Hi Linda,
While playing yesterday we were looking for my ball in
fairly heavy rough at the side of the fairway. I had a reasonable idea where to
look but in the process I didn't see it and stood on it, driving it into the ground
making it almost unplayable. We weren't sure how to proceed and my playing
opponent generously told me to take a free drop within a club length of where I
stood on it. He reasoned it was an accident and I had almost certainly made my
shot much worse when I stood on it. All very good but I'd prefer to know what
the actual procedure is in case it happens again against a less generous
opponent!
Many thanks
Lou from Great Barrier Island
Dear Lou,
When you stepped on your ball and drove it into the ground,
you moved your ball in play. You will incur a one-stroke penalty, and you must replace your ball [Rule 18-2a].
However, that is easier said than done, since the movement
of the ball was downward and you cannot restore your original lie without gardening
tools.
When your original lie is altered, you must place the ball in the nearest lie that
is most similar to your original lie, within one club-length, and not closer to
the hole [Rule 20-3b(i)]. Don’t forget the one-stroke penalty.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
