Hi Linda,
Prior to a medal [stroke play] competition one of the competitors went out to one of the more difficult greens and rolled half a dozen balls towards the hole from the edge of the green.
Obviously he should not have done this as he was testing the surface. According to Rule 16 he should be penalised.
However I am unsure what he should be penalised. Is it a two shot penalty? At the end of the round he was disqualified. Was this a correct ruling?
Thanks. Regards.
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
In stroke play, a player is not permitted to test the surface of any putting green before his round on the day of the competition. Rolling balls on the green is considered to be testing the surface. The penalty for doing so is disqualification, and the pertinent Rule is 7-1b (Practice Before or Between Rounds). The competitor in your question was properly disqualified.
Rule 16-1d is not the applicable rule in this situation. This rule penalizes a player two strokes for testing the surface of the putting green during the round. There is an exception to this rule that allows players to test the surface of the putting green of the hole they last played, but the Committee has an option to prohibit such testing. Players would be well-advised to study the Conditions of the Competition with great care prior to the tournament.
Just to add more confusion, players are permitted to practice on the course before a round in match play [Rule 7-1a].
Linda
Copyright © 2011 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
