July 6, 2010

A player's ball is accidentally deflected by his golf bag (equipment), which was
placed by his caddie in the rough near the landing area. The ball came to rest in
the middle of the fairway following the deflection. What is the ruling?

	The player incurs no penalty and must replay the stroke.
	The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and must replay the stroke.
	The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and must play the ball as it lies.
	The player incurs a two-stroke penalty and in stroke play must play the ball as it lies.

 

The correct answer is C - Rule 19-2.   The player incurs a 1 stroke penalty and must then play the ball as it lies.  This Rule was changed during the last major Rules change cycle in 2008.  Prior to 2008, if a player's ball in motion was deflected by himself or his equipment, the penalty was 2 strokes and the ball was played as it lies.  In 2008, the Rule was changed to only a 1 stroke penalty to bring it in line with Rule 18-2 (ball at rest moved, touched or deflected by player, partner, caddie or equipment).  This was a good change, making the Rule more equitable.

June 17, 2010

In stroke play, A played from outside the teeing ground, and his ball came to
rest out of bounds. Which one of the following is the correct ruling?

	Because A's ball came to rest out of bounds, he is not penalized for playing from outside the teeing ground and the stroke does not count. A must put another ball into play under penalty of distance only from within the teeing ground. A will make his second stroke from within the teeing ground.
	A incurred a penalty of two strokes for playing from outside the teeing ground. The fact that his ball came to rest out of bounds was irrelevant, and the stroke itself did not count. A will make his third stroke from within the teeing ground.
	A must put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1). A will make his third stroke from where he last played from outside the teeing ground.
	A must put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1). He will also incur a penalty of two strokes for playing a ball from outside the teeing ground. A will make his fifth stroke from within the teeing ground.

 

The correct answer is B - Rule 11-4b.   The player incurs a 2 stroke penalty and must then play a ball from within the teeing ground.  The stroke(s) played from outside the teeing ground do not count in the score for that hole.  If the player makes a stroke from the teeing ground of the next hole, without first correcting his mistake, or in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without first declaring his intention to correct his mistake, he is disqualified.

June 8, 2010

Which of the following results in a 2 stroke penalty for Competitor A?

	On the second putting green, A realizes one of the 14 clubs in his bag is non-conforming (bent shaft).
	On the 5th tee, A realizes he started the round with 15 clubs in his bag.
	On the 8th hole, A inadvertently uses B's wedge to make a stroke from the fairway onto the putting green.
	A purposely breaks his putter over his knee after missing a short putt on the 12th hole and tosses it into a lake.

The correct answer is C - Rule 4-4a.   A player may not start a round with more than 14 clubs.  He is limited to the clubs he selected for that round,
except that if he started the round with fewer than 14 clubs, he may add any number, provided the total number does not exceed 14.  The addition of a club or clubs must not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7) and the player may not add or borrow any club selected for play by any other player playing on the course (at the same time).  The penalty is 2 strokes for each hole at which a breach occurs with a maximum penalty of 4 strokes.  Since the breach occurred only during the play of the 8th hole, the penalty is 2 strokes.

• In the first situation in which player A realized he was carrying a non-conforming club on the 2nd green, his penalty, provided he has not used the club,  is 2 strokes for each hole at which any breached occurred with a maximum penalty of 4 strokes.  In this case his penalty is 4 strokes; however, if he had used the club at any time during play of the 1st or 2nd hole, he would be disqualified.

• In the second situation, the penalty is the same - 2 strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred - with a maximum penalty of 4 strokes - thus his penalty is the full 4 strokes.

• In the last situation, all he is guilty of is childishness.

June 1, 2010

The player makes a stroke from the fairway and the ball comes to rest in a greenside bunker.
The ball is embedded in the back of the bunker in a position where it is not possible for him to make a stroke at the ball.
He deems the ball unplayable but cannot drop a ball in the bunker without going closer to the hole.
Under penalty of one stroke, where must the player drop a ball when proceeding under Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable)?

	In the bunker at a point which provides maximum available relief from the unplayable lie, even though that point might be slightly nearer the hole than where the ball originally lay.
	Outside the bunker; keeping the point where the ball lies unplayable directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.
	Outside the bunker, within two club-lengths of the point where the ball lay unplayable in the bunker.
	At the point as nearly as possible at the spot where the original ball was last played.

The correct answer is D - Rule 28.   When a player declares his ball to be unplayable he has 3 options under penalty of one stroke:

1. Play a ball as nearly as possible at a spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

2. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball
   is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

3. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

If the unplayable lie is in a bunker, the player may proceed under any of the options above; however, if he elects to proceed under options B or C, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.

The only way he may drop outside the bunker is under stroke and distance (i.e. drop a ball as nearly as possible at a spot from
which the original ball was last played - option A.

May 24, 2010

A competitor incurs the general penalty for breach of the applicable Rule when,
during a stipulated round, he or she:

 

	assists a fellow-competitor with the relief procedure from a lateral water hazard.
	uses his cell phone to check his business voice mail.
	asks a fellow-competitor whether a 150-yard marker is accurate.
	changes caddies briefly for the purpose of receiving advice from the new caddie.

The correct answer is D - Decision 8-1/26   Even though a player is allowed to have more than one caddie, provided that he has only one caddie at any point in time (see Decision 6-4/7), it would be contrary to the purpose and spirit of the Rules for a player to change caddies briefly for the purpose of circumventing Rule 8-1 (Advice).  Therefore, in equity (Rule 1-4), the player would incur a penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play for each hole at which the action occurred.

Information on the Rules, distance or matters of public information, such as the position of hazards or the flagstick on the putting green, is not advice.

Pulling a cell phone out to check business voice mail while playing, may be a breach of etiquette, but it is not a breach of the Rules of Golf.

May 17, 2010

In stroke play, A's ball lies near the hole in a position to assist B, whose ball lies off the green.
A states his intention to lift his ball under Rule 22-1 (Ball Assisting Play).
However, B says that he does not want A's ball lifted.
B plays before A has an opportunity to lift his ball.
What is the ruling?

	B is disqualified.
	A incurs a two-stroke penalty.
	B incurs a two-stroke penalty.
	Both A and B incur a two-stroke penalty.

 

The correct answer is A - Rule 22-1 and Decision 3-4/1   B is disqualified under Rule 3-4 (Refusal to Comply with a Rule) as he intentionally denied A's right to lift his ball under Rule 22-1.  Rule 22-1 specifically allows a player to either lift his ball or have any other ball lifted if he thinks that the ball might assist any other player (except if another ball is already in motion).

May 4, 2010

Prior to their single match, A suggests to B that they concede all putts within five feet of the hole throughout the match.  B agrees.  They begin the match with this agreement in place.
The Committee becomes aware of the agreement when the match is on the 5th hole;
however, no putts have yet been conceded under the agreement.
What is the ruling?
 

	Neither player incurs a penalty and the Committee must make it clear to the players that putts within five feet cannot be automatically conceded according to the agreement.
	Player A incurs an adjustment of the state of the match penalty, and must deduct one hole for each hole on which the agreement was in place, maximum deduction per round - two holes.
	The score of the match is adjusted and the first two holes are halved.
	Both players are disqualified.

The correct answer is D - Decision 1-3/2   Both players are disqualified.  The players have agreed to exclude the operation of Rule 1-1 (playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive  strokes) and they should be disqualified under Rule 1-3 (agreement to waive the Rules).  Under Rule 2-4, the only stroke which may be conceded is the "next stroke" and it cannot be conceded in advance.

In match play, if the players in a match agree to waive the Rules before their stipulated round begins, they are in breach of Rule 1-3 if either of them starts the stipulated round without having canceled the agreement.

In stroke play, if the competitors agree to waive the Rules before their stipulated round, each competitor is in breach of Rule 1-3 if one competitor who was part of the agreement starts his stipulated round without having canceled the agreement.

April 26, 2010

In which one of the following has the player proceeded properly within the Rules of Golf and without penalty?

	The player uses his golf glove to mark the outer limit of the area in which a ball is to be dropped. The dropped ball is deflected by the glove. The player then makes his next stroke from where the ball came to rest after the deflection.
	The player drops a ball under Rule 24-2b and the dropped ball lodges in the branch of a bush, never striking the ground. He makes his next stroke at the ball where it lay in the bush.
	The player deems his ball unplayable and drops a ball under Rule 28c.  The ball strikes his club that was lying on the ground to indicate the dropping area. He then decides to proceed under the option outlined in Rule 28b and does so.
	The player has his caddie hold back a tree branch that is situated where the player drops his ball under Rule 26-1c. After dropping the ball, the caddie releases the branch and the player makes his next stroke at his ball that is under the branch.

The correct answer is B - Decision 20-2b/1   

The ball is in play.  The player dropped the ball properly when proceeding under Rule 24-2b (relief from an immovable obstruction) and the ball struck a part of the course where required by the Rule.  The ball did not roll into a position requiring it to be redropped under Rule 20-2c.  It is immaterial that the ball does not lay on the ground.   That is why it is always a smart move to check out the area within which you are planning to drop your ball before lifting the ball to take relief.

As far as the other three situations:

A)  A glove is is part of the player's equipment (see definition of  "equipment") and it does not lose that status when used to mark the area in which a ball is to be dropped.  A glove is not considered a "small object".  Therefore, when he dropped the ball and it was deflected by the glove, the player was required to re-drop the ball, without penalty.   See Decision 20-2a/7.

C)  The player opted to proceed under Rule 28-c after declaring his ball unplayable (dropping a ball within 2 club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay).  When the ball struck the player's club, he was required to re-drop the ball under Rule 20-2a without penalty.  He may not change his relief option when re-dropping a ball under Rule 20-2a.  See Decision 20-2a/6.

D)  The caddie may not hold back a tree branch that is situated where a player wishes to drop his ball.  Such an act would be exerting influence on the position or movement of the ball, contrary to Rule 1-2.  See Decision 20-2a-5.

March 21, 2010

A player's ball lies on an artificially surfaced path.  The player determines his nearest point of relief and measures the one club-length in which the ball may be dropped.
As the player is concerned that the ball, when dropped, will roll into an unplayable lie,
he takes a ball from his bag and drops it in the area to test where the original ball might roll to
if he elects to take relief from the path.  He did not intend to put the second ball into play.
What is the ruling?

	No penalty - the player is being very smart.
	1 stroke penalty in both match play and stroke play.
	2 stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.
	The player is disqualified.

The correct answer is C - Decision 20-2a/8.   This is a new Decision for 2010.

As the player had no intention of putting the dropped ball (second ball) into play, that ball did not become the ball in play, and his original ball on the path remained the ball in play.  However, it is contrary to the purpose and spirit of the Rules for a player to test what may happen when he drops his ball.  Therefore, in equity (Rule 1-4), the player incurs a penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.  In stroke play, the player may play the original ball as it lies on the path or take relief under Rule 24-2.