Hi Linda,
This question has a few
parts:
1. If you are off the
green:
a. Can you move twigs, leaves, stones in your line that are on
the green?
b. Can you move sand on the green?
c. Can you repair a pitch mark off the
green?
d. Can you repair a pitch mark on the green?
2. If you are on the
green, can you brush sand out of the way?
Thanks,
Lou from Australia
Dear Lou,
1a: Yes. Twigs, leaves, and
stones are loose impediments. You are entitled to remove loose impediments
except when your ball and the loose impediments lie in the same hazard [Rule
23-1].
1b: Yes. Sand is defined as
a loose impediment when it lies on the putting green [Definition of “Loose
Impediments”]. If the sand lies off the green, you will incur a two-stroke
penalty in stroke play (loss of hole in match play) if you brush away the sand
[Rule 13-2]. The only time you may brush away sand that is off the green is
when the sand arrived after your ball came to rest. This might happen if your
ball lies near a bunker and another player’s shot from the bunker deposits
sands on or around your ball. You are entitled to the lie you had when your
ball came to rest.
1c: Sometimes. If the pitch
mark was there when your ball arrived, you may not repair it. If the pitch mark
is made by another player’s ball after your ball comes to rest, you may repair
it. You are entitled to the line of play you had when your ball came to rest.
1d: Yes [Rule 16-1c].
2. Yes. Sand is a loose
impediment when it is on the green. You may brush it away, regardless of
whether your ball lies on or off the green.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda
Miller. All rights reserved.
