Hi Linda,
During our Club Championship Stroke Play tournament the
following situation came up:
Hole 13 is a Par 3. Player A’s drive landed a few inches
from the pin, Player B’s drive struck A’s ball, moving it further from the pin.
Player C insisted that Player A not replace it to where it was because Player A
was not certain of the exact spot. Player A played the ball from where it had
been moved to; she did not replace it.
It is now three days after the tournament has closed. I have
just learned about it. Player A won our tournament by 8 strokes. We awarded the
trophy and celebrated at a luncheon.
I know in fact, Rule 18-5 says the player who’s ball was
struck MUST replace it and if they don’t they are penalized 2 strokes.
Secondly Rule 20-3c states if it is “impossible” to determine where it is to be
replaced the player is to place it as near as possible to the original
location.
My questions are – after the Tournament has closed and we
learn of this are we obliged under the Rules of Golf to go back 3 days out and
assess a penalty or do we have the option of letting the scores stand? If it is
up to our committee, we would all vote to leave it stand and make a stronger
case going forward that Rules issues must be brought to the attention of the
Committee before Tournament Close.
Also, if we were to assess the 2-stroke penalty for hole
#13, how does Rule 6d fit into that scenario? I realize Player A would not be
disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. However, I am confused about
the assessment of 2 additional strokes per hole after the breach that occurred,
only once, on Hole #13. It was not like she continued to play a wrong ball for
several holes, or continued to breach the same rule over and over. Please
advise how /if Rule 6d applies.
Thank you,
Lulu from Sun City Center, Florida
Dear Lulu,
The Committee must not impose a penalty after the close of
the competition [Rule 34-2b]. The player may keep her trophy. There are
exceptions to this Rule, but they do not apply to your situation.
If the matter had been brought to the Committee after the
scorecard was signed but before the close of the competition, the Exception to
Rule 6-6d would come into play. The player would incur the two-stroke penalty
for failure to replace her ball [Rule 18-5], and an additional two-stroke
penalty provided in the Exception to Rule 6-6d. The additional two-stroke
penalty is applied only to the hole where the breach occurred. The Committee
would add four strokes to the player’s score for the round (similar to the Lexi
Thompson ruling at the LPGA major in Hawaii in April, 2017).
A golfer who is uncertain of the correct procedure (stroke
play only) should play two balls under Rule 3-3 and report the facts to the
Committee prior to signing her scorecard. This would take all of the penalty
strokes out of consideration.
Linda
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