Friday, October 24, 2014

Ask Linda #938-Clean ball that interferes

Hi Linda,
If you are requested to mark a ball that is not on the green but hinders another player, are you allowed to clean your ball or must it remain dirty & be replaced as is?

Many Thanks,
Lulu from Papua New Guinea

Dear Lulu,

You may not clean a ball that you have been asked to lift because it interferes with someone else’s play, unless it is on the green [Rule 22-2]. The penalty for cleaning it is one stroke.

The same holds true for a ball that is lifted because it may assist play [Rule 22-1].

After you mark the ball, lift it carefully and keep it in plain sight. You may be subject to penalty if you toss it to a caddie or drop it in your pocket, since such actions are likely to clean the ball to some extent.

When you replace the ball, if there happens to be a piece of mud adhering to the ball, you may place the ball so that the mud is facing away from your club head. You may not replace a muddy ball with the mud underneath the ball, in effect teeing the ball up on the mud [Decision 21/5].

Linda
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