Comments on: Stump the Rules Expert Archive

By: Ryan Gregg

Ryan Gregg — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:55:41 +0000

Don,
The player has incured a one stroke penalty under Rule 20-1 and is required to place the ball back at the spot from which it was lifted.

By: Ryan Gregg

Ryan Gregg — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:52:42 +0000

Mike,
The player may elect to drop the ball in the bunker wihin two club-lengths from where it last crossed the margin of the lateral water hazard or proceed under Rule 26-1a and play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played. Decision 33-8/37.5 allows a Committee to establish a dropping zone or a series of dropping zones on the fairway side of the bunker so players do not have to drop a ball in the bunker.

By: Don W.

Don W. — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:09:46 +0000

Player A hits the ball to the green on a par three from the tee box landing 3 ft. from the hole. Arriving at the green player a picks up his ball without marking it and puts it in his pocket. Player b,c,d, and e finish the hole. Player a discovers he did not mark his ball but wants to take one stroke and place it where he thinks it was on the green. What is the rule on this?
Thanks

By: Mike Shivley

Mike Shivley — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:43:24 +0000

A par five has a long defined bunker running down the right hand side of the fairway. The right hand side of the bunker slopes gently into a lake (lateral water hazard) with no clear definition between the bunker and the lake other than red stakes to define the margin of the water hazard. Player hits his second shot over the bunker and into the lake. Assuimg that the player can’t play the ball from the lake must he drop into the bunker (another hazard) or take stroke and distance or may he cross the bunker going no closer to the hole and make his drop. The lake is too wide to take the option of going to the other side of the lake keeping the point of entry between the player and the hole. Thanks!

By: Ryan Gregg

Ryan Gregg — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:24:53 +0000

Jason,
Unfortunately, you are not entitled to relief from the spray from a sprinkler. If there is enough accumulation of water for there to be casual water, you would be entitled to relief as prescribed in Rule 25-1. Otherwise, you must play the ball as it lies.

By: Ryan Gregg

Ryan Gregg — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:12:40 +0000

Pat, Your answer answer lies in Decision 16-1b/3:

Ball Lifted from Putting Green; Ball Replaced While Another Ball in Motion Subsequently Deflects Ball

Q.A’s ball comes to rest on the putting green 20 feet from the hole. He marks the position of and lifts his ball so that B, whose ball is also on the putting green, but farther from the hole, can play first. While B’s ball is in motion, A replaces his ball. B’s ball strikes A’s ball. What is the ruling?

A.If A’s action was unintentional (i.e., not for the purpose of deflecting B’s ball), Rule 19-5a applies. There is no penalty to either player since A had lifted his ball and it was not lying on the putting green immediately prior to B’s stroke. A must replace his ball, and B must play his ball as it lies.
If A’s action was for the purpose of deflecting B’s ball, A is in breach of Rule 1-2 (Exerting Influence on Movement of Ball or Altering Physical Conditions). The penalty is loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play, unless the Committee decides to impose a penalty of disqualification – see the penalty statement under Rule 1-2. In stroke play, B must replay his stroke, without penalty – see Note under Rule 19-1. Rule 16-1b does not apply as this Rule deals with the lifting of a ball on a putting green, but not its placement. (Revised)

By: Pat Faeth

Pat Faeth — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:57:38 +0000

This happened in a high school tournament. Player A and Player B have both reached the green in a medal play tournament. Player A is away and is first to putt. Player B marks his ball which happens to be on the opposite side of the hole from Player A. Player A strikes his putt. While the ball is in motion and rolling towards the hole, Player B replaces his ball and removes his mark. Player A’s ball rolls past the hole and strikes Player B’s ball. Is there a penalty? If so, who gets it and why? None of the rules or decisions I found seemed to directly deal with this. Thanks.

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:31:55 +0000

Steve, thank you for your comment. The bottom line is that the club has the final say on the ranking of the holes. And if some temporary tees and/or greens are going to be in use for an extended period of time and they do seriously impact the play of some holes, the club could/should certainly consider altering their ranking. As to your second question, we try to break down temporary greens as follows: if the greens are in good enough shape to support the Rules of Golf (i.e., putting out), we issue temporary ratings to the course to reflect the lost yardage. If the principles of Rules of Golf cannot be supported (i.e., auto two-putts), we say ignore your actual score for such holes and instead insert a score of “par, plus any handicap strokes” you are entitled to on the hole. Under such circumstances you could still post to the normal ratings. Thanks again – Jim Cowan, Director of Course Rating and Handicapping

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:41:22 +0000

If I am in the center of a fairway, and suddenly a spinkler near my ball turns on, am I required to stand in the cold and wet and hit my ball, or can I get relief from the sprinkler spray?

By: steve

steve — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:48:23 +0000

If you are playing a skin’s game on a course with temporary greens; should strokes be given on said holes that are temporary, as the integrity of the hole has been comprimised? Those that receive say they should; as the hole is the same for all players, other state that the hole is considerably easier and no strokes should be given. Also, should all putts be hole out on temporary greens?

Hoping to stop the whinning….