Comments on: Stump the Rules Wizards

By: John Vander Borght

John Vander Borght — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:42:02 +0000

Joan,
The Rules of Amateur status at the back of the rule book state on page 142 “3-1 Playing for Prize Money – An amateur golfer must not play golf for prize money or its equivalent in a match, competition or exhibition.” The awards for any competition should be gift certificates or specific prizes which can not be converted to cash. The only exception to this is for optional games during the competitons. For example, if a tournament is awarding prizes to the first 5 places, these must not be cash or cash equivalents. If they also wanted to have an OPTIONAL skins game for the players, that could pay cash as it is not required to participate in the tournament.

By: Joan Sarringhaus

Joan Sarringhaus — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:08:58 +0000

There has been a question regarding members receiving cash for prize money. I looked in the rules book regarding this question and amateur status and could not find it.

By: John Vander Borght

John Vander Borght — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:19:56 +0000

Norm,
You are correct that if a player plays out of turn in match play, his opponent can immediately recall the shot and require him to play in turn. As for how much time a player has to play his next shot, it really is up to the Committee in charge of the event to establish pace of play guidelines and enforce them.

By: Norm Mayell

Norm Mayell — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:15:22 +0000

Order of play in Match Play. When a player A claims ready golf because he see his opponent walking from a cart path to a ball that lies considerably further from his lie to the green and proceeds to hit first, I believe I can tell him to replay the shot. It is amazing that player A and others like him want to speed up the game and ruin the rhythm and drama that match play provides. How much time does a player in trouble have to make his next shot in a match play format?

By: John Vander Borght

John Vander Borght — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:24:00 +0000

Ken,
If there was visible water in the bunker, you could take relief under Rule 25 (Abnormal Ground Conditions) for casual water. If you did that you would have two choices. Drop at the point in the bunker, not nearer the hole that gave you maximum relief with no penalty, or take a penalty stroke and drop outside the bunker, keeping the point where the ball had been between the hole and where you dropped the ball. If you chose the second option you could go back as far as you liked.
Normally if there was no casual water visible, the only way out of the bunker would be to deem the ball Unplayable and proceed under Stroke and Distance.
But, if you felt that the area should have been marked as GUR but wasn’t, you could play two balls under Rule 3-3, one as it lay and one, using one of the options described in above and ask the Committee for a ruling before returning your scorecard.

By: Ken Lum

Ken Lum — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:17 +0000

I have a question about bunker relief. my ball was in a fairway bunker and when i got to my ball, the whole bunker was like quicksand.
It rained hard a few days before and did not dry out. The whole bunker was unplayable but no GUR signs were around. What was the correct drop or ruling in this case.

By: John Vander Borght

John Vander Borght — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:41:53 +0000

Steve,
A ball is not in play until a stroke is made at it with the intent to hit it. Therefore, the ball was not in play and you can retee it within the teeing ground and will be hitting your first shot.

By: John Vander Borght

John Vander Borght — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:38:27 +0000

Campbell,
Once you put the ball in play by dropping it behind the hazard, you could not pick up that ball and use the dropping zone instead. The drop you took was a correct drop and can not be undone.

By: Steve Madden

Steve Madden — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:20:19 +0000

on the teeing ground. a player has teed the balled and steps back for a few practice swings. swinging along the target line the player takes a divot that knocks his ball from the tee. how does the player proceed?

By: Campbell

Campbell — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:35:14 +0000

On an unfamiliar course, I hit a drive off the tee and it did not clear the yellow-staked hazard, so I drop with the point of entry between me and the hole and play my third. When I clear the hazard and walk to the other side, I find that there is a marked drop zone which is not mentioned in the local rules. Am I entitled to play three again from the drop zone that takes 100 yards off the distance? What if I hit my first drop into the hazard again and then hit five? Can I then reset and hit three from the marked zone?