Dear Linda,
Rule 8.2a states in part: “Except on the putting green,
a player may have the line of play indicated to him by anyone, but no one may
be positioned by the player on or close to the line or an extension of the line
beyond the hole while the stroke is being made.”
The part of this rule that confuses me is “a player may have
the line of play indicated to him by anyone....”
Can you please help to clarify by giving an example of
indicating the line of play through the green to a fellow-competitor that
doesn't cross the line as far as giving advice?
Thanks,
Lulu from Texas
Dear Lulu,
A player is permitted to give information about the Rules,
distance, or matters of public information [Definition of “Advice”]. You may
tell your fellow competitor or opponent such things as the distance from her
ball to a dogleg, the distance to a hazard or to carry a hazard, the location
of the flagstick, the existence of a hidden bunker behind the putting green.
In indicating the line of play, you may tell another player
that the hole doglegs to the left, or that there is a hazard that crosses the
fairway over a hill that is 150 yards from her ball.
You may not
suggest a particular club, or recommend that she hit a 70-yard pitch to the
third evergreen on the right for the best angle to the green. You may not tell her what club you generally
use, or what club you just used. She may not
ask you what club you used, nor whether you think she should lay up or try to
carry a hazard. If she looks into your bag to try to figure out what club you
hit, there is no penalty unless you covered your clubs and she lifts the cover
to take a peek.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
