Hi Linda,
The local rule that allows free relief for an embedded ball
through the green indicates that it can be put into effect if there are
“temporary conditions…”
The PGA plays this local rule every week. Of course, there
are no temporary conditions with respect to wetness or the like that are true
every week on every course that the PGA plays.
So my question is: Have PGA players decided to waive a rule
of golf?
Lou
Dear Lou,
I discussed a similar question with the USGA in the past,
Lou. I wanted to know why relief for an embedded ball through the green was not
a standard rule for everyone, since the PGA adopts that Local Rule in every
tournament.
The answer was, more or less, as follows:
Since the Local Rule for relief through the green for an
embedded ball is not automatically in effect in professional tournaments in
countries outside the United States, and the Rules of Golf are the same for
everyone, it must remain as a Local Rule.
The decision to adopt the Local Rule for embedded balls is
generally a wise one. It is unlikely that a Committee would be able to inspect
every corner, nook, and cranny of a golf course prior to a tournament. It is my
opinion that it would be unfair to the golfer to incur a penalty for
extricating a ball embedded in an area in the rough and still have the burden
of hitting the ball out of the rough on his next shot. For this reason, I
include the Local Rule for embedded balls on the hard card for the tournaments
I run for JustGolf in South Jersey.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
