Hi Linda,
During a placement after two drops from a water hazard, when
is the ball in play and not able to be re-touched?
I was asked recently, well actually told, that a player
could replace, as many times as he likes, a ball to be placed, and only when he
had removed his tee pegs, indicating two club lengths, was the ball in play. I
disagreed.
Regards,
Lou from New Zealand
Dear Lou,
You were right to disagree. I assume you are placing the
ball because your drop and re-drop rolled into a position not permitted under
Rule 20-2c. When you place a ball, it is in play as soon as it comes to rest on
the spot where you place it. In other words, once you remove your hand, and the
ball is at rest, it is in play. At that point, if you pick the ball up and
reposition it you will be penalized one stroke for lifting your ball in play,
and two strokes if you don’t replace it before you hit it [Rule 18-2a].
If the ball moves after it has come to rest, you must play
the ball from its new location (no penalty). Pay attention to where you place
the ball – if you balance it on a small tuft of grass, and the ball
subsequently rolls off its perch, your lie may be noticeably worse, and you
will have to play it as it lies [Rule 20-3d].
The only time you will get another opportunity to touch the
ball is if it fails to come to rest after two tries to place it on the correct spot. At that point you will have to place the ball on the nearest spot
that is no closer to the hole and not in a hazard where it will remain at rest.
Assuming the ball stays put, the Rule is one placement per
customer. The presence or absence of tees is irrelevant.
Linda
Copyright © 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
