Hi Linda - I have tried to find the answer to this. While
one person hitting the "wrong ball" seems clear, what happens in
stroke play when two players play the other player's ball until they
get to the green before realizing they have played the wrong ball?
My son was in a school competition where he and his fellow competitor
approached balls on the fairway. My son hit a ball, and it went into the
bunker. His competitor hit the other ball onto the green. There was some
debate as to who hit first. My son then hit out of the bunker onto the green.
Then the other player realized it was not his own ball that he had hit. A
parent observing the match decided that my son should take a 2-shot penalty for
hitting first. Each player played out the wrong ball and moved to the next
tee.
My view was that both hit the wrong ball, both incurred a 2-shot
penalty and both should have returned to where the first incorrect shot was
taken from. Further, both could have (should have?) been disqualified for
failing to rectify before the next tee off.
Your thoughts appreciated.
Regards,
Lou from Melbourne, Australia
Dear Lou,
In stroke play, if a player hits a wrong ball, he is
penalized two strokes. If he does not correct his mistake before he tees off on
the next hole, he is disqualified [Rule 15-3b].
Both players hit a wrong ball. Both incurred the penalty,
and both should have been disqualified as soon as they teed off on the next
hole. Which player hit the wrong ball first is irrelevant; both players had the
opportunity to identify the ball before hitting it. Your understanding of the
Rule, Lou, is correct.
The ruling is not the same in match play, and this might be
the source of the confusion. In match play, if two players exchange balls
during play of a hole, the first player that hits a wrong ball loses the hole.
If it cannot be determined which player hit the wrong ball first, the hole must
be completed with the balls exchanged [Rule 15-3a].
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
