Ask Linda #1029-Rake footprints in bunker

Dear Linda

My ball was in a bunker - way ahead of it, in the bunker, where my ball might land if I fluffed it, were the deep imprints left by last night's rhinoceros wrestling championships. Or whatever, it was really ugly.  I used the rake as a bulldozer and prettified the area before taking my stroke and amazing my companions (and myself) with my brilliant bunker shot. 

Was it OK to do this, or should I go down the garden and eat worms? 

Your admirer,

Lou from England

Dear Lou,

You are not permitted to improve your line of play by raking the sand in front of your ball in the bunker [Rule 13-2]. The penalty is two strokes (loss of hole in match play). Eating worms is optional.

You are permitted to smooth sand in a bunker prior to making a stroke, provided your only reason for doing so is to care for the course and the raking does not breach Rule 13-2 for your next stroke [Rule 13-4, Exception 2]. What this means, basically, is you may not rake the area where you will stand or swing, or your line of play. However, if you have to retrieve a rake from another part of the bunker, and your exit from the bunker will not retrace those steps, you may (and should) rake them.

Please remember that any raking prior to your shot must be solely for the purpose of caring for the course. If a player is constantly raking footprints prior to his bunker shots, suspicion that he is trying to gain knowledge about the condition of the bunker would be reasonable, and the player would incur a two-stroke penalty under Rule 13-4 for testing the condition of the hazard [Decision 13-4/9].

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1028-Advice about the wind

Hi Linda,

Is information about the wind (it's a helping wind, it's blowing left to right, etc.) the type of advice that cannot be given or asked? It does affect club selection, but I don't see it specifically mentioned in the rules.

Thanks for your help!

Best regards,

Lulu from New York and Florida

Dear Lulu,

“Advice” is defined as “any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke.”

Telling another player that “it’s a helping wind,” or “it’s blowing left to right,” or asking another player which direction the wind is blowing, is clearly advice. The penalty is two strokes (loss of hole in match play).

Be aware that the penalty is assessed to the player who asks for advice, or the player who gives advice, or both players if one asks and the other answers. The correct answer to “Which way is the wind blowing?” is: “You have incurred a two-stroke penalty for asking for advice. If I answer, I will incur the same penalty.”

If you enjoy chatting with your fellow competitors, it’s best to talk about the children, the local sports team, or the latest episode of Game of Thrones.  

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1027-Ball in animal hole

Linda, never seen this one before or heard of it happening:

A friend of mine hits a ball that runs up a tree and drops back down in the rough (extra info). We know exactly where it was suppose to be, but can't find it for a minute until we notice it is lying in a hole that is about four inches deep and three inches wide. We grant him relief.

The question:

I realize all holes made by animals are now a free drop,  but how do I tell if a limb fell from the tree sometime before and made this hole (or some other non-animal reason), or whether it was actually caused by an animal?

Second scenario: Is a man considered to be an animal? If someone slams the iron into the soil and creates a hole and then doesn't repair such, what is the call when finding your ball in such?

Thanks,

Lou from Georgia

Dear Lou,

A hole made by a burrowing animal should be recognizable. In my experience, it is smooth, fairly regular in shape, and beveled at the opening. It should not be difficult to differentiate a gouge made by a falling tree limb from an entrance into an animal burrow.

Man is an animal, but he is not a burrowing animal. There is no relief if your ball lands in a depression made by an angry, inconsiderate golfer. Someone in his group should have asked him to repair the damage, or repaired it himself if he feared mentioning it.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1026-Practice putting during round

Linda, during a match, am I allowed to practice putting on the green on which I have just holed out? If so, do the same rules apply to match play and stroke play?

Lou from Warrington, England

Dear Lou,

Yes to both questions.

Between the play of two holes you are permitted to practice putting or chipping on or near (1) the putting green of the hole you last played, (2) the practice putting green (assuming it is nearby), and (3) the teeing ground of the next hole. You are NOT permitted to take any practice strokes in a hazard, nor may you practice if it will delay anyone’s play. The rule is the same in both match play and stroke play (Rule 7-2).

HOWEVER (sorry, but there always seems to be a “however” built into the rules), the Committee in charge of the competition has the right to prohibit practicing putting on the green of the hole last played (most professional golf tournaments impose this restriction). When you receive your rules sheet for the tournament, please read it carefully to see if the Committee included a rule to prohibit practice putting.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1025-Hold flagstick while putting

Hi Linda,

I recently played in a Stableford competition and we had a rulings debate, which I hope you could help me with. I was in the rough by the edge of the green whilst all my playing partners were on the green with their balls marked. I chipped to within a cm of the hole and waited for the ball to drop. It didn't, so I proceeded to get my putter out and walk to tap in my ball. All my playing partners were at the other end of the green so I pulled the flag from the cup and held it in my left hand whilst I tapped my putt in using my right hand. I was then told by my playing partner that I would have no return on that hole as I was using the flagstick to aid my stroke. Can you tell me if this was the correct ruling or not, as I have never heard this before but didn't count the hole anyway just in case he was correct?

Regards,

Lou from Nottinghamshire, UK

Dear Lou,

The ruling was incorrect, Lou. A player is permitted to hold the flagstick in one hand while putting with the other hand, provided the flagstick is completely out of the hole and the ball does not hit the flagstick [Decision 17-1/5].

However, if you rested the flagstick on the green and used it to steady yourself, you would be disqualified under Rule 14-3 for using the flagstick in an unusual manner to assist you in making your stroke.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda #1024-No current handicap

Dear Linda,

Thanks for your help on this. I've looked for an answer to no avail.

Should a golfer be permitted to play in a club handicap tournament when they have not posted a score since 2011? We don't have anything in writing at our club, and don't know if we should make an issue of this. The golfer certainly has played often since 2011 and simply doesn't post his scores.

Thanks,

Lulu, looking for equity in Connecticut

Dear Lulu,

A player who does not post scores is not entitled to a handicap. If you want to allow her to compete in your club tournaments, she should compete at scratch (no handicap). Unless she has played no rounds since 2011 (clearly not the case), her Handicap Index is no longer valid.

Linda

Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.