playing in the late evening. The wind was blowing. She hit her ball into a sand trap guarding the green. As we walked up to the trap, a small, broken branch from a tree came tumbling across the fairway and blew right in the trap, pretty much on top of her ball. We remembered that only man-made impediments can be removed from a trap, but we also wondered if she would be entitled to the lie she had when her ball came to rest in the trap, which certainly didn't include this branch. Would she be within the rules to remove the branch?
Thanks...
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
I regret to have to tell you this, Lou, but since it was the wind that blew the branch on top of your wife’s ball, she may not remove the branch. That’s because wind is a natural cause. The rule that entitles a player to the lie she had when her ball came to rest applies only when the lie has been altered by another player. For example, if a player made a stroke and his divot landed on or near your wife’s ball in the bunker, she would be permitted to remove that divot [Decisions 13-4/18 and 13-4/18.5].
The rules of golf give you no relief from some of the unintentionally cruel acts of nature.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ask Linda #122-Putting issues
Hi Linda,
Two weeks ago I stopped someone marking their ball as someone else in the group had already putted and the putted ball had not yet come to a halt (they were concerned their ball was going to be hit). I’m sure this saved them a two stroke penalty (from altering conditions whilst the ball is in play). Last weekend the same experience happened. The only difference was that the person was putting from the fringe and not on the green. After a short discussion we decided that the two stroke penalty did not apply. Did we get it right on both occasions?
If we did get it right, the rule about altering conditions whilst the ball is in play (i.e. someone putting) seems like we should forever be penalizing shots – not from marking balls but from repairing pitch marks on the green. It always seems that someone is repairing part of the green (away from the line of the current putt). Does this mean that we should stop all repairs to a green whilst someone is putting? If so, it would seem that we would slow play down even further.
Could you also clarify who gets penalized for hitting another ball on the green, the person putting (from on the green) or the person who failed to mark their ball?
Thanks,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Once a ball is in motion, you are not permitted to lift another ball that might be in its path (Rule 22-2). The penalty for doing so is two strokes (loss of hole in match play), and it is assessed to the player who lifted his ball. You were correct, Lou, in stopping the player from marking and lifting his ball with another player’s putt heading his way. From your description, both of these balls were on the green. If the putted ball were to hit the other ball, then the player who putted the ball would incur a two-stroke penalty in stroke play (Rule 19-5a); there is NO penalty for such contact in match play (play the putted ball as it lies, replace the ball that was moved by the putt).
When you are putting a ball that does not lie on the green, it is not technically a putt. Rule 22-2 is still in effect – you may never lift a ball when another ball in motion is heading its way. However, if you are putting a ball from the fringe and your ball hits a ball lying on the green, there is no penalty. Remember that both balls must by lying on the green and you must be involved in a stroke play competition for the two-stroke penalty to be imposed. If that ball putted from the fringe strikes the ball on the green, then play the putted ball from wherever it ends up and replace the ball that was moved (Rule 18-5).
It is not specifically prohibited to fix ball marks away from another player’s line of putt while he is putting. However, this raises an etiquette issue. I would not recommend any movement on the green that would distract another player who is trying to putt. The customary procedure is for players to mark and lift their balls and repair their ball marks when the arrive at the green, and to remain still and quiet and stand neither behind the ball nor directly behind the hole when another player is putting. If you haven’t had an opportunity to fix your ball mark prior to another player’s putt, then you should delay fixing it until the ball is in motion. (I’m assuming, of course, that your ball mark is not in his line of putt; in that case either you or the player involved would want to repair the mark prior to putting.)
I answered your last question in an earlier paragraph, but I believe it bears repeating. With both balls on the green in a stroke play format, the player who putts the ball is penalized two strokes if his ball hits the other ball. Perhaps this will be easier to remember if you think of it this way: When you putt, you are responsible for what happens to your ball. Before you putt, look at your line and be sure to ask any other player whose ball is in the vicinity of that line to mark and lift his ball.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Two weeks ago I stopped someone marking their ball as someone else in the group had already putted and the putted ball had not yet come to a halt (they were concerned their ball was going to be hit). I’m sure this saved them a two stroke penalty (from altering conditions whilst the ball is in play). Last weekend the same experience happened. The only difference was that the person was putting from the fringe and not on the green. After a short discussion we decided that the two stroke penalty did not apply. Did we get it right on both occasions?
If we did get it right, the rule about altering conditions whilst the ball is in play (i.e. someone putting) seems like we should forever be penalizing shots – not from marking balls but from repairing pitch marks on the green. It always seems that someone is repairing part of the green (away from the line of the current putt). Does this mean that we should stop all repairs to a green whilst someone is putting? If so, it would seem that we would slow play down even further.
Could you also clarify who gets penalized for hitting another ball on the green, the person putting (from on the green) or the person who failed to mark their ball?
Thanks,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Once a ball is in motion, you are not permitted to lift another ball that might be in its path (Rule 22-2). The penalty for doing so is two strokes (loss of hole in match play), and it is assessed to the player who lifted his ball. You were correct, Lou, in stopping the player from marking and lifting his ball with another player’s putt heading his way. From your description, both of these balls were on the green. If the putted ball were to hit the other ball, then the player who putted the ball would incur a two-stroke penalty in stroke play (Rule 19-5a); there is NO penalty for such contact in match play (play the putted ball as it lies, replace the ball that was moved by the putt).
When you are putting a ball that does not lie on the green, it is not technically a putt. Rule 22-2 is still in effect – you may never lift a ball when another ball in motion is heading its way. However, if you are putting a ball from the fringe and your ball hits a ball lying on the green, there is no penalty. Remember that both balls must by lying on the green and you must be involved in a stroke play competition for the two-stroke penalty to be imposed. If that ball putted from the fringe strikes the ball on the green, then play the putted ball from wherever it ends up and replace the ball that was moved (Rule 18-5).
It is not specifically prohibited to fix ball marks away from another player’s line of putt while he is putting. However, this raises an etiquette issue. I would not recommend any movement on the green that would distract another player who is trying to putt. The customary procedure is for players to mark and lift their balls and repair their ball marks when the arrive at the green, and to remain still and quiet and stand neither behind the ball nor directly behind the hole when another player is putting. If you haven’t had an opportunity to fix your ball mark prior to another player’s putt, then you should delay fixing it until the ball is in motion. (I’m assuming, of course, that your ball mark is not in his line of putt; in that case either you or the player involved would want to repair the mark prior to putting.)
I answered your last question in an earlier paragraph, but I believe it bears repeating. With both balls on the green in a stroke play format, the player who putts the ball is penalized two strokes if his ball hits the other ball. Perhaps this will be easier to remember if you think of it this way: When you putt, you are responsible for what happens to your ball. Before you putt, look at your line and be sure to ask any other player whose ball is in the vicinity of that line to mark and lift his ball.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Ask Linda #121-picking up ball to ID
Linda, when can I pick up my ball (if ever) on the fairway to make sure it is mine and not the other players’? What about on the green?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
You may pick up your ball to identify it anywhere on the golf course, including bunkers and water hazards. There is no penalty for lifting your ball to identify it as long as you follow the correct procedure. Here is what you must do [Rule 12-2]:
1. Before you touch the ball, tell another player in your group that you will need to lift it to identify it. This player must be on hand to observe every step of the identification process.
2. Carefully mark the position of your ball.
3. Lift the ball and identify it. If there is so much mud or other gooey substance clinging to the ball that you need to clean it to identify it, then you are only permitted to clean off the bare minimum necessary to identify the ball.
4. If the ball is yours, replace it exactly where you found it.
Note that if you violate all or any part of this procedure you will incur a one-stroke penalty. For example, if you should fail to mark the ball before lifting and clean it more than necessary, your total penalty is still only one stroke.
I am somewhat puzzled by the need to lift a ball on a fairway for identification purposes. I suspect, Lulu, that you have neglected to place a personal identification mark on your ball. I would strongly recommend that every ball in your golf bag bear your preferred design, whether it be your initials, a smiley face, a circle around the logo, or multi-colored dots in a specific pattern. Use your imagination, and mark every ball the same. Don’t be shy – draw on at least two sides of the ball so you will be able to identify it without the need to lift it. While marking your ball is not specifically required by the rules, the rule book states unequivocally that every player “should” mark his ball. This is good advice – take it!
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
You may pick up your ball to identify it anywhere on the golf course, including bunkers and water hazards. There is no penalty for lifting your ball to identify it as long as you follow the correct procedure. Here is what you must do [Rule 12-2]:
1. Before you touch the ball, tell another player in your group that you will need to lift it to identify it. This player must be on hand to observe every step of the identification process.
2. Carefully mark the position of your ball.
3. Lift the ball and identify it. If there is so much mud or other gooey substance clinging to the ball that you need to clean it to identify it, then you are only permitted to clean off the bare minimum necessary to identify the ball.
4. If the ball is yours, replace it exactly where you found it.
Note that if you violate all or any part of this procedure you will incur a one-stroke penalty. For example, if you should fail to mark the ball before lifting and clean it more than necessary, your total penalty is still only one stroke.
I am somewhat puzzled by the need to lift a ball on a fairway for identification purposes. I suspect, Lulu, that you have neglected to place a personal identification mark on your ball. I would strongly recommend that every ball in your golf bag bear your preferred design, whether it be your initials, a smiley face, a circle around the logo, or multi-colored dots in a specific pattern. Use your imagination, and mark every ball the same. Don’t be shy – draw on at least two sides of the ball so you will be able to identify it without the need to lift it. While marking your ball is not specifically required by the rules, the rule book states unequivocally that every player “should” mark his ball. This is good advice – take it!
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Ask Linda #120-Dangerous situations
Dear Linda,
My ball landed near a goose egg, and the mother or father goose was making it impossible for me to get close enough even to retrieve it, let alone try to hit it. Is this a lost ball? an unplayable ball? What’s the penalty? How do I proceed?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The rules of golf provide for free relief from “dangerous situations.” It would be unreasonable to expect you to risk bodily harm, and unfair to penalize you. Abandon the ball, and proceed as follows:
Drop a ball, without penalty, at the nearest spot, no closer to the hole, that is not dangerous. If your ball is in a hazard, then make every effort to drop it in the same hazard or in a similar one nearby that is not closer to the hole. If it is not possible to drop the ball in a hazard, then you may take it out and drop it behind the hazard on the imaginary line drawn from the hole through your ball. This last option will, unfortunately, require that you add a penalty stroke to your score. There is always a price to be paid for taking relief outside a hazard [Decision 1-4/10].
Live rattlesnakes, bees’ nests, and alligators would all come under the heading of “dangerous situations.” These are problems that are not normally found on a course. However, while you might consider it dangerous to enter a patch of poison ivy or cactus to hit your ball, the rules of golf take the view that these are common occurrences on a golf course. You are not entitled to free relief from “normal situations,” no matter how unpleasant they may be [Decision 1-4/11]. If you prefer not to hit a ball that is lying in poison ivy or near a cactus (or in any other similar, naturally-occurring problem), your only recourse would be to declare it unplayable, accept your one-stroke penalty, and proceed under one of the options listed in Rule 28 (see Ask Linda #13-unplayable ball, posted on January 13, 2008, for an explanation of your relief options).
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
My ball landed near a goose egg, and the mother or father goose was making it impossible for me to get close enough even to retrieve it, let alone try to hit it. Is this a lost ball? an unplayable ball? What’s the penalty? How do I proceed?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The rules of golf provide for free relief from “dangerous situations.” It would be unreasonable to expect you to risk bodily harm, and unfair to penalize you. Abandon the ball, and proceed as follows:
Drop a ball, without penalty, at the nearest spot, no closer to the hole, that is not dangerous. If your ball is in a hazard, then make every effort to drop it in the same hazard or in a similar one nearby that is not closer to the hole. If it is not possible to drop the ball in a hazard, then you may take it out and drop it behind the hazard on the imaginary line drawn from the hole through your ball. This last option will, unfortunately, require that you add a penalty stroke to your score. There is always a price to be paid for taking relief outside a hazard [Decision 1-4/10].
Live rattlesnakes, bees’ nests, and alligators would all come under the heading of “dangerous situations.” These are problems that are not normally found on a course. However, while you might consider it dangerous to enter a patch of poison ivy or cactus to hit your ball, the rules of golf take the view that these are common occurrences on a golf course. You are not entitled to free relief from “normal situations,” no matter how unpleasant they may be [Decision 1-4/11]. If you prefer not to hit a ball that is lying in poison ivy or near a cactus (or in any other similar, naturally-occurring problem), your only recourse would be to declare it unplayable, accept your one-stroke penalty, and proceed under one of the options listed in Rule 28 (see Ask Linda #13-unplayable ball, posted on January 13, 2008, for an explanation of your relief options).
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Ask Linda #119-What may I borrow?
Dear Linda,
I read a puzzling story in the newspaper about a competitor who ran out of balls and disqualified himself from a tournament, thinking he wasn’t allowed to borrow balls from another competitor. The marshal told him he could borrow balls. I actually thought this was not permitted. What’s the story?
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
A player is permitted to borrow golf balls. There is no limit on the number of balls you may carry in your bag, so if you haven’t fixed that slice yet you might want to stock you bag with more than the usual number of spares.
In addition to borrowing balls, you are also permitted to purchase balls if you run short, but unless you are near the pro shop when you run out, you risk being penalized for undue delay (Rule 6-7).
The Rules of Golf do not require a player to use the same brand and type of golf ball throughout a round. However, you may someday find yourself playing in a tournament where the Committee adopts as one of the Conditions of the Competition what is known as a “one ball condition.” This condition requires that players use the same brand and type of ball throughout the round. You are still permitted to borrow golf balls, but the likelihood of your fellow competitors carrying the same exact ball that you play is very small. In this situation you would want to fill your bag with a generous supply of your preferred ball.
You may actually borrow any type of equipment except for golf clubs [Rule 4-4a]. The exception to this rule is that partners may share clubs, but only in the very unusual circumstance that the total number of clubs carried by the two partners is 14. In other words, if you have 6 clubs in your bag, and your partner has no more than 8, you may share. Assuming you are each carrying the customary number of clubs (maximum 14), then if you want to try your partner’s shiny new driver on the 14th hole, resist the impulse. The penalty for borrowing clubs is severe – two strokes in stroke play, adjusting the match by deducting a hole in match play.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
I read a puzzling story in the newspaper about a competitor who ran out of balls and disqualified himself from a tournament, thinking he wasn’t allowed to borrow balls from another competitor. The marshal told him he could borrow balls. I actually thought this was not permitted. What’s the story?
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
A player is permitted to borrow golf balls. There is no limit on the number of balls you may carry in your bag, so if you haven’t fixed that slice yet you might want to stock you bag with more than the usual number of spares.
In addition to borrowing balls, you are also permitted to purchase balls if you run short, but unless you are near the pro shop when you run out, you risk being penalized for undue delay (Rule 6-7).
The Rules of Golf do not require a player to use the same brand and type of golf ball throughout a round. However, you may someday find yourself playing in a tournament where the Committee adopts as one of the Conditions of the Competition what is known as a “one ball condition.” This condition requires that players use the same brand and type of ball throughout the round. You are still permitted to borrow golf balls, but the likelihood of your fellow competitors carrying the same exact ball that you play is very small. In this situation you would want to fill your bag with a generous supply of your preferred ball.
You may actually borrow any type of equipment except for golf clubs [Rule 4-4a]. The exception to this rule is that partners may share clubs, but only in the very unusual circumstance that the total number of clubs carried by the two partners is 14. In other words, if you have 6 clubs in your bag, and your partner has no more than 8, you may share. Assuming you are each carrying the customary number of clubs (maximum 14), then if you want to try your partner’s shiny new driver on the 14th hole, resist the impulse. The penalty for borrowing clubs is severe – two strokes in stroke play, adjusting the match by deducting a hole in match play.
Linda
Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
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