Linda,
When trying to identify your golf ball is it permissible to
rotate your golf ball rather than lift the golf ball (assuming that you have
followed all the other procedures laid down in Rule 12-2 correctly)?
When taking relief for an embedded ball under Rule 25-2 is
it permissible to roll your ball out of the pitch mark rather than lifting and
cleaning (again assuming that all the other procedures are followed correctly)?
I have always dropped the ball but some of my fellow
competitors roll/rotate the ball. I assume that this was the procedure in
earlier editions of the rules book as I cannot find any reference to this in
the 2012-2015 edition of the rules.
Thanks,
Lou from the United Kingdom
Dear Lou,
You are not permitted to roll your golf ball in either
situation.
When you need to identify your ball, you must notify your
opponent or fellow competitor, mark the position of the ball, lift and identify
it, and replace it. You may touch or rotate the ball to identify it, provided
it has been marked first. You may not clean the ball any more than necessary to
identify it. The entire process must be observed [Rule 12-2 and Decision 12-2/2].
Embedded balls in closely mown areas through the green may
be lifted, cleaned, and dropped as
near to the spot where the ball was embedded, no closer to the hole. The
penalty for a breach of the Rule is two strokes (loss of hole in match play).
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
