The Rules doctor is in, and he will see you now! Dr. Robin Farran teaches Advanced Rules at the Golf Academy of America in Chandler, and he’s also one of the USGA’s top Rules Officials. In this month’s Diary of a Rules Official, Dr. Farran gives our friends who are still snowed in this winter a little something to help thaw out their dreams of golfing anytime soon.
Spring Warm-Up
1. In individual stroke play, with no Local Rule permitting DMD’s, Player A during Hole #1, measures the distance to the flagstick with a DMD.
**Player A incurred a two-stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 14-3. A subsequent breach of Rule 14-3 would result in disqualification. See the Penalty Statement under Rule 14-3 and Decisions 14-3/0.5 and 14-3/0.7.
2. Player B, forgetting that the Rules prohibit anchoring long putters, putts 3 times on the 1st putting green anchoring the putter each time.
**Player B breached Rule 14-1b by intentionally anchoring his long putter (i.e., forgetting that the 2016 Rules amendment prohibits anchoring) and incurred a loss-of-hole penalty in match play or 6 penalty strokes in stroke play.
Decision 1-4/14 reminds us that breaches with intervening strokes are separate breaches.
3. On the 1st hole, Player C records a 5 on the score card. After the score card was returned and before the close of competition, it was learned that in two separate bunkers on the 1st hole Player C, for “care of the course”, removed turf divots from the bunkers before playing the strokes from the bunkers.
**After returning his score card and prior to close of competition, it was learned that Player C breached Rule 13-4 on two occasions during play of hole #1, therefore the Exception to Rule 6-6d applies.
If the Local Rule for 2018 has not been adopted: Player C must add two penalty strokes for each breach of Rule 13-4 and an additional two-stroke penalty under Rule 6-6d for the incorrect score on his score card for hole #1. Player C’s score for hole #1 is 11.
If the Local Rule for 2018 has been adopted: Player C must add two penalty strokes for each breach of Rule 13-4 with no additional penalty for an incorrect score on his score card for hole #1. Player C’s score for hole #1 is 9.
See the several Decisions beginning with Decision 6-6d/5 and the Local Rule for 2018.
Key Concepts!
What is the ruling in each of the incidents?
Incident 1
In stroke play, Player A’s tee shot heads towards the left side of the fairway. After searching for the original ball for several minutes, without any comments to fellow-competitors, Player A returned to the tee to play a second ball.
The second ball played from the tee lands just beyond the likely location of the original ball in the light rough left of the fairway.
Player A finds the original ball and completes the hole with the original ball with 3 additional strokes.
**When Player A played a 2nd ball from the tee, the second ball became Player A’s ball in play and the original ball was lost (forever). When Player A played a stroke with the original ball, Player A played a wrong ball, incurring a penalty of two strokes. To avoid disqualification, prior to playing from the next teeing ground:
If Player A finds his second ball played from the tee within the 5 minutes permitted to search, Player A may complete the hole and will be playing his 6th stroke on the hole.
If Player A does not find his second ball played from the tee within the 5 minutes permitted to search, Player A must return to the tee and will be playing his 7th stroke.
Incident 2
In stroke play, Player A’s tee shot heads towards the left side of the fairway. After searching for the original ball for several minutes, without any comments to fellow-competitors, Player A returned to the tee to play a second ball.
The second ball played from the tee lands just beyond the likely location of the original ball in the light rough left of the fairway.
Player A finds the original ball and the second ball played from the tee. The original ball was on a sprinkler head. Player A lifted the original ball, took relief under Rule 24-2, and played the dropped ball. Player A completed the hole in 3 additional strokes.
** When Player A played a 2nd ball from the tee, the second ball became Player A’s ball in play and the original ball was lost (forever). When player A, knowing the location of the second ball, lifted, dropped and played the original ball, Player A substituted a ball for the ball in play and played from a wrong place, a breach of Rule 13-1, incurring a penalty of two strokes, not a serious breach.
Player A scored 9 on the hole. Player A lay 3 with the second ball played from the tee, plus 1s and 2p under Rule 13-1 when the dropped (substituted) ball was played and then 3s to complete the hole.
Incident 3
In stroke play, Player A’s tee shot heads towards the left side of the fairway. After searching for the original ball for several minutes, without any comments to fellow-competitors, Player A returned to the tee to play a second ball.
The second ball played from the tee lands just beyond the likely location of the original ball in the light rough left of the fairway.
Player A finds the original ball but does not find the second ball played from the tee. The original ball was on a sprinkler head. Player A lifted the original ball, took relief under Rule 24-2, and played the dropped ball. Player A completed the hole in 3 additional strokes.
** When Player A played a 2nd ball from the tee, the second ball became Player A’s ball in play. When Player A, not knowing the location of second ball, lifted, dropped and played a substituted ball (the ball that was the original ball before becoming lost), Player A is deemed to have proceeded under Rule 27-1a. Player A played from a wrong place, a two-stroke penalty under Rule 27-1 and a serious breach of that Rule.
True or False?
1. During a round, a player occasionally makes a practice swing with a swing aid or club with a weighted headcover to check his tempo. This is permitted in the Rules.
False Rule 14-3 and Decision 14-3/10
2. On the putting green, a player reaches across the hole and taps in a short putt. The ball is holed and the player incurs a two-stroke penalty in stroke play.
False Rule 16-1e, Definitions or “Stroke” and “Line of Putt” and Decision 16-1e/1
3. A player makes a practice swing near his ball in the fairway and accidentally moves his ball in play with his club. The player has not made a stroke at the ball but does incur a penalty for moving his ball in play.
True Rule 18-2 and Decision 18-2/19
4. While a player plays a stroke on the putting green, a fellow-competitor stands on the line behind the player to watch the break, being careful not to disturb the player. This is permitted in the Rules.
True Rule 14-2b, not prohibited by any Rule
5. A player is permitted to touch his line of putt when moving loose impediments by brushing with a towel.
True Rule 16-1a(i)
6. A player does not remove his ball-marker when he replaces his ball on the putting green; if wind then moves his ball to a new position, he must replace his ball.
False Definition of “Ball in Play”
7. A player putted his ball from the fringe of the putting green and it struck the unattended flagstick in the hole; in stroke play, there is a two-stroke penalty.
False Rule 17-3
8. A player is not permitted to have the flagstick attended unless the ball is on the putting green.
False Rule 17-1
9. During search, a fellow-competitor moves a player’s ball. The fellow-competitor is not penalized. The ball must be replaced.
True Rule 18-4
10. A player’s ball in play is accidentally moved by his partner. The ball is properly replaced. The player incurs a one-stroke penalty.
True Rule 18-2
11. If a ball in motion after a stroke is deflected by a fellow-competitor’s golf bag the ball is played as it lies.
True Rule 19-1
12. A player’s tee shot is deflected by a moving maintenance vehicle and goes out of bounds. The player may cancel and replay the stroke without penalty.
False Rule 19-1 and Decision 20-7/1
13. A player plays a stroke and the ball is deflected by a tree and then strikes his golf bag. The player incurs a one-stroke penalty.
True Rule 19-2
A Challenging Incident
Player A’s tee shot comes to rest in a large bush on the right side of the fairway. Player A, with the guidance of fellow-competitors, drops a ball under Rule 28c just within two club-lengths behind where the original ball lay.
The dropped ball rolls toward and comes to rest just short of the original location into a position similar to the original lie. Player A picks up the ball, drops again within the two-club-length area with the same result.
Player A picks up the ball, places the ball where the ball landed on the second drop, plays the ball onto the green and completes the hole in two putts.
At Scoring, Player A reviews the facts of the incident with Scoring Officials. When asked about the lifting of the ball after the two drops, Player A responded that Rule 20-2c requires a re-drop when the ball after dropping was not in a playable location.
What was Player A’s score for the hole?
**Player A’s score for the hole is 7. (Four “talent” strokes and three penalty strokes).
Player A incurred a one-stroke penalty under Rule 28c and an additional two-stroke penalty under Rule 18 for playing from a wrong place.
The ball dropped under Rule 28c was properly in play. Believing that the ball must be re-dropped, as noted by the statement by Player A at Scoring, Player A lifted and dropped the ball two times (of no consequence as the player was required by Rule 18 to replace the ball). As the ball was not replaced, Player A ultimately played the ball from a wrong place, incurring the general penalty for a breach of Rule 18.