Hi Linda,
Am I reading the rule 8-1 wrong or the [question and answer in Ask Linda #417]? The way I read it is that the player asking for advice is not the one breaking the rule but rather the Player giving the advice. Please explain.
Lou
Dear Lou,
Penalties all around. When Player B asked Player A which club he used, he was asking for advice and incurred a two-stroke penalty. When Player A answered the question, he was giving advice and also incurred a two-stroke penalty [Rule 8-1].
My best advice is to limit your questions to topics that are not considered to be advice: information on the Rules, distance, and matters of public information (e.g., whether the flagstick is in the front, middle, or back location). When someone asks you a question where you feel the answer might influence how he plays the hole (such as asking what club you used before he plays his shot), squelch your instinct to be helpful and explain politely that you are not permitted to answer this type of question. The Committee will need to decide whether his question was a breach of Rule 8-1.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
