I wonder if you could help with this question re: an
incident in today's match.
A friend put the ball on the green for three and a crow
swooped down and gently nudged the ball towards the hole. We all tried to scare
the bird away but eventually the crow put the ball in the hole!
We all agreed that the shot should count, and my friend was
rewarded with a “birdie,” but in the club house this question was raised: If
the crow had taken the ball away, then a replacement ball would have to be
returned to the spot where the ball was last at rest.
The player suggested this should have occurred in this
situation and the birdie should not have counted. Your thoughts please, Linda.
Regards,
Lou from Sydney, Australia
Dear Lou,
The crow is an outside agency. When a ball at rest is moved
by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced [Rule
18-1]. Regardless of whether the ball was moved by a bird, a dog, an elephant,
or a spectator, the ball must be replaced. If the ball cannot be recovered, the
player is entitled to substitute another ball, assuming it is certain the
“stolen” ball was his.
Linda
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