Linda,
If your opponent has a partner who answers the phone on a hole during a match play tournament,
do both lose the hole or is only the person who answers the phone out of the
hole?
Regards,
Lou from Bangalore,
India
Dear Lou,
Use of a cell phone
is an etiquette issue. The Rules of Golf do not prohibit the use of a cell
phone. What they say is: “Players should ensure that any electronic device
taken onto the course does not distract other players” [Etiquette:
Consideration for Other Players].
While the Committee
may prohibit cell phone use as a Condition of the Competition, it may not adopt
a Local Rule that assesses a loss-of-hole penalty (or a one- or two-stroke
penalty in stroke play) for a violation of that Condition [Decision 33-8/6].
If a player’s use of
a cell phone distracts his opponent, he should be warned against further use.
If the Committee decides that there has been a serious breach of etiquette, it
has the option to disqualify the player under Rule 33-7. I would hope that this
problem could be resolved more amicably.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
