rulespin
Paul Kruger is a PGA professional at
The Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia.
by Paul Kruger
it’s about time
The purpose of this article is to
call your attention to some of the
times the Rules consider time to be
an important element in the proper
playing of the game. If you’ve got
a minute or two, watch and see the
extent to which time matters in the
Rules.
The subject of pace of play is fi rst
mentioned in Section I Etiquette,
advising that players should be
ready to play as soon as it is their
turn to play. Subsequently, Rule 6-7
[Undue Delay; Slow Play] confi rms
that the player must play without
undue delay and in accordance with
any pace of play guidelines that the
Committee may establish. Also,
this Rule advises that the player
must not unduly delay play between
completion of a hole and playing
from the next teeing ground.
Section I Etiquette points out
that players searching for a lost ball
need not wait for fi ve minutes before
signaling to the group behind to play
through. However, the Defi nition of
“Lost Ball” establishes a fi ve-minute
period for searching for a ball. After
that amount of time has elapsed,
the ball is deemed to be lost. This
is confi rmed in Rule 27-1c [Ball Not
Found Within Five Minutes]. The
Defi nition of “Lost Ball” also notes
that time spent in playing a wrong
ball is not counted in the fi ve-minute
period allowed for search.
In match play, if there is doubt
as to how to proceed, and no duly
authorized representative of the
Committee is available within a
reasonable time, Rule 2-5 [Doubt as
to Procedure; Disputes and Claims]
advises that the players must continue
the match without delay. Rule 2-5
also notes that the Committee may
consider a claim only if it has been
made in a timely manner, and this
Rule also describes what is meant by
a “timely manner.”
Rule 6-3a [Time of Starting]
advises that the player must start
at the time established by the
Committee. The penalty statement
for this Rule points out that the
player can avoid disqualifi cation if
he or she arrives at his or her starting
point, ready to play, within fi ve
minutes of the designated starting
time. Decision 6-3a/2.5 [Meaning
of “Time of Starting”] clarifi es that
a starting time of 9:00 am requires
the player to be present and ready to
play at 9:00:00 am.
Rule 6-8 [Discontinuance of
Play; Resumption of Play] notes
that if the player discontinues play
without specifi c permission from the
Committee, he must report to the
Committee as soon as practicable.
Decision 6-8a/2.5 [Discontinuing
Play for Refreshment] recommends
against, but nevertheless permits,
a Committee to permit players to
discontinue play for a short period
of time, e.g., up to fi ve minutes, if
the Committee considers there to
be a good reason (e.g., a danger of
dehydration or heat exhaustion in
hot climates or a need to warm up
in cold climates) to allow a player to
discontinue play.
Decision 6-8a/3 [Discontinuing
Play Due to Physical Problem]
advises that it would be reasonable
for a Committee to allow a player 10
to 15 minutes to recuperate from a
sudden illness or physical problem,
e.g., heat exhaustion, a bee sting, or
being struck by a golf ball.
Rule 16-2 [Ball Overhanging
Hole] allows the player a reasonable
amount of time to reach the hole,
plus an additional 10 seconds to
determine if his ball overhanging
the hole is at rest. If, by then, the
ball has not fallen into the hole, it
is deemed to be at rest. If the ball
subsequently falls into the hole, the
player is deemed to have holed out
with his last stroke, and must add
a penalty stroke to his score for the
hole.
Note 1 to Rule 18 [Ball at Rest
Moved] states, “If a ball to be
replaced under this Rule is not
immediately recoverable, another
ball may be substituted.” Decision
18/11 [Meaning of “Immediately
Recoverable”] clarifi es that a ball
is “immediately recoverable” only
if it can be retrieved within a few
seconds.
7