Golf Rules Q & A - 71 to 80

QUESTION 71:
A player's ball comes to rest in an outlying limb of a tree, several feet off the ground.
The ball is obviously unplayable and the player declares it as such. He has a clear shot to the green from anywhere around the tree, so he decides to exercise the option to take a drop under penalty of one stroke.

Since the drop must be within two club-lengths of where the ball lay (Rule 28) where does he drop the ball?

ANSWER 71:
Decision 28/11 of the Rules of Golf states that the player may drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot directly below where the ball is lodged in the tree.


QUESTION 72:
After holing-out, a player retrieves his ball from the hole and notices that the hole is ragged.
Before the other competitors have holed out, he repairs the hole as a courtesy to the other players.

Has he incurred a penalty?

ANSWER 72:
Rule 1-2 states that a player may not take any action to exert influence on a ball.
However, in this instance, he had holed out and was merely repairing a damaged cup.

He would not incur a penalty.

QUESTION 73:
After leaving a short putt on the lip of the cup, a frustrated player simultaneously places his hand in the hole and taps the putt into his hand. He has clearly violated a rule.

What is the ruling?

ANSWER 73:
The player is in violation of Rule 1-2, given that he exerted undue influence on a moving ball. He intentionally stopped a moving ball.

In match play, he loses the hole. In stroke play he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must place his ball on the lip of the cup and putt the ball from that spot.

If he fails to hole out according to the rules after his frustration-induced mistake, he is disqualified.


QUESTION 74:
Unfortunately, Ed's tee shot bounced off several trees and came to rest, to his dismay, behind a tee marker.

Is Ed allowed to move the marker when making his next shot?

ANSWER 74:
Rule 11-2 states that tee-markers are deemed to be fixed when playing the first stroke with any ball from the teeing ground. Rules Decision 11-2/1 states that, thereafter, the markers are deemed to be obstructions.

As a result, in taking his second shot, Ed can move the tee marker.


QUESTION 75:
With the wind at his back on a long par-5, Bill is intently focused on blasting a monstrous drive. He addresses the ball, begins his backswing and, as he starts the downswing, this club head breaks free of the shaft.
He completed the swing.

What is the ruling relative to his swing; is it counted as a stroke?

ANSWER 75:
Rule 14-1 states that the ball must be fairly struck at with the head of the club, which would tend toward no actual "stroke" having been taken. However, a stroke is partially defined as the forward movement of the club (downswing).
Rules Decision 14/3 states that, in this situation, a stroke was taken as there had been forward movement of the club before the club head separated from the shaft.


QUESTION 76:
Player A's ball came to rest inside a hazard in close proximity to another competitor's ball.
Player A inquired of the referee how to proceed. The referee advised that the player could lift his ball and drop within one club-length after the competitor makes his shot.
Player A does as the referee advised, but later found that the ball should have been placed as nearly as possible to the original spot or conditions, rather than dropped within a club-length.
Does Player A incur a penalty for the rules breach?

ANSWER 76:
No. There is no penalty. According to Rule 34-2, the referee's decisions are final.

There is no exception for whether or not a referee's ruling is correct, it is simply final.


QUESTION 77:
After arriving at his ball in the fairway, Tom looks at his lie and the ball, then removes a blade of grass from the side of the ball.

Was he allowed to remove the blade of grass?

ANSWER 77:
According to the Definition anything adhering to the ball is not a Loose Impediment.
As such, removing the blade of grass would be akin to cleaning the ball, which, in this instance, is not allowable under Rule 21.

Tom can remove the blade of grass, but under a penalty of one stroke


QUESTION 78:
In today's game, golf carts are commonplace and they're considered under the Rules to be equipment, just as golf clubs or a golf bag.

When two players share a cart, to whom does the golf cart as "equipment" belong?

ANSWER 78:
It depends. According to the definition of "equipment," a resting cart and everything in it, on it or attached to it, belongs to the player who's ball is involved.
If a cart is being driven, the cart is then the equipment of the person driving.


QUESTION 79:
While assessing where to aim his tee shot, Mr. Ford hears his son, a competitor, say, "You want to go over that tree in the dogleg," which indicated the line of play.

Has either player violated Rule 8?

ANSWER 79:
According to Rule 8, there is only one place on the course where a competitor cannot indicate the line of play; on the green.


QUESTION 80:
After hitting their tee shots onto the green on a par-3, Player A asks Player B what club he used.
Has Player B violated any rules?


ANSWER 80:
No. There has been no infraction. Rule 8 stipulates that a player cannot ask for or give advice.
In this instance, the shot being inquired about has already taken place and no advantage can be gained from the answer.

Based on the answer of question 76, it's nice to know that "There is no exception for whether or not a referee's ruling is correct, it is simply final." in a tournament.

yes, referee's decision is final. That's why PGA tour players likes to call for referee even if they know the rules...hope that referee is "ka-you"...

Neutralgolfer wrote:

yes, referee's decision is final. That's why PGA tour players likes to call for referee even if they know the rules...hope that referee is "ka-you"...

How about decision make by the committee after the game For example, due to wrong tabulation/calculation by the club house, can committee still revert back the trophy/placing & etc after completion of the game