Ask Linda 1966-Ball interferes with another player’s ball

Dear Linda, 

I was playing yesterday in my Monday league on our regular play day. At one point my ball, on the fringe around green, infringed on another player’s ball and stroke (also on the fringe). I marked my ball and picked it up. I believe I automatically put it in my pocket. One of the other players suggested that I needed to pick ball up between thumb and forefinger and hold it that way while the other played her stroke (our team has experienced this issue in Team/match play also). I know it needs to be replaced as it was before lifting and marking and I did not clean it. She indicated it is a one-stroke penalty for not lifting ball with the two digits. I suppose the two-digit lift is designed to assure it is not “cleaned” by a pocket or the hand if palmed. Is there a proper way to lift and hold the ball while the other player completes her stroke that receives a penalty if not done correctly? I see no reference to the two-digit pick-up in the rules.

Thank you, 

Lulu from California

Dear Lulu,

You are not permitted to clean your ball when another player requires you to mark and lift your ball because it might interfere with her play [Rule 15.3b(2)]. If you clean your ball, the penalty is one stroke.

It is customary to lift the ball carefully with two fingers, so as to avoid any impression that you cleaned your ball. It would be hard to imagine that your ball was not cleaned in some way during the process of putting it into your pocket and subsequently taking it out, unless it was known that the ball was perfectly clean before it was lifted. Please read Interpretation 14.1c/1 for additional guidance.

There is no Rule that specifically requires the two-finger lift, but I think you will be hard pressed to come up with another lifting procedure that will assure the other golfers in your group that you have not wiped anything off your ball. Be aware that if you lift the ball carefully between two fingers and some dirt or mud falls off, you do not have the try to stick it back on.

I am somewhat concerned by your statement that you marked and picked up your ball. I hope what you meant was that you marked and picked up at the request of the other player. You are not permitted to lift your ball simply because you believe it will interfere with another player’s shot. If you lift it without being requested to do so, you incur one penalty stroke [Rule 15.3b(2), last two paragraphs].

Also, when you replace the ball, it does not have to be replaced "as it was," but rather "where" it was.  The ball may be replaced in any orientation, except that if there is mud (or anything else) adhering to the ball, you may not replace the ball so that it is teed up on that mud.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1965-Handicap allocation on 27-hole course

Hi Linda,

I was recently playing a 27-hole course where each 9 was handicapped 1-9. I owed my opponent 3 strokes and we were playing match play. 

With the two hardest holes getting a stroke, where does the 3rd stroke get allocated? 

He argued that he should get 1/2 a stroke on both 2nd hardest holes where I argued that would then be giving him 4 strokes for any push. 

My understanding of the rules is that “Common sense should be used to ensure that handicap strokes are used as an equalizer and should be available where it most likely will be needed by the higher handicapper player in order to obtain a halve on the hole.”

With giving 1/2 a stroke there’s no opportunity to halve the hole. 

The only solution I could think of was to see which 9-hole was rated/sloped harder and allocate it there. 

Thanks for your help.

Lou from New York

Dear Lou,

I generally refrain from answering handicap questions, as there is not a universal handicap system throughout the world. However, being that you are from the U.S., and I am familiar with the USGA Handicap System, I will answer your question. I believe this knowledge will be useful to golfers whose countries follow the USGA system.

Section 17 of the USGA Handicap Systemmanual covers the allocation of handicap strokes. 17-4 states:

Strokes should be allocated to each nine holes separately 1 through 9. When two nines are combined for a handicap competition, the odd stroke-hole allocations should be on the nine holes considered the first nine, and the even stroke-hole allocations should be on the second nine.

This recommendation (note the use of should, not must) to put the odd stroke-hole allocations on the front nine means that if you have to give or receive an odd number of strokes to your opponent, the extra stroke will be given on the front nine (the first nine you play). In your scenario, your opponent would receive two strokes on the front nine (the #1 and #2 allocated handicap holes) and one on the back nine (the #1 handicap hole). 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1964-Ball dropped back on line rolls forward

Hi Linda,

Scenario is: I am taking a drop from a yellow-staked penalty area on the flag line and I go back 25 metres. When I drop the ball from knee height the ball drops to the ground and rolls forward 6 metres. My ball is now 19 metres from where it crossed the penalty area and not nearer the hole. It has rolled forward from the drop area though by 6 metres. 

Question is: Is the ball in play under the new rules?

Kind regards,

Lou from Dubai

Dear Lou,

No.

When you take relief from a penalty area, and you choose the back-on-the-line relief option, you must choose a reference point on that line and measure a one-club-length relief area from that point, no closer to the hole [Rule 17.1d]. Your ball must be dropped in and come to rest in this relief area [Rule 14.3c(1)]. If your ball rolls out of this relief area, you must drop it a second time, and then place it if it rolls outside the relief area after the second drop (see Rule 14.3c(2) for specifics).

If the Committee wants to allow back-on-the-line drops to roll forward of the relief area, it must adopt Model Local Rule E-12, which I have copied below for you as it was a Clarification in April and does not appear in the Official Guide. Keep in mind that this is a Local Rule that is only in effect if adopted, and that while the ball may roll outside of the relief area, the limit on roll is still one club-length, which would require a re-drop in the situation you describe in your question.

MLR E-12

“When taking Back-On-the-Line relief, there is no additional penalty if a player plays a ball that was dropped in the relief area required by the relevant Rule (Rule 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b or 19.3b) but came to rest outside the relief area, so long as the ball, when played, is within one club-length of where it first touched the ground when dropped.

This exemption from penalty applies even if the ball is played from nearer the hole than the reference point (but not if played from nearer the hole than the spot of the original ball or the estimated point where the ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area).

This Local Rule does not change the procedure for taking Back-On-the-Line relief under a relevant Rule. This means that the reference point and relief area are not changed by this Local Rule and that Rule 14.3c(2) can be applied by a player who drops a ball in the right way and it comes to rest outside the relief area, whether this occurs on the first or second drop.” (Added 4/2019)

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1963-Temporary water on line of play

Dear Linda,

While playing golf with another player yesterday, our tee shots landed on the fringe of the Par 3 green. My fellow golfer wanted to use his putter but there was casual water in line of his play. On being asked whether he can place his ball without penalty where there is no interference from casual water, I said it is not permitted, as his ball is not in casual water. He agreed but was not happy with my interpretation of rule. Can you please clarify?

Regards,

Lou from Pune, India

Dear Lou,

Your ruling was correct.

The player is not entitled to relief from temporary water on his line of play when his ball lies off the green.

The player is only entitled to free relief from an abnormal course condition (such as temporary water) that intervenes on his line of play when his ball lies on the green. The interfering abnormal condition may be on or off the green [Rule 16.1a]. 

Vocabulary tip: The pre-2019 term “casual water” has been replaced by “temporary water.”

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1962-When is dropped ball in play?

Linda,

Yesterday in a Doubles Match I drove my ball right of the fairway towards tall fescue rough in a penalty area. We searched but did not find it in the tall grass.

I declared it lost and dropped a ball in accordance with Model Local Rule E-5, but as I got ready to play it one of my competitors saw the first ball in the first cut off the fairway.

I then played the first ball to the green and parred the hole, which was the best ball, winning the hole for our side.

At the next T box I realized that the act of dropping another ball likely put it in play. I then disqualified myself from winning the previous hole.

Question is… In that situation am I obligated to play the found ball or was I right in believing that dropping another ball put that one in play?

We eventually won the match after 20 holes of play!

Lou from Hackettstown, New Jersey

Dear Lou,

The ball that you dropped was in play as soon as you dropped it [Rule 14.4]. At that point your original ball was no longer in play under the Rules, despite being found subsequently. Your decision to disqualify yourself from the hole was the right one.

Please also note that it is not possible to declare a ball lost [Official Guide, Interpretation Lost/1].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1961-Relief from unplayable lie in GUR

Hi Linda, 

When taking an unplayable lie with a one-shot penalty, if within the two club-lengths there's an area of GUR are you allowed to drop in the GUR then take relief from that?

Lou from Sheffield

Dear Lou,

Yes.

When you take penalty relief for an unplayable ball, your relief area may be in any area of the course. If you drop in an area of ground under repair (GUR) from which play is prohibited, you will have to take relief from the GUR after your drop.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1960-Ball moves when rake lifted

Linda, 

As always, I enjoy reading your blog daily.

My question relates to a ball resting against a rake in a bunker. 

The situation was that my ball was resting against a rake on the side slope of the bunker. Rule 24-1 allows that the rake can be moved without penalty and the ball replaced where it was if it moves. In this case the ball would not stay on the slope and rolled to the bottom of the bunker. I know you cannot press the ball down to make it stay put. 

In this case do you just play the ball where it stops as long as it is not closer to the hole?

Thanks,

Lou from Kansas 

Dear Lou,

It’s time to throw out your old rulebook and invest in a new one. Rule 24-1 (Obstructions) is ancient history (pre-2019).

Rule 15.2a requires the player to replace his ball on its original spot if it moves as the result of moving a movable obstruction. For what to do if the ball will not remain on that spot, you must look at Rule 14.2e, which tells you what to do if the replaced ball will not remain on its original spot. You must try to place it a second time. If the ball again fails to stay put, you must place it on the nearest spot, no closer to the hole, where it will remain at rest. If the original spot was in a bunker, the ball must be placed in the bunker.

Your statement that you are not permitted to press the ball into the sand is correct. After the ball rolls away a second time, you must replace it as close to the original spot as possible, no closer to the hole, lifting and placing it at close intervals until the ball remains at rest. 

If there is no spot in the bunker that is not closer to the hole where the ball will remain at rest, you must take penalty relief outside the bunker. The two relief choices outside the bunker are stroke and distance for one penalty stroke [Rule 19.2a] or back-on-the-line relief for two penalty strokes [Rule 19.3b].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1959-Ball in tree

Hi Linda,

I have a question regarding the Unplayable Ball Rule and would appreciate your interpretation.

In a recent tournament one of the players in my tee group tried to play over a palm tree but didn't make it and the ball buried in the tree. Three of us saw the ball go into the tree and we all agreed with 100% certainty that it didn't come out. We couldn't see the ball at rest, but we all saw it enter.

We agreed that, as he was not able to see and therefore couldn't identify his ball in the tree, he should play another ball under the penalty of stroke and distance, which he did.

However, when I got home I decided to look up the rule and I compared the wording of the new rule with that of the old rule and this is what I discovered:

Old Rule - Decision 28/1 - When Necessary to Find and Identify Ball Deemed Unplayable

Q...May a player deem unplayable a ball which has not been found?

A. Yes. A player may proceed under the stroke and distance option (Rule 28a) without finding his ball. However, since Rules 28b and 28c require reference to where the ball lay, the player must find and identify his ballin order to proceed under either of these options.

New Rule - Rule 19.2 - Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in General Area or on Putting Green

•      The player may take stroke-and-distance relief under 19.2a even if the original ball has not been found and identified

•      Butto take back-on-the-line relief under 19.2b or lateral relief under 19.2c, the player must know the spot of the original ball

The notable difference here is the fact that the new rule doesn't actually state that you must 'find and identify' the ball in order to use 19.2b and 19.2c, only that you must know the spot of the original ball. The fact that the first bullet point infers there is no requirement to find and identify the ball is somewhat redundant, because under stroke and distance there is no requirement to know the location of the original ball, i.e., lost ball situation.

So, having established that in order to used Rule 19.2b or 19.2c, all that is required is to know the spot of the original ball, I referred to the Rule 7.2 - How to Identify Ball:

Interpretation - 7.2/1 Identifying Ball That Cannot be Retrieved

If a player sees a ball in a tree or some other location where he or she is unable to retrieve the ball, the player may not assume that it is his or hers but rather must identify it in one of the ways provided in Rule 7.2.

This may be done even though the player is unable to retrieve the ball such as by:

•      Using binoculars or distance-measuring device to see a mark that definitely identifies it as the player's ball, or

•      Determining that another player or spectator saw the ball come to rest in that specific location after the player's stroke

The second bullet point is suggesting that, if another player or spectator can verify that the ball came to rest in the tree, that is sufficient to identify the ball. So this brings me back to my original question, would this meet the requirement under Rule 19.2b and 19.2c of knowing the location of the original ball?

Note: There is a slight difference between our situation and the example given as we saw the ball enter the tree but couldn't see it from the ground - would it have made a difference if we could have seen the ball?

I guess what I am trying to understand is whether there has been a deliberate relaxation in the application of this rule or has it just been re-worded with less precision, but with no intended change of application.

I look forward to your response and apologize for the length of my question, but I wanted to include all of the information of my research into this situation,

Regards,

Lou from Bermuda

Dear Lou,

I consulted a highly regarded senior official to find an answer for you. Here is his response:

I think there is a requirement to know the specific location of the ball in the tree in order for the second bullet of 7.2/1 to be applicable. In other words, you need to see a ball in the tree and have someone verify that the player’s ball is in that specific location. Just knowing (or suspecting) that it is somewhere in the tree is not sufficient.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

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Ask Linda 1958-Practice swing moves ball in teeing area

Hi Linda

Is there a penalty if a practice swing near a ball in play in the teeing area accidentally moves the ball?

Regards

Lou from Tiverton, Devon, UK

Dear Lou,

No.

There is no penalty, provided this is the player's own ball in play on the teeing area of the hole currently in play [Rule 6.2b(6); Rule 9.4b, Exception 1].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1957-Ball in bunker, stance on cart path

Linda,

I am reading Rule 12, but I would like clarification about this situation.

The bunker has an edge that is a cart path. The player's ball is in the bunker and in order to play it, she is standing on the cart path. Is taking relief here the same as it would be in the general area? One of our golfers said that after taking stance and swing plus one club length she could place the ball. My question: is this correct or does the ball need to be dropped?

Lulu from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Dear Lulu,

Rule 12.3 directs you to Rule 16.1c to find out what to do when your ball is in a bunker and you have interference by an abnormal course condition, such as a cart path.

In order to get free relief, you must play your next shot from the bunker. The nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker. You must drop  the ball in the relief area.

For one penalty stroke, you may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker.

Please review Rule 16.1c (1) and (2) and Diagram 16.1c.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1956-Move from fringe to green for relief

Linda,

When a player is taking relief from an immovable obstruction can he go from fringe to putting green?

Lou from California

Dear Lou, 

No.

The fringe (or apron) is in the general area. Rule 16.1b will tell you that when you seek relief from an immovable obstruction (or any abnormal course condition) when your ball lies in the general area, the relief area where you drop a ball must be in the general area. The putting green is not in the general area; you may not drop on the putting green in this situation.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1955-Remove ball by pulling up flagstick

Hi Linda,

Due to the recent rule change allowing the pin to remain in the hole, I’ve noticed many players using the pin to retrieve their ball by violently pulling out the pin, hoping the ball jumps out with it, instead of taking it out with the pin still in the hole.

Whilst I’m sure that this could be classed as bad etiquette, possibility of damaging the hole, does this action break any actual rule?

Many thanks 

Lou from Kent, UK

Dear Lou,

No. There is no Rule that addresses how a player should remove the ball from the hole. 

Players are reminded in Rule 1.2 to take good care of the course and not cause unnecessary damage.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1952a-Follow-up to #1952 (Clear away leaves with portable blower)

Dear readers,
Please note a correction to Friday's column about breaking ties. I added "for the last nine holes" to the fifth paragraph, which now reads:
"If the Committee decides to break the tie by matching scorecards, the method suggested in the Official Guide is to compare the scores for the last nine holes, the last six holes, the last three holes, and finally the last hole."
My thanks to the Canadian reader who pointed out the omission.

Linda,

As a follow up to this interesting question I would like to ask that if you use a leaf blower to locate ball and the force of the blower moves your ball in the process of looking for it does that constitute a penalty?

Lou from Canada

Dear Lou,

There is no penalty if you accidentally move your ball while searching for it. You must replace the ball on its original spot. If you don’t know the original spot, you must estimate it [Rule 7.4].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1954-Breaking a tie

Dear Linda,

We played Stableford format in our Club 9-holes kitty yesterday. Two players returned the best score (both had the same Stableford points). There have been arguments back and forth as to how to arrive at the winner.

Kindly advise how to resolve this impasse in this 9-holes kitty and also if it’s an 18-holes kitty.

Thank you.

Portharcourt, Nigeria

Dear Lou,

The manner in which a tie will be broken should be established in advance by the Committee and printed in the Terms of the Competition distributed to the players. 

There is no set method for breaking a tie under the Rules of Golf; there are only suggested methods offered in the Official Guide.

The Terms of the Competition should state whether the competition will end in a tie (which is perfectly acceptable), or if there will be a playoff or a match of scorecards to determine the winner.

A playoff can be for any number of holes the Committee decides, or it can be a sudden death playoff. It can also be for a set number of holes followed by sudden death, should the players still be tied.

If the Committee decides to break the tie by matching scorecards, the method suggested in the Official Guide is to compare the scores for the last nine holes, the last six holes, the last three holes, and finally the last hole. (For an 18-hole competition, if this does not resolve the tie, you would make the same comparison for the first nine holes.) If there is still a tie, the Committee could call the competition a tie, or decide the winner by chance (e.g., flip a coin). For more details, please read the Official Guide, Part III, Competitions, 5A (6).

I cannot emphasize enough that the procedure for settling a tie be established and published prior to the start of the competition. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

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Ask Linda 1953-Local Rule limits embedded ball relief

Dear Linda,

Our club now has a Local Rule that you cannot have relief in the

rough on the 14th hole. I think the rules now state that you can have

relief for a plugged ball in the rough. So can you have a Local Rule

that says you cannot?

Lou from France

Dear Lou,

Yes.

Rule 16.3 allows free relief for a ball embedded anywhere in the general area.  Model Local Rule F-2.1 allows the Committee to limit that free relief to balls embedded in the general area cut to fairway height or less. The Committee may also deny free relief for a ball embedded in the wall or lip of a bunker via Model Local Rule F-2.2.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1952-Clear away leaves with portable blower

Hi Linda, 

Is it legal for me to take a small portable leaf-blower with me when playing golf so I can more easily find my ball by blowing leaves away from the area within which it landed?

Thank you,

Lou from Surrey near London, England

Dear Lou,

I consulted the USGA for an answer to this most unusual question. I was informed that the Rules do not prohibit the use of a leaf blower to move leaves to help search for your ball. However, you should practice good etiquette and ensure that any noise made by the leaf blower does not disturb another player.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1951-Ball stopped and moved by dog

Hi Linda.

Help!

A player was permitted to play in a competition with his dog on an extendable lead. This proved to be an annoyance to the two other players, as the dog had to be repeatedly pulled back so as not to interfere with play.

On one occasion the dog was tethered to the player’s trolley whilst the player chipped from the other side of the green. The player scuffed the ball, which ran across the green. The dog stopped and picked up the ball, which would have rolled much further. The player removed the ball from the dog’s mouth, dropped the ball on the edge of the green where the dog was standing and played from there.

This was brought to our attention at the score recording by the player’s marker. The player claimed he did not know that this would happen (although apparently it had happened frequently before in friendly games) and thus there should not be a penalty. Eventually we ruled that he should be penalised two shots for positioning his equipment where there was a strong possibility of this happening and thus it could not be deemed accidental. We also applied the general penalty for playing from a wrong place.

I'm not sure we were correct and there is still some lingering discontent.

What is your view?

Regards,

Lou from France

Dear Lou,

Pardon me while I pause to contemplate the lunacy of a Committee permitting a player to bring his dog along in a golf competition…

If the Committee determines that the player deliberately positioned his trolley and dog to stop a poorly-hit shot, the player gets the general penalty (loss of hole/two strokes) under Rule 11.2 and the ball must be played from the estimated spot where it would have come to rest. This involves establishing a reference point and measuring a one-club-length relief area for a drop (see Rule 11.2c for details).

I would think that deliberately positioning the trolley plus dog and the subsequent playing the ball from the wrong place are unrelated acts, meaning the player is penalized for both breaches (total of four penalty strokes). 

If the Committee determines that there was no intent to position the trolley plus dog to stop a poorly-hit shot, and the ball accidentally hit this outside influence, the ball must be played as it lies [Rule 11.1b]. Assuming the ball was at rest after the dog's initial interference and before being subsequently moved, the ball must be replaced [Rule 9.6]. This will be a placement, not a drop. The player in this scenario would be penalized for dropping the ball when he should have placed it. However, if the ball were still moving when the dog picked it up, the ball must be dropped in a relief area within one club-length of the estimated point right under where the ball came to rest on the dog [Rule 11.1b, Exception 1].

Everything comes down to the Committee’s decision regarding intent. From my perspective, the Committee’s decision to permit the player to bring his dog needs to be re-examined.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1950-Dropped ball rolls closer to hole than reference point

Hi Linda,

Just stumbled on your rules questions blog whilst looking for clarification on a rules question I have.

Firstly let me say your blog is very good and informative and I have enjoyed reading through the questions and your answers.

Question:

On a par 5 a player hits his ball from the tee into the middle of the fairway. He then hits his second shot towards the green but misses the green to the right into some semi rough.  Pretty confident he will find his ball in the 3 minutes allowed, he decides not to play a provisional ball and walks up towards the area of where he believes his ball came to rest.

Unfortunately he failed to locate his ball and returned to where he had last played his ball, i.e., stroke and distance.

He decided NOT to mark his reference point with a tee peg or similar and dropped a ball from knee height which first touched the course in the relief area but rolled forward and came to rest six inches nearer to the hole than where the ball first struck the course, i.e., outside the relief area

Normally under these circumstances the ball would be re-dropped, but I have heard that a rules clarification has been released recently saying you would NOT be penalised under these circumstances.

I have researched the internet but not found anything to support what I am being told.  Can you assist?

(The question would be the same for any rules situation when a player does not mark a reference point and the ball comes to rest outside the relief area.)

Thank you.

Lou from England

Dear Lou,

You must re-drop if your ball comes to rest outside the relief area [Rule 14.3c(2)]. 

There is a Local Rule that may be adopted that allows a ball dropped back on the line that hits the ground within the relief area and rolls outside the relief area but is still within one club-length of where it hit the ground to be played without penalty, no re-drop required. This Local Rule was included in the April 2019 Clarifications. I have copied it below for you. Note that this Local Rule applies only to back-on-the-line relief, and that it must be adopted by the Committee. If this Local Rule has not been adopted, you will get the general penalty if you play a ball that has rolled out of the relief area. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Model Local Rule E-12 Ball Played From Outside Relief Area When Taking Back-On-the-Line Relief

Purpose. A Committee may choose to introduce a Local Rule to provide for no penalty in specific circumstances when a ball is played from outside the relief area after taking back-on-the-line relief.

Under this Local Rule, a player will not be penalized for playing from a wrong place so long as the ball is dropped in the relief area and comes to rest within one club-length of where it first touched the ground.

For example, a ball rolls slightly forward of the reference point after having been dropped in the right way and in the relief area, but is still within one club-length of where it first touched the ground when dropped. In such cases, the player can either proceed under Rule 14.3c(2) or the player can play the ball from where it came to rest.

This Local Rule is for use only in relation to the Back-On-the-Line relief procedure.

MLR E-12

“When taking Back-On-the-Line relief, there is no additional penalty if a player plays a ball that was dropped in the relief area required by the relevant Rule (Rule 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b or 19.3b) but came to rest outside the relief area, so long as the ball, when played, is within one club-length of where it first touched the ground when dropped.

This exemption from penalty applies even if the ball is played from nearer the hole than the reference point (but not if played from nearer the hole than the spot of the original ball or the estimated point where the ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area).

This Local Rule does not change the procedure for taking Back-On-the-Line relief under a relevant Rule. This means that the reference point and relief area are not changed by this Local Rule and that Rule 14.3c(2) can be applied by a player who drops a ball in the right way and it comes to rest outside the relief area, whether this occurs on the first or second drop.” (Added 4/2019)