Linda–
Player A hits his second shot into a lateral hazard. The
player is unable to find his ball so the player measures two club lengths from
where the ball entered the hazard and drops another ball within the two club
lengths. Player B then finds Player A's the ball in the hazard within five
minutes and the ball may be playable.
Is Player A permitted to play the ball that was found by
Player B or must Player A play the ball that he dropped before Player B found
his ball?
Thank you.
Lou
Dear Lou,
Player A has dropped the ball correctly, and he must play
that ball. However, if the original ball found by Player B is not in the same
area where Player A dropped his ball, Player A must
re-drop from the correct reference point with no penalty [Decision
26-1/3.5]. When he re-drops, he may choose any of the relief options available
under the water hazard rule (26-1). However, he may not play the original ball
from the hazard [Decision 26-1/16].
This assumes the player has not yet hit the ball dropped in
the incorrect area. If the ball dropped in the wrong place has already been
played, the player must continue with that ball. Surprisingly, there is no
penalty in this situation for playing from a wrong place [Decision 26-1/17].
This may be easier to understand if I walk you through it
with Lulu and Tubby, who are playing the ninth hole at Paradise Golf Course.
Lulu hits her second shot all the way across the fairway into the lateral
hazard that runs along the right side. Both Lulu and Tubby are certain the ball
is in the hazard, and they both agree on where it entered the hazard. Lulu
searches for her ball for two minutes, gives up the search, and drops a ball
within two club-lengths of the hazard margin, no closer to the hole. She adds a
one-stroke penalty to her score for the hole. The scene is now set. Let’s see
what happens in the following scenarios:
1. Lulu immediately
hits the dropped ball. This is the end of the story. If her original ball
is found, the only thing she can do with it is put it in her pocket.
2. Tubby finds the
ball in the hazard two minutes later in the area where both players expected to
find it. The ball is playable. Lulu may not play her original ball. She has
properly dropped a ball and it is officially her ball in play. She must
continue play with the dropped ball.
3. Tubby finds the
ball two minutes later 20 yards closer to the green.
(a) If Lulu has
already played the ball she dropped, she must continue with that ball. Both she
and Tubby honestly thought she was dropping at the correct place, so she will
incur no extra penalty for playing from a wrong place.
(b) If Lulu has
not played the dropped ball, she must lift that ball and drop at the correct
place. She still has all the water hazard relief options available, but she has
lost the chance to hit the ball as it lies in the hazard.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
