Ask Linda #153-Partner breaks a rule

Hi Linda,
In four-ball match play, if a player removes a pine cone from a bunker, does his side lose the hole or is that player out of the hole and his partner is permitted to continue?
Thank you.
Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

In four-ball match play, if a player breaks a rule that will assist his partner, then both the player and his partner will be penalized. If the infraction by the player does not assist his partner, then his partner does not incur a penalty.

In the situation you mention, I’m going to assume that the player who removed the pine cone from the bunker was in the bunker, and that his partner was elsewhere. The player will be disqualified from the hole for removing a loose impediment from a hazard [Rule 13-4c], but his partner will be permitted to continue play [Rule 30-3f].

Linda

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