Linda, when marking ball before picking up rake in trap.....any special technique? whatever side of ball is available if prongs of middle of rake are holding the ball, for instance? or ball is trapped under handle?
Place is key word here too....... we place the ball throughout all steps of this process...... not drop at anytime......correct?
[Readers, this is a follow-up question to Ask Linda #276 and 277, where the ball is resting against a rake in a bunker.]
Dear Lou,
Marking in a bunker
It is not specifically required to mark the ball before moving the rake (or any other movable obstruction). The Rules of Golf only require that the ball be replaced if it moves after you pick up the rake [Rule 24-1]. However, in the interests of being accurate, when it is obvious that a ball will move as soon as it is free of the obstruction, I recommend that it be marked. This is especially appropriate for a ball that you know will roll a considerable distance.
There is no special technique for marking the ball. Mark it wherever it will best serve as a reminder of where it should be replaced. I use a tee to mark a ball in the sand, since it is less likely to disappear after you lift the rake and the ball rolls.
Placing or dropping
Here is an easy way to remember when to place a ball and when to drop it when you are taking relief from a movable obstruction. If the ball is already on the ground, you know where it lies and will therefore place it. If the ball is not lying on the ground (e.g., sitting on a folding chair), there is no specific spot to place it, so you will drop it. The procedure, if you have to drop, is to lift the ball, move the obstruction, and drop it as near as possible on the spot directly under where it lay on the obstruction.
Linda
Copyright © 2011 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
