Hello Linda,
I was involved in a better ball match play tournament. My
partner hit out of a bunker onto the green and while she was raking the bunker
I marked her ball. Unfortunately I placed MY ball at her marker and putted the
ball. My opponent immediately called me on it and told me it was a loss of
hole. My partner was lying 3, I was lying two, and our opponents were lying 3. I
didn't know what the ruling was so we picked up the other marker and moved to
the next hole. What is the ruling? Could I have gone over to the other marker
and putted out with a one-stroke penalty? Was it wrong information?
Thank you,
Lulu from Abington, Massachusetts
Dear Lulu,
In singles match play, when you replace your ball at the
wrong place and hit it you lose the hole [Rule 20-7b]. In a better-ball match,
the penalty does not apply to your partner; your team does not lose the hole
due to your infraction. In effect, you are disqualified from the hole. Your partner incurs a one-stroke penalty because you lifted her ball marker [Rule 18-2]. She may replace the marker and continue to play [Rule 30-3f].
Linda
Copyright © 2016 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
