Ask Linda #225-Marking a ball that interferes

Good morning Linda,

Here I am again with a question.

One golf ball is on the green and another is close to the fringe, so the golfer asks the other golfer to mark the ball on the green because it is in her line and she may chip the ball in the cup.

The golfer refused saying that she has the right not to mark her ball and it is an old rule...

When I heard that I said it was a rule in the 20's but not modern golf! Am I dreaming????

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Lulu

Dear Lulu,

You are not dreaming. I’m not familiar with golf rules from the 1920’s, but here in 2010 a player has the right to have another ball lifted if she feels it may interfere with her play [Rule 22-2]. The player asked to lift her ball may not refuse to do so.

In stroke play, the player asked to lift the ball may play first rather than lift the ball.

Incidentally, such lifting is not restricted to the putting green. A player may ask to have any ball anywhere lifted for possible interference.

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #224-Casual water in bunker

Hi

My ball was in casual water, inside a bunker. The only relief available inside the bunker was nearer the hole. What are my options?

Thank you, Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

When there is no place in the bunker that you can drop the ball that is not nearer the hole, your only option is to drop outside the bunker and add a penalty stroke to your score. You may go as far back as you would like, dropping behind the bunker on a line that starts at the hole, passes through where your ball lay in the bunker, and extends back to infinity [Rule 25-1b(ii)].

The rule that requires that you take complete relief from abnormal ground conditions (casual water is considered to be “abnormal”) is relaxed somewhat for a ball in a bunker. If you can find a spot to drop in a bunker that is no closer to the hole where the water is shallower than where your ball lies, you may do so.

If you are playing in a tournament where some of the bunkers are flooded, the Committee may establish a Local Rule that allows players to drop outside those specific bunkers with no penalty [Decision 33-8/27].

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #223-Relief from grandstand

Linda,

Please help me to understand what happened at Aronimink Golf Club at the AT&T National. On the 18th hole Daniel Chopra pulled it into the left rough where I was standing. He then hit a punch shot off the tree that went further left and almost into the porta-potties and behind the grandstand. He then marked his ball with a tee. Next he marked a spot from the flag to the edge of the grandstand, measured one club-length and marked again. He then marked one more club-length and dropped. I thought the rule is to first find the “nearest point of relief” and then drop one club-length from there. Do you know why he would get two club-lengths? Also, another thing that struck me as odd is that he did not show the other players what he was doing. He just yelled up to them and made a motion. Plus, I think it was OK but the question was raised why he got to use his “driver” instead of the eight iron he hit.

Thanks for your help. Our group of guys –and girls– likes to be aware of the rules.

Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

The rules are a little different for taking relief from a Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO). Many golfers are unfamiliar with the proper procedure for taking relief from a TIO, since few of us ever get the chance to play in tournaments where grandstands, TV towers, tents, scoreboards, concessions, etc. are present.

Here’s the scoop:

A player is entitled to relief if the TIO interferes with his stance or the area of his intended swing; or if the ball lies in, on, under, or behind the TIO. A player is entitled to line-of-sight relief if the TIO blocks his line of play to the hole; line-of-sight relief is never available to the golfer seeking relief from common immovable obstructions (paved cart paths, water coolers, electrical boxes, shelters, etc.). The theory here is that TIO’s are not normally found on a golf course, and in all fairness a player should have no interference from a TIO when he plays a shot.

Chopra’s ball, according to an eyewitness report (that would be yours), was lying behind the grandstand, so he was entitled to free relief for his stance, swing, and line of play. (Please note that I did not see this incident, and am relying completely on your account.)

Chopra had to find the closest spot to where his ball lay that was not nearer the hole that completely avoided interference by the grandstand. He would then drop his ball within one club-length of that spot [Appendix I, Rule 7, II and III].

From your narrative, it seems like Chopra found a spot that met the requirements of being no closer to the hole and was free of interference by the grandstand. He properly measured one club-length from that spot with his driver. (Players may use any club when the relief involves measuring one club-length. What may be confusing you is that when you are seeking relief from an immovable obstruction such as a cart path, you are entitled to stance plus a club-length. In establishing your stance, you use the club you would ordinarily use to hit the shot, which is not likely to be your driver. You are then required to drop within one club-length of that spot, and you may use any club to measure the one club-length.)

Now it gets tricky. Since I wasn’t there, I can only guess why he measured two club-lengths with his driver. Chopra may know that his stance with an 8-iron is the length of one driver. The first measurement he took with the driver would establish relief for his stance and swing, and the second measurement was for the additional club-length to which he was entitled

Technically, none of this measuring has to take place. As long as the area in which you drop your ball is the same area you would reach by doing all that stance-plus-club-length measuring, you are good to go.

There is no requirement that other players be summoned to observe your relief procedure. This holds for interference from common immovable obstructions (cart paths, water coolers, etc.) as well as TIO’s. You may be confusing this with the procedure for lifting and identifying a ball, where the lifting and replacing must be observed by another player [Rule 12-2].

Professional golfers playing in tournaments often seek the help of a rules official even when they are certain they are following the correct procedure; that way there is no question that they have proceeded according to rule.

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #222-Wrong putting green

Linda, can you clarify Rule 25-3 Wrong Putting Green?

A player's ball landed on the fringe of a wrong putting green (an alternate green on a hole, not one on another hole).

She felt she was entitled to a free lift because her stance would have to be on the wrong putting green to hit her ball on the fringe and she considered this interference with her stance allowed by Rule 25-3.

Is she entitled to lift her ball off of the fringe to avoid standing on the wrong putting green when swinging?

Thanks for clarifying this!

Lulu

Dear Lulu,

Rule 25-3 (Wrong Putting Green) refers to the ball only. If the ball has settled on a wrong putting green, then a player is required to lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief that is not nearer the hole. He may not drop it in a hazard or (obviously) on a putting green. There is no penalty for this required drop.

I can well imagine greenkeepers weeping into their beer as they read this answer and envision players taking a full swing at a ball lying on the apron (or “fringe”) with their feet planted on the green. Please, please, please take the time to carefully repair any damage you may cause in playing this shot.

If your course is set up so that balls hit from a particular tee often end up on a wrong putting green, it is permissible to write a Local Rule that ties the apron into the green. Players would then be required to take relief off the green and off the apron.

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #221-Ball hits another player’s club

Dear Linda,

You are playing in a tournament. You and another person in your foursome are off the green on an elevated green and chipping up to the green. The other person is higher on the hill and has taken her putter along and laid it on the ground. You miss-hit your ball and it hits her putter. What are the consequences?

Lulu

Dear Lulu,

There are no consequences in stroke play or match play.

In stroke play, you must play the ball as it lies [Rule 19-4]. (Incidentally, this accidental deflection is known as a “rub of the green.”)

In match play, you have two options. You may cancel the stroke and play a ball from where you hit that last shot, or you may play the ball as it lies [Rule 19-3].

There is no penalty for hitting another player’s equipment.

However, if that putter belongs to you or your partner, then you would incur a penalty stroke and you would have to play the ball as it lies [Rule 19-2].

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #220-Divot moves ball

Dear Linda,

What are the consequences if you take a practice swing on the fairway and take a divot that flies into and moves your golf ball?

Lulu

Dear Lulu,

If you accidentally cause your ball to move, you are penalized one stroke and you must replace the ball [Rule 18-2a].

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #219-Removing a hazard stake

Hi Linda,

While a player's ball lies in a hazard, is the player permitted to remove a hazard stake?

Thank you, Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

The answer depends on whether the stakes are movable or immovable.

If the stakes are movable, the player may remove them prior to hitting. Note that the stakes are movable only if they can be removed easily [Definition of Obstructions].

If the stakes are immovable, the player must play the ball as it lies or take relief under Rule 26-1 (Relief for Ball in Water Hazard), which will incur the addition of a penalty stroke. There is no relief from an immovable obstruction in a hazard [Rule 24-2, Note 1].

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #218-Lifting partner’s unplayable ball

Linda

I would be most grateful if you could provide a ruling on a situation that arose recently within our club.

A player’s ball was struck into a rough scrub area and subsequently found by a playing partner.

The partner lifted the ball declaring it unplayable before the player had seen the lie and passed it to the player.

The ball was then dropped realistically within 2 club-lengths of the estimated lie and the hole played out with a penalty of 1 shot incurred.

A decision on the player and the partner lifting the ball and any other comments on etiquette would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Lou Lou

Dear Lou Lou,

The player is the only person who may deem his ball unplayable. The player incurred a one-stroke penalty when his partner lifted the ball [Rule 18-2a]. The player would be entitled to replace the ball or declare it unplayable. If he decides to declare the ball unplayable, he incurs an additional penalty stroke under Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable).

Needless to say, while good etiquette dictates that you assist players in the search for a ball, the wise and careful player always points out a found ball from a distance and allows the player in question to identify it and decide how to play it. While it is not always a penalty to touch or move another player’s ball, you will always be correct if you keep your hands to yourself.

Linda

Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.