Good morning, Linda.
Trust you are well.
An interesting situation occurred during my match play
competition yesterday and would like to seek your opinion.
Scenario:
I was playing a match play competition at my local golf
club.
Two other players joined us to play a recreational round of
golf.
My opponent and myself were sharing a buggy and the
recreational golfers also had a buggy.
After completing playing the 7th hole the
recreational golfer claimed that he had left 3 clubs behind on Hole number 6.
I teed off on Hole 8 and as I was replacing my driver in my
bag I noticed that the recreational golfer’s 3 clubs were in my bag on our
buggy.
I told him so and returned the clubs to him.
I did not put the recreational golfer’s clubs in my bag and
we were unable to establish how the clubs landed in my bag.
My opponent claimed that I had 3 extra clubs in my bag for
all of Hole 7 and therefore I had lost the hole.
Is this a correct ruling?
Thank you for your answer.
Best regards
Lou from Dubai
Dear Lou,
No penalty.
You started your round with no more than 14 clubs. The three
clubs belonging to the recreational golfer were accidentally placed in your bag
during the round. You did not use those clubs. You do not incur a penalty and
you may return the clubs to their rightful owner [Decision 4-4a/5.5].
The ruling is the same for both match and stroke play, and
would not change if the recreational golfers had been participants in the
competition.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
