Hi Linda,
Here is one for you.
At this time of the year, the foxes on our course catch and
bury mice in the bunkers.
A few days ago a fellow competitor’s ball came to rest in
the bunker leaning against a dead mouse.
In our rules deliberations we argued that either (a) it was
a loose impediment and could not be moved, or (b) as the first principal of the
rules of golf is “safety,” the player was permitted to remove the dead mouse
with no penalty.
We proceeded under (b).
Were we correct?
Thank you.
Lou from Toronto, Canada
Dear Lou,
In what respect is a dead mouse a safety issue?
Sorry, Lou. No relief from a dead mouse in a bunker. Dead
animals are loose impediments. You may not remove them from a bunker when your
ball lies in the same bunker. If you’re squeamish, declare the ball unplayable
and proceed under Rule 28 – a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable ball would
be less painful than a two-stroke penalty for removing a loose impediment from a
bunker.
After you hit your ball out of the bunker, please consider
removing the dead rodents as a courtesy to following players.
Linda
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