Hi Linda,
In a stroke play (medal competition, not Stableford) today
my friend was disqualified. We are confused at to whether she should have been.
She has only played Stableford before, so thinking on the
fifth hole that she had played too many strokes to score she picked up her ball
on the green. They told her that she couldn't do that. She replaced it and
finished the hole. They then said she had a two-stroke penalty and that she had
to be disqualified.
I have been trying to find the rule that would apply but
cannot. The only one I read about it was Rule 1-2 which says a one-shot penalty
and only disqualification if she was trying to gain an advantage.
Please could you confirm what should have happened in this
situation?
Thank you,
Lulu from the UK
Dear Lulu,
When a player lifts her ball in play, she incurs a
one-stroke penalty and must replace the ball [Rule 18-2a]. The player in your
scenario lifted her ball (due to confusion about the format), replaced it as
properly instructed, and completed the hole. She should have been assessed a
one-stroke penalty and should not have been disqualified.
Linda
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