Dear Linda,
My question is about Decision 28/1.
A ball in a tree. I cannot identify it. If I throw a
plastic bottle (carefully) and that ball falls down I can identify it. It
is my ball. If I proceed under 28b (flagline) or 28c (two club-lengths) I have
moved my ball at rest, which is a breach of Rule 18. If, in this case,
I would proceed under 28a (stroke and distance) after throwing the bottle,
would I still have breached Rule 18? I would think not. But if so,
why?
Kind regards,
Lou from Holland.
Dear Lou,
If you spot a ball in a tree that you suspect may be yours,
and you have no plans to play it as it lies in the tree, the safest procedure
is to announce, before trying to dislodge it, that you will proceed
under one of the relief options for an unplayable ball if it turns out to be
yours. After such an announcement, you will not incur a penalty under Rule 18-2
for moving your ball in play. Any method of dislodging the ball (short of
pulling out a chain saw) is acceptable – shake the tree, toss a water bottle,
throw a club, climb the tree, etc. If it is clear from your actions that you
will declare the ball unplayable if it turns out to be yours, there is still no
penalty for moving it. However, you will avoid arguments about your intentions
if you make them known before you attack the tree [Decision 18-2/27].
If you have not
made an announcement, and your intentions are not clear, you will incur one penalty stroke for moving your ball
in play, and an additional penalty stroke if you choose any of the relief options for an unplayable ball [Decision
18-2/28]. (An example of unclear intentions would be if you have no idea where
your ball is, you shake a tree, and the ball falls out.)
Decision 28/1 (the one you referenced at the beginning of
your question) deals with a different situation. It states that a player does
not have to go forward to identify his ball if he wants to proceed under the
first option of Rule 28 and hit another ball under stroke and distance. (The
player always has the option to
proceed under stroke and distance, regardless of the reason.) However, a player
who wishes to proceed under Rule 28b (flagline) or Rule 28c (two-club-lengths) must first identify his ball, since
it is not possible to use either of those relief options without knowing
exactly where the ball lies.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
