Linda:
In a partner match play competition, A hits her ball into a
large tree branch that was broken but still attached to the tree. It was my
belief that she would have to proceed under Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable). As there
was no referee, A called the Pro Shop who gave her incorrect information and
told her she gets a free drop no closer to the hole. As it turns out, A and B
lost the hole.
It is my understanding of the Rules we could have advised A
and B that we were going to submit a claim prior to going to the next tee if
the result of the hole would have been different. Then what happens? If they had
won the hole, would it be reversed?
A Pro did come out on the course a couple of holes later advising
the ruling they gave us was incorrect.
Lulu from Palm Desert, California
Dear Lulu,
Let’s address the broken branch issue first. If a branch is
still attached to a tree, it is not a loose impediment. The player may not move
it. If she cannot hit her ball, she may deem it unplayable and proceed under
one of the relief options in Rule 28, all of which include a one-stroke
penalty. Moving the branch would be a breach of Rule 13-2, since the player’s
lie and the area of her intended swing would be improved. Moving the ball and
playing it from a new location would be a breach of Rule 18-2. Either violation
would result in the player (Player A) being disqualified from the hole in match play. Her partner's score (Player B) would count for the hole.
If the match is supervised by a referee (which yours was
not), and the referee mistakenly authorizes the player to take free relief, the
player is absolved of any penalty. In this case, if the player’s opponent (you)
disagrees with the ruling, she may not
request that the Committee review the matter unless the referee consents [Decisions 34-2/2 and 34-2/4].
No referee accompanied your match. You are certainly
within your rights to file a claim before anyone tees off on the next hole if you disagree with the (incorrect) answer from the pro
shop. The Committee would review and uphold your claim.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
