Hi Linda;
It has been a while. I hope all is well.
What is Player B entitled to, if anything, when Players A
and B hit their balls so close to each other on the fairway (or elsewhere for
that matter) that after Player A makes his stroke Player B’s stance in now on Player
A’s replaced or sanded divot?
Looking forward to your reply.
Lou from Mississauga, Ontario
Dear Lou,
Player B is entitled to repair the divot, but there is no
other relief. If Player A’s shot had altered B’s lie, B would be
entitled to restore his lie under Rule 20-3b. Filling a divot hole with sand or
replacing the divot, which amounts to “restoring the stance," is akin to
"restoring the lie.” Ordinarily, a player would not be permitted to repair
a divot that interferes with his stance before hitting his shot. The exception
permitting repair in this situation is because the player is entitled to the
conditions he had when his ball arrived.
Linda
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