Hi Linda,
I really value your advice and have a thorny problem for you
here. In a four-ball match play competition A and B are playing C and D. When
they get to the 17th green C and D are one up. A is out of the hole and B is 18
feet away in 2. C is 3 feet away in 2 and D is off the green in 2. D chips up
to within 2 feet and promptly (without saying anything) finishes off the hole
for a 4. A then says that as D has played out of turn they forfeit the hole. C
picks up his ball in a huff and then so does B. They are now supposedly all
square. They do not contest the decision, just grumble. They play the last hole
in bad humour; B gets a 3, the others make 4s. A and B win. Afterwards C and D
complain about the decision made on the 17th. What should the Committee's
ruling be?
As thankful as ever.
Lou
P.S. What is the ruling on putting out? Normally one says
"Do you mind if I finish?" or something similar, but is there any
rule?
Dear Lou,
The key to answering your question lies in the statement:
“They do not contest the decision.” The time for team C-D to file a claim
expired when one of the players hit his tee shot on the 18th hole
[Rule 2-5]. The Committee should rule that the result of the match stands, with
team A-B the winner.
There is no penalty for playing out of turn in match play.
The opponents may allow the putt to stand, or may require that the player
replace his ball and putt again in the proper order [Rule 10-1c]. If the
players in your scenario had known this,
the match would have had a different outcome.
The Rule regarding playing out of turn in match play is not
an obscure Rule, and is not buried somewhere in the Decisions book. It is in
plain sight under Rule 10, and there is no excuse for not being able to find
it. If the players had consulted the rulebook, instead of wasting precious time
grumbling, they might have averted this entire fiasco.
Lou, your postscript seems to be asking about continuous
putting in match play. While completing a hole out of turn in stroke play (when
you have a short putt remaining) is common, legal, and encouraged for pace of
play, it is not an option in match play. If your putt is not conceded, you
should be marking your ball in a match. While I am aware that some players will
ask for permission to finish, and other players will grant that permission,
that is not what match play is all about. If the ball is close enough to the
hole to concede, concede the putt; if it’s not close enough to concede, you
will want your opponent to mark to make him think about that next putt.
Know the game you’re playing, and carry a rulebook. Do not
play out of turn in match play, and be aware that the worst that can happen if
you play out of turn is you will be required to replay your shot.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
