My answers to Lulu’s
questions appear under each question.
1. Picking up a marked golf ball. When a 2nd player asks a
player to mark her ball (not on the green), is the ball to be picked up by 2
fingers and not cleaned or rotated, and then replacing as near as possible to
the previous lie?
Answer:
• Through the green, a ball that is lifted because it either
assists or interferes with play may not be cleaned [Rule 22]. Lifting the ball
with two fingers is a good technique to assure that the Rule has not been
breached.
• There is no prohibition against rotating the ball when it
is replaced.
• Unless the lie has been altered, the ball must be replaced
on the spot from which it was lifted
[Rule 20-3a].
2. At the green ready to chip. If you notice sand on the 1st
cut as well as the green, can the player remove the sand from the 1st cut?
Answer:
No. Sand is a loose impediment on the putting green, but not
elsewhere [Definition of “Loose Impediments”]. The penalty for brushing sand
off the fringe is two strokes (loss of hole in match play) for a breach of Rule
13-2.
3. Burrowing animal hole. If your ball lands on the hole,
you get relief, no penalty. How to handle the situation if your ball lands on
the mound of dirt?? Is there a penalty if you want to move your ball off of the
dirt?
Answer:
A mound made by a burrowing animal is an abnormal ground
condition. The player is entitled to relief under Rule 25-1b.
Linda
Copyright
© 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
