Linda,
I have a supplementary question about marking and lifting
balls on the green in match play.
I am typing here an extract from one of your earlier
answers.
…in match play, there
may be some strategy involved in not asking a player to mark and lift their
ball on the green. Suppose, for example, that you have a downhill putt, and
your opponent’s ball is lying behind the hole where it could serve as a
backstop for your ball if you putt it too hard. The Rules state that you may
lift your ball if you think it might assist another player (Rule 22-1). Note
that there is a world of difference between “may” and “must.” If your opponent
is showing no inclination to mark and lift their ball, take advantage of the
situation and go ahead and putt.
The question is may your partner in four-ball match play
deliberately leave their ball in place to assist you?
Many thanks as ever,
Lou from West Wickham, England
Dear Lou,
Yes, but it’s a foolish opponent who notices that your ball
is in position to assist your partner and doesn’t tell you to mark and lift
your ball. He has that right under Rule 22-1b, and he should exercise it.
If your opponent asks you to lift a ball that might assist
your partner and you refuse to do so, both you and your partner are
disqualified from the hole [Decision 30-3f/11].
The ruling is not the same in stroke play, where competitors
who agree to not lift a ball that might assist any competitor are disqualified
from the competition.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
