Hi Linda,
In the clubhouse after the day’s golf, a golfer from a group
I was not playing with asked me a question about identifying her ball in a
water hazard. The ball was sitting where the person could get a swing at it –
sitting in a dry part of the hazard. But she was not sure it was her ball and
wanted to mark it to then lift it to identify it.
I looked up Rule 12 – namely 12-2 – and it doesn’t specify
where – so I presume this rule relates to anywhere on the course. The answer to
the golfer’s question would be yes – she could mark it to identify it in a
hazard.
Is that correct?
KINDEST REGARDS,
Lulu from New Zealand
Dear Lulu,
Yes, that is correct. Excellent research, Lulu. The player
is permitted to lift her ball for identification anywhere on the golf course,
including when it lies in a water hazard. She must, however, follow a specific
procedure whenever and wherever the ball must be lifted for
identification:
• The player must announce her intention to lift the ball
for identification to her opponent (match play) or her marker or fellow
competitor (stroke play).
• The player must give her opponent, marker, or fellow
competitor the opportunity to observe the marking, lifting, and replacing.
• If the markings on the ball are obscured, she may clean it
a very little bit – only as much as necessary to be able to identify it.
If the player does not follow all or any part of the above
procedure (or she lifts the ball when there is no reason to do so), the penalty
is one stroke. For example, if she doesn’t invite an observer; or she invites
an observer but fails to mark the position of the ball; or she does not invite
an observer, doesn’t mark, and cleans the ball too much; the penalty is still
just one stroke [Rule 12-2].
Note that while the player must provide the opportunity to
observe the procedure, the potential observer (opponent, marker, or fellow
competitor) may decline that invitation and tell the player to proceed on her
own.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
