Linda,
In match play:
When playing a dogleg right, player A's tee shot lands to
the left side of the fairway with a direct line to the green. Player B's tee
lands at the base of tall trees on the right side of the fairway along which
are also houses. B is completely blocked from the green and must hit at least
60 meters to clear the dogleg, trees and houses. But B is closest to the hole
as a bird flies.
Player A insists that player B hit first arguing that
because B is completely blocked and prevented from hitting directly to the
green, B must follow the course and is thus "farthest from the hole"
in play.
B hits first but claims A is in error.
B won the match by 4 holes.
B no longer speaks to A.
Sincerely,
Lou from Barcelona, Spain
Dear Lou,
I can think of a number of reasons not to talk to someone,
but a disagreement over whose ball is farthest from the hole is not one of
them!
This is match play. As long as the players finally agree
whose turn it is to hit, play should proceed. Even if they are wrong regarding
whose ball is farthest from the hole, not only is there no penalty for playing
out of order, but the stroke cannot be recalled because the players agreed on
whose turn it was to play. I am flabbergasted that such a minor disagreement
would mushroom into such a contretemps.
For the record, farthest from the hole is as the crow flies
(meaning a direct line from the ball to the hole). It was A’s turn to play.
Linda
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