Hi Linda,
Here is an account of how things happened in a better ball
match. It’s a real pity that I never read the match play rules on your website
before we played our match, because you explain the rules in a way you can
understand them. Had I read them, the outcome of the match would have would
have been different and we would have been possibly 2 matches away from a
final in Dubai.
We played our match on the 24th November at a golf club in
England. We got to the 18th tee all square. Player C made bogey,
player B made par, and then there was a dispute over a ruling between
players A and D. Both players went over the green, with player D
being 15-20 feet past the ball of player A. Player D then requested that player A
mark his ball.
The ball of player A was not on the green and was not
interfering with the stance of player D or the execution of his swing or
shot. Player A did not think it was within the rules for an opponent to
request a ball to be marked when not on the green and not interfering with the
stance of player D or the execution of his swing or shot.
The ball of player A was not marked, and player D
asked again for the ball to be marked. Player A then asked both players C and D:
“Do I have to mark the ball?” They never answered and play continued without
the ball being marked.
On his next (3rd) shot, player D pitched his ball
10-12 feet past the ball of player A and missed the hole by no more than 2
inches, finishing approximately 16 inches from the hole. Player A then
plays his 3rd shot and finishes approximately 17 inches from the hole. Player A
holes out and makes 4 for a net 3. Player D then picks up his marker
without holing out and shakes the hands of player A. Player B says
"well played" and then explains to player C that player A had got a 4
for 3 because he had a handicap stroke.
We then go to the car park and put the clubs away and then
go ask our opponents if they would like to joins us for a drink. It was then
that player D said he was speaking to a committee member at his
home club who had told him that player A was in breach of a ruling
and should be disqualified from the hole. Player A in turn requested a
ruling from the club pro, club chairman, and a long-serving member of the club
(possibly a tour caddy but would have to confirm this) who gave different
answers to the ruling:
1. no rule break
2. a rule break but not sure of the penalty
3. possibly etiquette violation with no penalty.
As it stands the 18th hole finished with:
Player A
- 4 for 3 (with rule break query)
Player B - par
4
Player C - 5
Player D
- never holed out/finished hole
Please could you give a ruling on which team won the 18th
hole.
Here is the reply I got back from the tournament
organisers:
“Having read through both your emails and consulting with
the R&A the following decision has been made:
- The player who was asked to lift his ball should have done
so as and when asked to by his opponent(s). As a claim was made at the time of
the incident and assistance has been sourced in the correct and most
appropriate timely manner, your opponents will progress through to the next
round.
- It is not only if the ball affect the stance and swing of
another player, but if there is mental interference also then the ball may be
marked, please see rule 22.2 on the R&A website. It is clear that there was
mental interference as the ball was asked to be marked by the opposing player.”
Kind Regards,
Lou
Dear Lou,
The ruling was correct, but for the wrong reason. Please bear with me while I try
to explain.
You are disqualified from the hole for not lifting your ball
when requested to do so. Decision 22/1 explains that a player may have a ball
lifted for either physical or mental interference. You are DQ'd from the hole
for refusal to comply with a Rule (22-2) in match play [Decision 2/3].
Your partner had the lowest score on the hole (he had a 4,
and C had a 5). Player D picked up because he was looking at a putt for 4 and
you already had a 3 (4 net 3) on the hole. Here is the problem: Player D picked
up because he was given wrong information. The wrong information was that you
scored a 3, which you did not because you were DQ'd from the hole for failure
to pick up your ball upon request. When a player gives wrong information that
adversely affects his opponents (in your case, causing a player who had a
chance to halve the hole to pick up), his partner is also disqualified from the
hole [Rule 30-3f; also look at Decision 30-3f/3].
In summary, you were disqualified from the hole for not
lifting your ball at your opponent’s request. Your partner was disqualified
from the hole because you gave wrong information that caused your opponent to
pick up his ball. Instead of winning your match, you and
your partner lost the match. What a terrible disappointment this must have been.
No player can know every Rule and Decision, but I can’t
remind players often enough to carry a rulebook on the course. A quick glance
at Rule 22-2, which says that a player may have another ball lifted if he
believes it might interfere with his play, would have answered your question as
to whether you should lift your ball. The match would have been decided by your play rather than by a ruling from the
Committee.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
