Golf Rules Q & A - 11 to 20

QUESTION 11:
During a hotly contested match, Player A pulls his tee-shot on a par-3 hole into some trees near an out of bounds area. Player B is safely on the green from the tee.
Clearly frustrated, Player A concedes the hole before they leave the tee box. As they approach the green, Player A finds that his ball has miraculously come to rest just off the fringe of the green.
He then decides he no longer wants to concede the hole, as he didn't know his ball was in play when he conceded.

What are Player B's options?

ANSWER 11:
Rule 2-4 states that a concession may not be declined or withdrawn. This prevents Player B from allowing the hole to continue, unless, of course, he wants to also be in violation of the Rules.


QUESTION 12:
On the first tee of tournament play, Competitor A makes the statement that the foursome should roll the ball up (place) in the fairway.
Competitor B says nothing.
Competitor C agrees to roll (place) the ball.
Competitor D says he will play it as it lies.

Before a ball is put into play, are any of the competitors in violation of a rule?


ANSWER 12:
Competitors A and C are in violation and risk disqualification. Rule 1-3 states that players must not agree to exclude the operation of any Rule or to waive any penalty incurred.

You might also like to know that you are only allowed to roll up (place) your ball if there is a Local Rule in force that allows you to do so. There is nothing in the 34 Rules of Golf that allows you to do this, whatever the format of competition. Typically, clubs introduce 'placing on the fairway' during wet condition, or when the course is under repair (e.g. sanding of the fairways). Ideally, the Local Rule should follow the format given in Appendix 1 c. "Preferred Lies" and "Winter Rules" in the Rules of Golf book 2008-2011.


QUESTION 13:
While playing from a bunker, without touching the sand, a player removes a leaf and twig lying in front of her ball.

Has she violated a rule?

Answer 13:
If she's playing stroke play, she has incurred a two stroke penalty. If she's playing a match, she loses the hole. Rule 13-4 dictates a player may not touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching a hazard.


Question 14:
A player has declared his ball as unplayable and decides to take the option of dropping his ball within two club-lengths, not nearer the hole, under penalty of one stroke.
He prepares to drop the ball over his shoulder to the rear. His caddie informs him that if he drops the ball in that manner and then plays it, he will be penalized. Is the caddie correct?

ANSWER 14:
Yes. The caddy is correct. Rule 20-2 stipulates the player must stand erect, arms extended and at shoulder height and then drop the ball. If a player drops the ball in any other way, and does not correct his error before making his next stroke, he incurs a penalty of one stroke, which in this case is in addition to his one stroke penalty for deeming his ball unplayable.


QUESTION 15:
A young golfer is playing in his first competitive tournament. While taking practice swings preparing to putt he strikes the ball.

What penalty, if any has the young golfer incurred?

ANSWER 15:
Although the young golfer did not intend to strike the ball, and has not therefore made a stroke, he does incur a one stroke penalty under Rule 18-2a for causing the ball to move except as permitted by a Rule. He must also replace the ball to where it was when he hit it accidentally.


QUESTION 16:
After a player is forced to take a drop, he finds the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole of course, and drops his ball according to the rules.
On the drop, the ball rolls approximately 25 feet from the place where it first struck the course when dropped. The ball didn't roll closer to the hole.

So, is a re-drop necessary?

ANSWER 16:
Rule 20-2 requires a ball to be re-dropped if it rolls more than two club-lengths from the spot where the dropped ball first touched the golf course.

He must re-drop the ball.


QUESTION 17:
Player A believes he may not find his ball having hit his tee shot into the woods, close to the out of bounds
He states his intention to hit a provisional ball
Player B tells him the ball may not be teed when playing a provisional ball from the tee.

Which player is correct?

ANSWER 17:
Rule 20-5 states that when a stroke is to be taken from where the previous stroke was made on the teeing ground, the ball to be played can be played from anywhere within the teeing ground and may be teed.

So, Player A is correct.


QUESTION 18:
On a par-5, the second shots of two players come to rest within a few inches of one another in the fairway. Player A's ball is merely inches past Player B, so Player A marks and lifts his ball as it would clearly interfere with Player B's next shot.

Has Player A committed a rules violation?

Answer 18:
Player A was obviously acting courteously and sensibly, but he has incurred a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2(a).
Without agreeing to move the ball with Player B, Player A should not have done so.
The rule does not apply on the green.


QUESTION 19:
Your ball comes to rest touching a rake that prevented it from entering a hazard.
You proceed to lift the ball, remove the rake, clean your ball, and then drop it as nearly as possible to the spot where it rested.

Have you committed any rules infractions?

ANSWER 19:
Yes, you are penalised two strokes for moving the ball whilst it is in play and then dropping it when it should have been replaced (See penalty statement under Rule 18 and Decision 18-2a/9). The correct procedure is to carefully remove the rake. If the ball moves, it must be replaced and there is no penalty.


QUESTION 20:
During a round, Susan's ball comes to rest on a path adjacent to the fairway. Neither Susan or her playing partner is sure whether free relief is appropriate, as it generally is from a cart path.
She tells her playing partner that she will play two balls for the remainder of the hole; taking a drop with one ball and playing the ball as it lies with the other.
She also states that she will report to the rules committee when the round is finished.

Is she allowed to play two balls?

ANSWER 20:
Susan made all the right decisions.
Rule 3-3 provides that when there is a doubt as to procedure, the hole may be completed with two balls, without incurring a penalty.

After the condition arose, she correctly announced her intention to play two balls, which ball she would count if the rules allow and that she would report the situation to the rules committee upon completion of the round.
Had she not done as she did, she would have been disqualified.

Note that any competitor that completes a hole with two balls must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning their score card, even if the score on the hole was the same with both balls. If they fail to do so they are disqualified.

Now I understand the important of rule 3-3...but have yet to put it in practice...hope I don't forget when the need arises....

Only for stroke play. Match play no such rule...cannot play 2 balls.

Neutralgolfer wrote:

Only for stroke play. Match play no such rule...cannot play 2 balls.

Thanks again.