Ask Linda #1181-Place clubs in bunker

Linda,

Great columns – thank you! 

What is the penalty if your golf bag accidentally tips into or rolls into a sand bunker? My bag recently rolled into the bunker a long way behind where my ball was. Is it a penalty for every club in the bag or 1 penalty? 

And then another question- can one take a club into a sand bunker and put it down (say you've taken 2 clubs into the bunker to decide which one to use) without penalty? 

Many thanks,

Lulu from Cape Town, South Africa

Dear Lulu,

Question #1:

Provided your lie, area of intended stance or swing, or line of play have not been improved [Rule 13-2], and the ball has not been moved [Rule 18-2a], there is no penalty if your bag tips or rolls into a bunker. In the situation you describe, you did not incur a penalty.

Question #2:

You may place any number of clubs in a bunker. In fact, you may carry your entire bag into the bunker with you and park it in the sand [Rule 13-4, Exception 1]. Placing your clubs in the bunker does not constitute “testing the condition of the hazard” [Decision 13-4/0.5].

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1180-Offer an alternate ball to the crow

Hi Linda,

We had an unusual incident, in a competition, at our golf course recently and I wonder if you could advise whether or not a penalty is appropriate.

We have had a problem with crows taking golf balls and they have a distinct preference for brightly colored balls.

My playing partner, seeing a crow was about to take his (white) ball, took a fluorescent green ball from his bag and hit it towards the crow with his 7-iron. The crow duly took the colored ball and left his white ball in place. Obviously if the crow was observed taking his original (white) ball he would have been able to replace it without penalty.

Does his action in hitting another ball require a penalty?

Thanks,

Lou from Sydney, Australia

Dear Lou,

I think not. While Rule 7-2 prohibits a practice stroke during the play of a hole, I would be hard-pressed to consider the action you describe a “practice stroke.”

Nevertheless, there is no Decision addressing this situation. You might want to consult the R&A for an official ruling. If you do, please let me know what you learn, so that I can share the answer with all my readers.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1179-Place ball on worm cast

Hi Linda,

We have now introduced “winter rules.” Mark, lift, clean and place within 6 inches.

In a friendly four-ball one of our group placed his ball on a convenient worm cast that effectively teed his ball up. We joked about it at the time, but in the bar afterwards others suggested that this was not on!

I have checked the rules and decisions book but cannot see anything that rules it out, although it does feel wrong.

Can you advise please?

Thanks,

Lou from London

Dear Lou,

“Winter Rules” (or “Preferred Lies”) allow players to lift, clean, and place a ball within a distance specified by the Committee (six inches, in your case), when the ball lies on a closely mown area. You may not place the ball closer to the hole, and you may not place it in a hazard or on a putting green. Those are your only restrictions regarding location [Appendix I, Part B, #4c].

There is nothing to prevent a player from placing his ball on a worm cast, but beware: A player is only allowed to place his ball once. If the ball comes to rest (meaning “stays put”), and subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies (meaning from its new spot). A player who places his ball on an elevated spot (such as a worm cast or a small tuft of grass) runs two risks that I can think of: the ball might roll off the spot into a difficult lie (e.g., the worm cast or the tuft of grass is now behind his ball), or it might move when the player addresses the ball (one-stroke penalty and replace the ball). Choose your spot with care.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1178-Carry a training club during round

Hi Linda,

Please could you help me with this?

I regularly play with a guy who 'knows' all the rules and can be painful at times, but he's mostly spot on when discussing the rules. However, I noticed the other day he carries a training club around with him to warm up before he starts the round but then takes it with him. This club exceeds the permitted fourteen.

I understand it's only a training club, but is this permitted?

Many thanks 

Lou from Sydney, Australia

Dear Lou,

No. A player is not permitted to carry a training club in addition to his 14 clubs. He would be penalized under Rule 4-4 for carrying an extra club [Decision 4-4a/7].

The player may carry a training club if he has less than 14 clubs in his bag, provided the club conforms to Rule 4-1. He may warm up with the club prior to his round, but he may not swing it during his round. If he does, the penalty is disqualification for a breach of Rule 14-3 [Decision 14-3/10]. Please be aware that the penalty will change in 2016. The first breach will be a two-stroke penalty; a subsequent breach will result in disqualification.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1177-Relief from guy wire

Linda, we have a 50' protective fence inside the boundary fence (stops slicers’ balls going into the road or towards houses) that angles in toward the hole at 30º. My question regards the immovable guy wire that extends from the top of the last post of the fence to the ground. If you are behind this guy wire and it is in line with a shot to the flag but does not impede swing or stance…any free relief? Choices…hook or fade around obstruction or take unplayable lie at cost of one stroke. Does a safety issue ever warrant relief? If hit in straight line with proper trajectory the ball could ricochet and return to golfer’s noggin.
Thanks.

Lou

Dear Lou,

Guy wires supporting a protective fence that extend onto the golf course are obstructions [Decision 24/2]. A player is entitled to relief if the wires interfere with his stance or the area of his intended swing. There is no free relief from an immovable obstruction on the line of play [Rule 24-2a]. If the player is concerned about a ricochet, he might want to aim his shot away from the problem or wear a hard hat.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1176x-Leaf Rule

Dear Linda:

   When can a LEAF RULE come into PLAY – before a hole starts, or after a ball is LOST?

  My partner lost a ball and he said he could take a drop where he thought it would have STOPPED.

I said the LEAF RULE should start on the FIRST TEE!

   What is the rule, if there is one?

Lou from Wildwood, New Jersey

Dear Lou,

Dear Lou,

Curiously enough, there is a leaf rule. If there are temporary accumulations of leaves on the course, the Committee may adopt a Local Rule declaring such accumulations ground under repair. The Rule should be limited to those particular holes where trouble is known to exist [Decision 33-8/31].

If this Local Rule is in effect, players are entitled to free relief under Rule 25-1. Note in particular that in order to claim that a ball that is not found is actually lost in the leaves, there must be knowledge or virtual certainty that the ball entered the pile of leaves [Rule 25-1c]. Without such knowledge or certainty, the ball must be treated as lost.

Addressing your specific questions…

1. If the Committee has adopted the “leaf rule,” it is in effect for your entire round.

2. The player does not drop the ball where he estimates it might have stopped. If he finds the ball, he drops it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief that is no closer to the hole. If he does not find it, his point of reference for dropping is the point where the ball last crossed the outer limits of the accumulation of leaves. If the leaves are in a bunker, free relief requires a drop in the bunker. [Rule 25-1b (ii) explains how to find relief from GUR in a bunker].

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.