2006 Rules Archives

2006 RULES ARCHIVES
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October 6, 2006

John and Bill are playing a match. On the first hole, a par 4, Bill's approach shot leaves him just short of the green. He goes to his bag to pull out a wedge, and to his dismay, he discovers he has an extra wedge in his bag - a total of 15 clubs. He proceeds to chip his ball into the hole for a 3 and he tells John that he has 15 clubs in his bag. John, who was on the green in two, misses his birdie putt. What is the state of the match?

	Bill is one up.
	The match is all square.
	Bill is 1 down.
	Bill is two down.

The correct answer is B - Rule4-4a, Decision 4-4a/9; - This is a tricky one! The general penalty for a breach of a Rule in Match Play is loss of hole, which would lead most people to think that Bill automatically lost the first hole when he discovered that he had more than 14 clubs in his bag. However, the penalty is applied a little bit differently when dealing with a player discovering he/she has more than 14 clubs.

At the conclusion of the hole at which the breach is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred. Maximum deduction per round: Two holes.

So, in this particular situation, Bill won the first hole with a birdie. That would have made him 1 up. Since he was carrying more than 14 clubs, the penalty is to adjust the state of the match by deducting one hole - therefore, the match is now all square.

Decision 4-4a/9 lists several interpretations of Rule 4-4a in a match between A and B:

1) After the 1st hole, it is discovered that B has more than 14 clubs:

(a) If B won the hole, the match is all square.
(b) If the hole was halved, A is 1 up.
(c) If A won the hole, A is 2 up.

(2) After the 2nd hole, it is discovered that B has more than 14 clubs:

(a) If B won both holes, the match is all square.
(b) If B was 1 up, A is 1 up.
(c) If the match was all square, A is 2 up.
(d) If A was 1 up, A is 3 up.
(e) If A was 2 up, A is 4 up.

(3) Later in the match, but before the players leave the last green, it is discovered that B has more than 14 clubs:

(a) If B was more than 2 up, 2 ups are deducted.
(b) If B was 2 up, the match is all square.
(c) If B was 1 up, A is 1 up.
(d) If the match was all square, A is 2 up.
(e) If A was 1 up, A is 3 up.
(f) If A was 2 up, A is 4 up.
(g) If A was more than 2 up, 2 ups are added to his ups.

September 25, 2006

George and Henry are playing in a stroke play event. George's ball is about 30 yards from the green and Henry's ball lies on the fringe of the green, directly between George's ball and the hole. Henry walks up to his ball on the fringe, marks it and lifts it, since it might interfere with George's shot to the green. What is the ruling?

	Henry incurs a one stroke penalty and must replace the ball.
	Henry incurs a two stroke penalty and must replace the ball.
	No penalty to either player.
	George incurs a two stroke penalty.

The correct answer is A - Rule 22-2; - Except when a ball is in motion, if the player considers that the ball of another player might interfere with his play, he may have it lifted. A ball lifted under this Rule must be replaced.

Note: Except on the putting green, a player may not lift his one ball solely because he thinks it might interfere with the play of another player. If the player does lift his ball without being asked to do so, he incurs a penalty of one stroke and must replace the ball, but there is no other penalty under Rule 22.

So, in this situation, Henry ball's lies on the fringe, not on the putting green - according to the Note to Rule 22-2, Henry was not entitled to lift his ball on the fringe just because he (Henry) thought that it might interfere with George's shot to the green. Henry would incur a penalty of 1 stroke and must replace the ball.

However, if George had asked Henry to mark his ball, then there would have been no problem - no penalty.

September 11, 2006

Henry and Pete are playing their Club Championship match.
Henry's ball lies on the green and Pete is chipping onto the green and is away.
Henry's ball lies behind the hole in a position to stop Pete's ball if he should hit his chip too hard.
Henry walks up to mark his ball before Pete chips. Pete stops him and tells him to leave his ball where it is. What is the ruling?

	The person whose turn it is to play has control of all the balls. Henry must leave his ball where it is.
	Henry is in control of his own ball. He may mark it before Pete chips.
	Henry is in control of his own ball. He must mark it before Pete chips.
	Pete is disqualified for asking Henry to leave his ball where it is.

The correct answer is B - Rule 22-1; - You hear a lot of amateurs talking about who has "control over the golf ball". Technically no one has "control" over any golf ball; however, Rule 22-1 covers situations in which a ball may be in a position to assist someone else's play.

Simply put (except when a ball is in motion), if a player thinks that any ball might assist any other player he may:

lift the ball if it is his own ball
have any other ball lifted

So answer B is the correct answer - Henry is "in control of his ball" in this particular situation, since his ball is in a position to assist Pete's chip - Henry has the right to mark and lift his ball, although he does not have to. If Pete does not allow Henry time to mark and lift his ball, after Henry has indicated that he wishes to do so, Pete would lose the hole. If this were stroke play, Pete would incur a two-stroke penalty.

If this was a group of 3 players in stroke play and instead of Henry's ball in a position to assist Pete, it was George's ball, Henry would still have the right to ask George to mark and lift his ball. (option two above - have any other ball lifted). If George refused to do so, he would incur a two stroke penalty. If both Pete and George agreed that they did not want George to lift his ball, then both would be disqualified.

Try to get away from the phrase "in control of the ball" and think instead of whether or not the ball is in a position to assist any other player ... in the situation above with a group of 3 players in stroke play, the ball that was in position to assist Pete was George's ball and George really was not "in control of his own ball" - in other words, he could not leave it there if Henry wanted him to lift it!

If a player is required to lift his ball, he obviously must replace it and he is not allowed to clean the ball, unless the ball was already on the putting green.

In stroke play, if a player is asked to lift his ball, he may play first rather than lift the ball.

Next time, we'll cover the situation in which a ball is in a position to interfere with another player's ball.

August 28, 2006

John hits his approach shot on the 9th hole into the caddie shack/snack bar. They search all around the caddie shack and can't find the ball anywhere. The area surrounding the caddie shack is wide open and is closely mown. What is the ruling?

	Since John cannot find his ball, it is deemed lost and he must return to the spot where he hit the approach shot under stroke and distance.
	Since John cannot find his ball, it is deemed lost and he must return to the spot where he hit the approach shot - 2 stroke penalty.
	Since John cannot find his ball and there is reasonable evidence that his ball is lost in the caddie shack, he must return to the spot where he hit the approach shot and replay the shot - no penalty.
	Since John cannot find his ball and there is reasonable evidence that his ball is lost in the caddie shack, he may drop a ball within one club-length of, and no closer to the hole than, the nearest point of relief using the spot where the ball last crossed the outermost limit of the caddie shack as the reference point- no penalty.

The correct answer is D - Rule 24-3b; - Since the ball was lost in the immovable obstruction (caddie shack), and there is reasonable evidence to support that; i.e. the surrounding area is wide open and closely mown - nowhere else for a ball to be lost, then the point where the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the obstruction is used as the reference point for finding his nearest point of relief. He may then drop a ball within one club-length of and no closer to the hole than that nearest point of relief and there is no penalty.

Suppose the caddie shack was tucked in a wooded area, surrounded by trees, tall grass, weeds etc .... There would not be reasonable evidence in this situation to say that the ball is lost in the caddie shack, since it could be lost in the trees, weeds, tall grass, etc. In that case the ball is deemed lost and the player must proceed under stroke and distance.

August 12, 2006

Dave is preparing to make a tricky little chip onto the 8th green. He takes several practice strokes and one of them accidentally brushes the ball and moves it about 8 inches. Flustered, Dave is uncertain how to proceed, so he chips the ball from the new position. Uncomfortable with the whole thing, he mentions the incident to an official after finishing play on the 9th hole. What is the ruling?

	Disqualification for chipping from the wrong place and not correcting prior to teeing off the next tee.
	3 stroke penalty - 1 for moving his ball at rest plus two for playing from a wrong place.
	2 stoke penalty for the general breach of Rule 18.
	1 stroke penalty for moving his ball at rest.

The correct answer is C - Rule 18-2; - Dave incurs a two stroke penalty for breach of Rule 18. When he accidentally moved his ball at rest, he initially received a one stroke penalty. When a player is required to replace a ball and fails to do so, he incurs the general penalty for breach of Rule 18 (two stroke penalty). There is no additional penalty under Rule 18, except in the case of a wrongly substituted ball (Rule 15-2). Since the ball only moved about 8 inches, Dave did not gain a significant advantage, therefore, when he played from the wrong place, it was not considered a serious breach and he did not need to correct his play. This is one of those penalties in which 1 plus 2 equals 2!!

July 28, 2006

Paul's tee shot ends up in a lateral hazard which has a cart path
that runs up along the length of the hazard.
The hazard line is painted up along the outside edge of the cart path;
i.e., the cart path is not in the hazard.
The ball cannot be retrieved. Paul elects to take relief under Rule 26-1c.
Which is the proper procedure for taking relief from the hazard under this option?

	Drop a ball within one club-length of the edge of the cart path on the side that is not in the hazard.
	Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the edge of the cart path on the side that is not in the hazard.
	Drop a ball within three club-lengths of the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard (two club-lengths for the hazard plus one club-length for the cart path), not nearer the hole.
	Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, not nearer the hole, even if it means dropping on the cart path.

The correct answer is D - Rule 26-1c; - A player is not entitled to take relief from two different situations in a single procedure. (Decision 1-4/8). The player must first take proper relief from the water hazard. In this situation, the player opts to take relief from the lateral water hazard under Rule 26-1c, i.e. dropping a ball within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, not nearer the hole. It is irrelevant that the player is dropping on the cart path - nowhere in the Rules of Golf is it stated that a player may not drop on a cart path! Once the player takes proper relief from the lateral hazard, under penalty of one stroke, if he subsequently has interference from the cart path, he may then take free relief from the cart path (provided that it is artificially surfaced), using the point where the ball ended up on the drop from the water hazard as the point of reference for taking relief from the cart path. We call this the dreaded "double-drop"! The reason for this is logical. When the player takes relief first from the lateral water hazard, the ball could end up on this first drop in a position where there is no interference from the cart path. If the player were to try to combine relief from both situations in one procedure, he could very well end up playing a ball from a wrong place. The only way to determine the correct place is to go through each relief procedure one at a time.

The same scenario would apply if a player, when taking relief from a cart path, finds that the area within which he must drop the ball is an area of casual water or ground under repair. Each situation is a separate one and the player must treat each one separately; i.e, first taking relief from the cart path, and then, if he wishes to, taking relief from the casual water or GUR.

July 15, 2006

In stroke play, B's ball lies just off the putting green. A's ball lies near the hole in a position to serve as a backstop for B's ball. B requests A not to lift his ball in case his ball
rolls past the hole. A agrees to leave his ball there.
What is the ruling?

	A and B both receive a two-stroke penalty.
	A and B should both be disqualified.
	A receives a two-stroke penalty.
	B receives a two-stroke penalty.

The correct answer is B - Decision 22/6 - If a competitor and a fellow-competitor were to agree to exclude the operation of Rule 22-1(Ball Assisting Play), both should be disqualified under Rule 1-3.

June 30, 2006

In match play, Player B, who is away, removes the flagstick, places it on the putting green behind the hole, and putts. Player A, believing that B's ball will strike the flagstick, picks up the flagstick, allowing B's ball to roll beyond where the flagstick had been placed. Which of the following is the correct ruling?

	A and B halve the hole.
	A incurs a one-stroke penalty.
	A incurs a two-stroke penalty.
	A loses the hole.

The correct answer is D - Decision 1-2/3 - Player A loses the hole for removing an obstruction which might influence the movement of the ball while the ball was in motion. Rule 1-2 or Rule 24-1.

In stroke play, Player A would incur a penalty of 2 strokes. Player B incurs no penalty in either match play or stroke play.

June 19, 2006

Jeff plays his second shot on a par 5 hole and the ball lands just off the fairway in an area of old, faint tire tracks. Not sure if he is entitled to relief or not, Jeff announces to his fellow-competitor that he is "...going to take relief", and he drops a second ball, taking proper relief from ground under repair. He scores a 4 with the original ball in the tire tracks and a 5 with the ball that he took relief with. On the next hole, he calls over a Rules Official and notifies the official of his actions. What is his score for the hole?

	Four
	Five
	Six
	Seven

The correct answer is A - Rule 3-3b(ii) - This is Jeff's lucky day - his score is a four!

In order for a player to get the full benefit of Rule 3-3, there are 3 things the player must do:

he must announce to his marker or fellow-competitor that he intends to play two balls under Rule 3-3.
he must announce which ball he wishes to count if the Rules permit.
he must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning his score card.

When Jeff announced that he was "...going to take relief" and he dropped a second ball, correctly taking relief from ground under repair, it was obvious that Jeff was going to proceed under Rule 3-3, even though he did not say so specifically. See Decision 3-3/6.5. However, he failed to announce which ball he wished to score with. When he called the Rules Official over on the next hole, he satisfied the 3rd requirement of reporting the facts to the Committee before returning his score card.

Rule 3-3b(ii) states that if the player fails to announce in advance which ball he wishes to count, then the score with the original ball counts, provided it has been played in accordance with the Rules. Since Jeff failed to announce which ball he wished to count, then the score he made with the original ball, a four, is the score he receives for the hole. The Rules allow a player to play a ball out of ground under repair unless specifically prohibited on the Notice to Competitors.

This is one of the most misunderstood Rules - particularly the second requirement of announcing which ball the player wishes to count, if the Rules permit. Perhaps the easiest way to help you to understand it is to realize that the intent of Rule 3-3 is to prevent a player from incurring a penalty when a doubtful situation arises. It gives the player a chance to "do the right thing" if he is unsure how to proceed, by allowing him to play a second ball. However, it does not give him "choosies!" Just like the rest of the field, he can only have one ball in play that will count for a score. He must decide which of those two balls will be the one he wants to count before playing either ball.

In this particular situation, Jeff lucked out. He failed to announce which ball he wanted to count, so he had to take the score with the original ball, which happened to be the lower of the two scores. If Jeff had announced that he wanted to score with the second ball, with which he scored a five, and the Rules Official had determined that Jeff would have been entitled to relief from the tire tracks, then Jeff would have received a five on the hole.

June 11, 2006

The player's tee shot comes to rest just within the margins of a lateral water hazard but not in the water. The player makes a stroke at the ball and it dribbles down the bank into the water and cannot be played. The player drops another ball on the bank in the lateral water hazard at the spot where he last played. He decides not to play again from that lie and drops a different, new ball outside the hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than the spot where his original ball last crossed the margin of the lateral water hazard and plays on from there. How many penalty strokes has the player incurred?

	One
	Two
	Three
	Four

The correct answer is B - Rule 26-2; Decision 26-2/1 - a total of two penalty strokes.

The player incurred one penalty stroke under Rule 26-1a when he played his second shot that dribbled down into the water and couldn't be played. Rule 26-1a states that the player under penalty of 1 stroke, may play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played. The ball in this situation can be dropped in the hazard, since the last shot was played from the hazard. Now, when the player dropped the ball and decided that he did not want to play from that same lie, Rule 26-2a states that if the player, after dropping in the hazard, elects not to play the dropped ball, he may add an additional penalty of one stroke and proceed under Rule 26-1a, Rule 26-1b or, in this particular case, 26-1c, by dropping a ball (does not have to be the same ball he just dropped) outside the hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard ....

This Rule came about because of a situation many, many years ago on the PGA Tour when a player played from within the hazard and knocked his ball into the middle of a rather, deep large pond. He then a dropped another ball at the same spot in the hazard and the ball rolled deep into the water. This continued to happen and at the time there was no clause in the Rules allowing the player to "regress" and drop outside the hazard using the reference point of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. The player could not finish out the hole because he could not get a ball in play and thus was disqualified. This is one of those situations that struck many as extremely unfair. The USGA and the R & A took a look at the situation and eventually added in the clause allowing a player that finds himself unable to play out of a hazard, the option, under the additional penalty of one stroke, the opportunity to drop outside the hazard using the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of that hazard as the reference point for taking relief.

May 30, 2006

In which one of the following situations has the player
proceeded without incurring a penalty under Rule 7-2?

	A player addresses a range ball with a 7-iron and then strikes it some 150 yards back into the driving range.
	Prior to a player making his second stroke from the fairway, he makes a stroke with a plastic ball.
	In taking a practice swing, in the rough, a player dislodges a concealed range ball.
	While waiting to play from the fairway, a player drops another ball in the fairway and makes a practice putt.

The correct answer is C - Decisions 7-2/2, 7-2/4, 7-2/5, 7-2/7 Since the player had no intention of striking the concealed ball, his swing remained a practice swing and was not a stroke. Consequently, there is no question of his having played either a practice stroke (Rule 7-2) or a stroke with a wrong ball (Rule 15).

May 23, 2006

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

	The Committee is responsible for the addition of a score card.
	In four-ball stroke play, only one of the partners is required to sign the card in addition to the side's marker.
	Any alteration made on a score must be initialed by the marker.
	There is no penalty if a marker signs the competitor's score card in the space provided for the competitor's signature and vice versa.

The correct answer is C - Rules 31-4 & 33-5 and Decisions 6-6a/6 & 6-6b/1

May 11, 2006

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

	A player may deem his ball unplayable anywhere on the golf course.
	A player may proceed under the stroke and distance option for an unplayable ball without finding the original ball.
	A player believing is original ball might be lost, played a provisional ball. After finding the original ball in an unplayable position, the player may proceed with the provisional ball.
	A player's tee shot comes to rest in tree roots. He makes a stroke, fails to move the ball and deems the ball unplayable. He is allowed to return to the tee to play his fourth shot (stroke and distance).

The correct answer is B - Rule 27-2; Rule 28; Decision 28/1; Decision 28/7.

A - A player may deem his ball unplayable anywhere on the golf course EXCEPT in a water hazard (Rule 28)

B - A player may proceed under the stroke and distance option in declaring his ball unplayable (Rule 28a) without finding his ball. However, since Rule 28b (drop within 2 club-lengths of the spot on which the ball lies) and Rule 28c (drop a ball behind a point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and spot on which the ball is dropped) require a reference to where the ball lay, the player must find and identify his ball in order to proceed under either of these options

C - If the original ball is neither lost or out of bounds, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing with the original ball (Rule 27-2c).

D - Rule 28a permits the player to play " a ball ...at the spot from which the original ball was last played." Since the player made a stroke at the ball in the tree roots, even though he failed to move the ball, the original ball was last played from the tree roots and not the teeing ground (Decision 28/7).

May 2, 2006

Dave is hitting balls on the range prior to the start of his stroke play round. He hits a couple of bad pitches in a row, and in disgust, slams his wedge into the ground. The shaft snaps in two. His group is called to the tee, so he throws the two pieces of the broken club into his bag and runs to his car to grab another wedge out of his trunk to replace the broken one. He gets back to the 1st tee with 14 clubs in his bag plus the broken one. He realizes that he forgot to take the broken club out of his bag when he gets to the 1st putting green. What is the ruling?

	No penalty.
	1 stroke penalty for starting the round with more than 14 clubs.
	2 stroke penalty for starting the round with more than 14 clubs.
	Dave is disqualified for carrying a non-conforming club.

The correct answer is A - Decision 4-4a/14. There is no penalty. The Rules do not contemplate such a situation. In these circumstances, in equity (Rule 1-4), there is no penalty provided the broken club is not used during the stipulated round. (New)

April 26, 2006

A player uses one of his clubs as a cane while climbing a hill and the shaft breaks. What is the ruling?

	The player is not allowed to replace the club.
	The player may replace the club but receives a 2 stroke penalty.
	The player may replace the club but receives a 1 stroke penalty
	The player may replace the club - no penalty.

The correct answer is D - Decision 4-3/7. The player may replace the club with no penalty. A club broken in such circumstances is considered to have become "damaged in the normal course of play" as its use as a cane is considered a reasonable act - see Decision 4-3/1. (Revised)

This is a reversal from previous years. In 2006, the interpretation of "damaged in the normal course of play" has been broadened. Basically it is intended to cover all reasonable acts and would include:

removing or replacing a club in the bag;
using a club to search for or retrieve a ball;
leaning on a club while waiting to play, teeing a ball or removing a ball from a hole; or
accidentally dropping a club.

This interpretation however, specifically excludes cases of abuse. Examples of acts that are not in the normal course of play include the following:

throwing a club in anger or otherwise;
'slamming' a club into a bag; or
intentionally striking something (e.g., the ground or a tree) with the club other than during a stroke, practice swing or practice stroke.

April 2006

Jim is playing in a State Championship. On the Local Rules sheet, the use of measuring devices is allowed for this particular event. On the second hole, Jim pulls out his laser device that not only measures distance, but also has a setting that can measure the slope/gradient of a green well. Jim measures the distance from his ball to the flagstick, but does not use the part of the device that measures gradient. What is the ruling?

	Jim is disqualified for using the distance measuring device.
	Jim is disqualified for using the distance measuring device that has the capability of measuring gradient/slope, even though he didn't use that part of the device.
	Two stroke penalty for each hole in which the breach was discovered; maximum penalty of 4 strokes applied to the first two holes.
	No penalty.

The correct answer is B - Decision 14-3/0.5. A Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. However, the use of a devices that gauges or measures other conditions that might affect a player's play (e.g., wind or gradient) is not permitted. Even if the player doesn't use the part of the device that can gauge or measure conditions other than distance, the player is still disqualified. In the absence of such a Local Rule, the use of a distance measuring device would be contrary to Rule 14-3. (New)

March 2006

Dave plays his second shot and can't find it. He searches for it briefly and then goes back to the original spot and drops another ball under Rule 27-1 (Ball Lost or Out of Bounds). Before he plays the dropped ball, and within the 5 minute search period, the original ball is found. What is the ruling?

	Dave must continue with his original ball. No penalty.
	Dave has the choice of continuing with his original ball or he may play the dropped ball. 1 stroke penalty.
	Dave must continue play with the dropped ball. No penalty.
	Dave must continue play with the dropped ball. 1 stroke penalty.

The correct answer is D - Rule 27-1, Decision 27-1/2. When Dave put the substituted ball into play at the spot of the previous stroke with the intent to play a ball under Rule 27-1, he proceeded under an applicable Rule. Therefore, Rule 20-6 (Lifting ball incorrectly substituted, dropped or placed) does not apply, and he must continue play with the substituted (dropped) ball under penalty of stroke and distance. (Revised).

February 2006

John is playing in a stroke play tournament. Nothing is written on the Local Rules sheet or the Conditions of Competition about the use of distance measuring devices. On the first hole, John pulls a range finder out of his bag to determine how far his approach shot is from the green. What is the ruling?

	No penalty. Distance measuring devices are legal.
	John is disqualified for using an artificial device/unusual equipment during the round.
	John incurs a one-stroke penalty for using a distance measuring device.
	John incurs a two-stroke penalty for using a distance measuring device.

The correct answer is B - Rule 14-3, Decision 14-3/0.5. John is disqualified under Rule 14-3 for using the distance measuring device. HOWEVER, new for 2006, a Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. Since there was no such Local Rule in effect during this particular tournament, the use of the range finder was contrary to Rule 14-3 and John was disqualified. (New)

This may be one of the most mis-interpreted changes for 2006. Many people are under the impression that distance measuring devices are automatically ok to use. Make sure, if you intend on using one, that their use is clearly allowed and stated on the Local Rules or Conditions of Competition.

February 2006

Pete and Bill are fellow-competitors in a stroke-play event. At the first tee, the starter hands out the score cards. Somehow, the cards get handed to the wrong players and Pete records Bill's scores on his own (Pete's) card and vice-versa. Neither player notices the error and they both sign and attest each other's card, and turn them in. After the cards are turned in, the mismatch of the competitor's printed name and the recorded scores is discovered.
What is the ruling?

	Neither player is penalized.
	Both players incur a one-stroke penalty added to the round in question.
	Both players incur a two-stroke penalty added to the round in question.
	Both players are disqualified for signing an incorrect card.

The correct answer is A - Rule 6-6b, Decision 6-6d/4. Neither player is penalized. Assuming that each player himself has signed the score card on which his scores were recorded and that his marker also signed this same score card, the Committee should strike the name printed on the score card, enter the name of the competitor whose scores are recorded on the score card and accept the card without penalty to either player.

Rule 6-6b implies that the competitor is responsible only for the correctness of the scores recorded for each hole and making sure that both he and his marker have signed the card. The Rule itself makes no mention of making sure that the correct name is printed on a scorecard!! This same principle would also be true in the case of a score card being returned without a name recorded on it or a scorecard being returned which is not the original scorecard handed out at the first tee. (Revised)

January 2006

John is playing in a stroke play event and is paired with Bill. The third hole is a tricky par 5, reachable in two, but the green is guarded closely in front by a substantial creek. John is preparing to hit his 2nd shot to the green and turns to his fellow competitor and asks Bill how far he thinks John's ball is from the flagstick. What is the ruling?

	John is penalized 1 stroke under Rule 8-1 for asking advice.
	John is penalized 2 strokes und Rule 8-1 for asking advice.
	John is disqualified under Rule 8-1 for asking advice.
	John incurs no penalty.

The correct answer is D - Rule 8-1, Decision 8-1/2. Information regarding the distance between two objects is public information and not advice. It is therefore permissible for players to exchange information relating to the distance between two objects. For example, a player may ask anyone, including his opponent, fellow-competitor or either of their caddies, the distance between his ball and the hole. (Revised)

This is one of the 111 (!) changes that have been made this year to the interpretations of the Rules of Golf! Each week, we will try to cover one of these changes/new decisions, to help you better understand them!