During a stroke round yesterday there were two instances
where a ball, at rest, was moved by the player. The first time was when his
ball was on the green. The player, under the mistaken belief that one of our
playing group had marked his ball as he was busy raking a bunker, picked up his
ball. When instructed otherwise he replaced it as close as possible to its
original position. The second time, on another hole, a provisional ball was
played from the tee. Both his balls finished within 50 yards of each other and
when we approached the area two balls were visible. On the belief that one of
the two balls was his original ball in play the player picked up his
provisional ball and proceed to the other ball. However this ball was not his
and on further searching the original ball was not found. The player then went
back to where his provisional ball had lay and replaced it, again as close as
possible to its original position.
Does rule 18-2 apply here, and is this the only rule that
applies? In other words a penalty of one stroke in both cases.
Lou from Australia
Dear Lou,
Yes. Rule 18-2a tells us that if a player lifts his ball in
play he must replace it and add a one-stroke penalty to his score. This is the
Rule that applies in both your scenarios.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
