Linda, this question reminds me of something that
happened to me some time ago. I was playing a match and carried an approach
club as well as my putter to my ball lying some 15 feet off the green. I tossed
the putter aside and hit the chip shot to the green. My opponent then
claimed that my putter constituted an alignment aid and claimed a loss-of-hole
penalty. Actually the putter did happen to fall in a position that roughly
paralleled my line but it was strictly by chance.
Did I deserve the penalty?
Lou from St. Augustine, Florida
Dear Lou,
Absolutely not. There is no penalty without intent, unless
you actually used the putter as an alignment aid after you realized it could
help you out. It doesn't sound like you had much fun during this particular
match.
Linda
Linda, you got that right! The guy was a pure pain in
the “you know what.”
Worst part was that I lost the match.
………………………………………………………………………………...
Hi Linda. No joke. In the same vein there is a fellow in our
group who smokes cigars religiously. Sometimes on the tee he will place his
cigar what looks to be, suspiciously, pointed toward the target. Some guys have
made so many jokes about lining up his shot that he doesn't do it any more.
My question: Is he violating the rules?
Lou from Florida
Dear Lou,
If he deliberately places the cigar in such a way as to help
him align his shot, he is subject to penalty; if he carefully places his cigar
in such a way as to not forget it, there is no penalty. It's a matter of
intent. If he doesn't want to be accused of using the cigar as an alignment aid,
it should be placed somewhere out of sight (or, better yet, left at
home!).
Linda
Linda
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