Dear Linda,
Thank you for all your research and advice. In our club there is an ongoing debate on the following.
A player putts his ball from the putting green, it rolls gently on line for the hole and suddenly a gust of wind blows some leaves into the path of the ball causing it to divert and finish some six inches from the hole. The player is just a little annoyed, goes forward and taps his ball into the hole for a par. We had treated his misfortune as a rub of the green.
However, recently the player referred to this incident in the clubhouse. This time another member gave a different interpretation of the Rules. He said under Rule 11.1b, Exception 2, the player had incurred a number of penalties. The first penalty because the player had no option other than replacing his ball and putting again (no penalty). Secondly, the player by tapping the ball into the hole had incurred a further penalty for playing from a wrong place. Thirdly he added that because the player had not rectified the situation before teeing off on the next hole he should have been disqualified. (Being a Stableford competition, disqualification would have meant zero points for that hole).
Our difficulty is as follows.
Rule 11.1b. “If a player’s ball in motion accidentally hits any person or OUTSIDE INFLUENCE the ball must be played as it lies, except in two situations:
Exception 2 – When ball played from putting green accidentally hits any person, animal or MOVABLE OBSTRUCTION (including another ball in motion) on putting green: The stroke does not count and the original ball or another ball must be replaced on its original spot, etc.
Our interpretation is that a leaf/leaves blowing across the putting green are loose impediments, not movable obstructions, so Exception 2 does not apply. Our dissenting member retains the view that Exception 2 applies.
Your advice would be most welcome.
Lou from Dublin, Ireland
Dear Lou,
The player proceeded correctly when he tapped the ball into the hole and recorded par for the hole.
This represents a change from the pre-2019 ruling that required a replay if an outside agency (now called an outside influence with an expanded definition) moved a ball in motion after a stroke on the putting green. (For my rules scholars, this was Decision 19-1/3.)
The current applicable Rule, as you suggest, is Exception 2 to Rule 11.1b. A stroke from on the putting green that is diverted from its path by blowing leaves must be played as it lies. Exception 2 requires a replay for accidental movement by a person, animal, or movable obstruction. Blowing leaves, being a natural force, do not fall into any of these categories; they are not included in this Exception.
Note that the term “rub of the green” is no longer an official golf term, much to my regret.
Linda
Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
