Ask Linda #110-relief from bridge over hazard

Dear Linda,
My ball was playable in a water hazard except I couldn’t swing because a bridge over the hazard was in the way. Can I get free relief?
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

There is no free relief from an immovable obstruction in a hazard [Rule 24-2b]. If your swing is blocked by the bridge, you must assess yourself a penalty stroke and proceed under one of the relief options provided in the water hazard rule [Rule 26-1].

Note that obstructions, which are man-made objects, come in two varieties – immovable, such as a bridge; and movable, such as a rake. While there is no relief in a hazard for interference from an immovable obstruction, there is free relief from a movable one [Rule 24-1].

Let’s look at the case of a retaining wall in a hazard constructed with stone. This man-made wall, by definition, would be an immovable obstruction. If your ball settles near the wall, and you are unable to swing, there is no free relief. However, suppose a chunk of stone has broken off the wall and fallen into the hazard, and your ball has settled right on or next to it. That chunk of stone would be defined as a movable obstruction; you would be entitled to move it [Decision 24/6]. Here is how you would proceed:

1. If the ball is next to the stone, you may remove the stone. If moving the stone causes your ball to move, replace the ball [Rule 24-1a].

2. If the ball is on the stone, lift the ball and remove the stone, then drop the ball as close as possible on the spot under the stone [Rule 24-1b].

Getting back to the subject of a bridge crossing a water hazard, let’s look at the case of a ball that settles on a bridge [Decision 13-4/30]. The bridge, as you now know, is an immovable obstruction. Since it crosses a hazard, it is an immovable obstruction in a hazard, from which there is no free relief. However, because it is an obstruction, you are permitted to ground your club on the bridge. While you are prohibited from touching the ground in a hazard with your club [Rule 13-4b], you may ground your club on the bridge because the bridge is above the ground!

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #109-carry rake into bunker

Hi Linda,
Could you please give me the rules regarding: Rake in the Bunker. I've heard all kinds of rules. When having to hit a ball out of the bunker, for time consideration, I pick up the rake, usually not near my ball, & bring it with me to rake as soon as I'm done hitting the ball out. Is that a rule breaker? I'm not testing the sand, just picking up the rake & taking it with me.
Thanks for your help.
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

You are permitted (perhaps a better word might be "encouraged") to bring the rake with you into the bunker and lay it down in the sand. You may not stand it upright by plunging the handle end into the sand, as that would constitute testing the condition of the bunker. If you walk through the sand with the rake, do not drag the tines through the sand or rake any of those footprints until after you hit the ball, as that would also constitute testing the condition of the bunker.

Decision 13-4/0.5 specifically gives you permission to place a rake or your clubs in the hazard. I have, on occasion, placed my entire golf bag in the hazard!

I have a blog entry explaining actions that are permitted and prohibited in a bunker. If you would like a refresher course on how to behave at the beach, visit my blog, click on the arrow to the left of 2008, click on the arrow to the left of May, and then click on Ask Linda #59-Bunker rules.

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #108-Posting ESC scores

Dear Linda,
Some of the women in our weekly league (including me) are confused about what score to post. I believe we are supposed to post something called an ESC score. Would you please explain how that works?
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

"ESC” refers to Equitable Stroke Control. If you have an unusually bad hole and exceed your ESC allowance (see the next sentence), you must lower that score before you total your score to post it. If your Course Handicap is 9 or less, the maximum number you are allowed to post for any hole is double bogey; from 10 to 19, your maximum is 7; from 20 to 29, your maximum is 8; from 30 to 39, your maximum is 9; and for 40 or more, your maximum is 10.

Here is that information in an easier-to-read format (CH is an abbreviation for Course Handicap):
CH 9 or less = double bogey max
CH 10-19 = 7 max
CH 20-29 = 8 max
CH 30-39 = 9 max
CH 40+ = 10 max

Note that Course Handicap is different from Handicap Index. Your Index includes a decimal (e.g., 19.1). Your Course Handicap is a whole number (e.g., 21).

Let's take a look at Daisy. Daisy's index is 27.5. Daisy has just played 18 holes on her home course, which has a Slope Rating of 127. Daisy's Course Handicap for this course is 31. Looking at the ESC information above, you will see that Daisy, with her 31 Course Handicap, cannot post a score for a given hole greater than 9. Let's suppose Daisy had two really bad holes, on which she scored 12 and 16. She must record those numbers (12 and 16) for the tournament of the day. No subtraction takes place until she posts her score. After she submits her score for the tournament, she must now review her score before she posts it. Both the 12 and the 16 must be reduced to 9. If her total score for the day was 112, she will subtract 10 strokes from 112 and record a score of 102 for handicap purposes (Daisy subtracts 3 from 12 to get her maximum of 9, and 7 from 16 to get 9; 3+7=10).

There are six posts on my blog that should answer most of the questions you might have about posting scores. If you would like a refresher handicap course, go to the home page of my blog. On the right side, under Blog Archive, go to the bottom of the list and click on the arrow to the left of 2008. Scroll down and click on January. The blog entries related to handicap questions are the following numbers: 7, 9, 11, 15, 32, and 34. They discuss such topics as posting winter scores, how to post an unfinished round, posting scores for match play or better ball formats, posting 9-hole scores, and which scores you are not permitted to post.

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #107-group subscription

Dear Linda,
Is there a way that we could sign up our entire ladies' golf group to receive your e-mails without putting in each address individually? Love your posts! Lulu

Dear Lulu,

I'm afraid not. The company that runs the blog site wants to be certain that everyone who signs up does so intentionally; that's why they send a confirmation e-mail after receiving a subscription request. Most companies work this way. Otherwise, people could sign their friends up to receive subscriptions they may not want. It protects everyone from unwanted e-mails, which is a good thing in my book!

If some of the ladies in your group are confused about how to sign up, you can take the first step for them. Simply visit my blog (www.lindamillergolf.blogspot.com), click on "Subscribe to Ask Linda: Golf Rules You Can Understand by E-mail" in the upper right corner, copy and paste each player's e-mail address (one at a time) on the line provided, type in the letters they ask for to prevent spam, and click on "Complete Subscription Request." You will have to notify your players to expect a confirmation e-mail from "FeedBurner E-mail Subscriptions," and tell them that they will have to click on a link in the message to activate the subscription.

Glad to hear that you are enjoying my posts and want to share them with your entire group.

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #106-How many to pair?

Linda,
I enjoy reading your emails.
I have a question about pace of play.
Our golf league plays in threesomes (and has for many years).
When there are two groups with only 2 players there, would it be better to go off as 2 twosomes, or a foursome?
Some think pace of play of a foursome is better than 2 twosomes as you can't play any faster than the group ahead of you.
But others think that the threesome or twosome behind the foursome is always waiting so they feel it slows play for everyone behind the foursome.
I would appreciate your comments on this.
Lulu

P.S. Our over 60 member league could switch to foursomes, but many gals feel that would really slow play.
Do you think it would increase the length of time it would take to play if everyone went off in foursomes instead of threesomes?

Dear Lulu,

There is no hard and fast rule to answer your question, Lulu, but I will be happy to give you my opinion based on my experiences both as a golfer and as a tournament director.

I am a fan of playing in groups of three. I think it provides for the optimum pace of play. Kudos to your golf course for allowing your sizable group to do so.

Put your small groups out in front. In other words, if you have 58 players, you will start the procession with two groups of two players each, followed by 18 groups of three players.

If you don’t know in advance exactly how many people are playing, then send everyone off in groups of three and place one or two groups of four at the end.

I agree with the gals that believe that switching to playing in groups of four would slow play, and I’m happy to see that your group is concerned about pace of play. Golf is a lot more fun for everyone when the pace is brisk.

For a list of pace of play suggestions, your group might enjoy reading my blog posting on Monday, April 14, 2008: Rules #5-Pace of Play Suggestions.

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #105A-Provisional everywhere?

Dear Linda,
Can you hit a provisional from other than the tee box, as long as you say provisional?????
Thanks,
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

Yes. You may hit a provisional ball any time from any place for any ball that may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds. Note that you may not hit a provisional when you are certain your ball has entered a water hazard; if that is the case, you must choose one of the relief options in Rule 26-1, Relief for Ball in Water Hazard [see Ask Linda #12-relief from water hazards, posted on January 14, 2008].

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #105-Who won the hole?

Dear Linda,
I am very pleased that my question got so much attention [Ask Linda #104 and 104A] and thank you for your detailed explanation, but the examples you give lead me to my next question:
Playing in a team match my opponent hits her tee shot and after looking for her ball could not find it.
She went back to the tee box to hit another ball. When she got to her second ball she found also her first ball.
She hit her first ball and won the hole. Playing the next hole I realized that she played the wrong ball and should have lost the hole.
Although the hole was finished and we were already on the next hole, could I still have called her on playing the wrong ball?
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

In the situation you describe, both you and your opponent were cognizant of the facts. Your opponent was apparently unaware that she was not permitted to play her original ball once she returned to the tee and hit another ball; you were uncertain as to whether she was entitled to play her original ball, but you did not question her procedure until play had already begun on the ensuing hole.

The window of opportunity to file a claim ends once anyone tees off on the next hole. A late claim can be considered only if the facts of the situation were unknown to you and your opponent gave you wrong information [Rule 2-5]. These conditions did not exist in your episode. Had you filed a claim on the spot, the Committee would have awarded the hole to you; your opponent would have lost the hole because she hit a wrong ball [Definition of Wrong Ball and Rule 14-3/a].

The examples I provided in Ask Linda #104A all involved situations where the facts were unknown to one or both players, or the information provided was incorrect and it impacted on the players’ understanding of the result of the hole. Those conditions permit a later claim.

If you don’t mind, Lulu, I’m going to use your question as a springboard to a quick review of the proper use of a provisional ball. When a player hits his original ball from the tee, if there is any doubt in his mind that he will find it, he should play a second ball from the tee before going forward to search for his ball. He must state that the second ball is a “provisional.” (I cannot emphasize enough that he should also explain how the provisional ball differs from the original, e.g., different number, marking, or brand. If he doesn’t tell you, you should ask!) If he hits a second ball from the tee and does not call it a provisional, then that second ball is now his official ball in play, and it counts as his third stroke on that hole; the original ball is now deemed to be a lost ball, regardless of whether he later finds it.

If a player hits only one tee shot, goes forward to look for it, and does not find it, he may not say: “I’m returning to the tee to hit a provisional.” The option to hit a provisional is lost once you go forward to search. The thing to remember here is that the purpose of a provisional ball is to save time. If you cannot find your original, the provisional gives you another ball to play without the long return trip to the tee.

Let’s say a player hits a tee shot and a proper provisional ball. He goes forward to search and finds both balls. The original ball is ensnared in a briar patch and is unplayable; the provisional ball is out in the open. May he play the provisional ball? The answer is a resounding “No!” Remember that when you hit a provisional it is a “just-in-case-you-don’t-find-your-original” ball. If the original ball is found, you must abandon the provisional. If the original is unplayable, you will now have to proceed under the options in Rule 28, Ball Unplayable [see Rules #3-Relief Options, Part II: Unplayable Ball, posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008].

Suppose a player “tops” his provisional off the tee. He will now continue hitting the provisional ball until he reaches the area where his original ball is likely to be. Once there, his next step is to stop hitting the provisional and search for the original ball. (Note that the five-minute limit on searching for a ball begins now.) If the ball is not found (or is found after the five minutes have expired), the player must continue with the provisional ball under penalty of stroke and distance (which means add the stroke with the original ball plus one penalty stroke to the score for the hole). If the player searches for only two minutes before he gives up and hits his provisional ball, he may not hit his original ball even if it is found one minute later. Once you hit a provisional from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from any spot closer to the hole than that place, the provisional becomes the ball in play. All of this information about lost and provisional balls may be found in Rule 27.

Advice: During a match, if you are uncertain whether your opponent is proceeding within the rules, or you and your opponent disagree regarding proper procedure, always make an immediate claim. And even if the claim never gets filed (perhaps you won the match 5 up with 4 to play thereby rendering the disputed result of one hole irrelevant), take the time to find out what the correct ruling would have been and share your newfound knowledge with your friends. A new rule understood today may save you a lost hole tomorrow!

Linda

Copyright © 2009 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.