MisterC's Rule of the Month (Feb)

MisterC

Golf Rule(s) Of The Month

February 2012

Question 1

In strokeplay if a player has interference to their stance from an immovable obstruction he/she is entitled to relief under rule 24.2. The player determines his nearest point of relief with their 5 iron, as that is the club they intend to play their next shot with, and drops the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief. The ball settles down in the rough and the player changes his mind and plays the ball with a sandwedge on to the fairway. What is the ruling........

A) The player incurs no penalty.
B) The player incurs a two stroke penalty.
C) The player is disqualified.

Question 2

A player unable to find his ball puts another ball into play. He then discovers that his original ball is in the hole. What is the ruling........

A) The player must complete the hole with the second ball.
B) The ball in the hole counts.
C) The player is disqualified.

Question 3

In strokeplay a competitor waiting to play his shot to the green drops a ball on the fairway and hits it twice with his putter. What is the ruling.......

A) The competitor incurs a penalty of two strokes
B) The competitor incurs a penalty of four strokes
C) There is no penalty.

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January 2012

Q1 ) A player plays a stroke on the putting green and, while the ball is still in motion it is picked up and carried away by a dog and dropped next to the hole. What is the ruling?

• A) The stroke counts and the ball must be played as it lies.

• B) The stroke counts and the player must place a ball at the point where the ball was when the dog picked it up.

• C) The stroke is cancelled and the ball must be replaced.

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Q2 ) In match play a player's ball lies on a bridge over a water hazard and he grounds his club. What is the ruling?

• A) There is no penalty

• B) The player loses the hole.

• C)The player is penalised two strokes.

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Q3 ) In stroke play a player swings at and misses a wrong ball. What is the ruling?

• A) No penaltyis incurred

• B) The player incurs a two stroke penalty and the stroke counts on the player's score.

• C) The player incurs a two stroke penalty, however the actual missed stroke does not count..

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December 2011

1) In match play,after playing the first hole and halfing it with Alex, Paul discovers that he has 15 clubs in his bag.

What is the ruling ?

2) In stroke play, Alex notices a twig lying close to his ball in the bunker.  As he believes it will interfere with his swing, he removes it.

What is the ruling?

3) Alex and Paul are partners is a 4 ball stroke play competition.  During his stroke, Paul allows Alex to position himself on the line of putt behind the ball as they both have similar putts and it may help Alex.

What is the ruling?

November 2011

Q A player may clean his ball by rubbing it on the putting green ?

True or False

Q A stake defining out of bounds is a movable obstruction ?

True or False

October 2011

Question: -

Is there a penalty if an object is used which does not comply with the reference to a “ball-marker” in the R&A Rule Book?

Answer: No
The reference to a ball-marker is a note attached to Rule 20-1.
There is not a definition of a ball-marker in the Rules of Golf. (Notes, however, are only recommendations of best practice so there is no penalty for non-compliance).
(The note states that the position of the ball should be marked by placing a ball marker; small coin or similar object immediately behind the ball.  You do not incur a penalty if you do not use a recommended object).
However, the position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under a rule that requires it to be replaced. If it is not marked the player incurs a penalty of 1 stroke.  (R&A Rule 20-1)

Question: -

Can I use a tee peg to mark the ball?

Answer: -

This is not recommended although it is not a penalty if one is used.
In the Decisions on the Rules of Golf there are examples of items used as ball-markers that are not recommended.  These items are “the toe of the club”, “a Tee”, “a loose impediment” and “scratching a line”.
It is, however, necessary to physically mark the position of the ball.Using a mark on the ground (e.g. a blemish on the putting green) does not constitute marking the ball

Copyright Gosforth Golf Club.

Gosforth Golf Club
Broadway East
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 5ER