rulespin
Paul Kruger is a PGA professional at
The Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia.
by Paul Kruger
not yet ... but soon
Continuing with the series of “Now
& Then” articles comparing the Rules as
they currently exist with the Rules that will
come into eff ect on January 1, 2019, here is
another quiz to test your knowledge of the
forthcoming Rules. For each of the following
statements, answer “Now” if you believe
that the statement applies only to the current
Rules; answer “Then” if you believe that the
statement applies only to the 2019 Rules;
answer “Both” if the statement is correct
under both versions of the Rules; or answer
“Neither” if the statement is not valid under
either the “Now” or “Then” Rules.
1. Without penalty, you may pry out an
acorn embedded in the putting green and also
repair the depression.
2. A player is not permitted to repair a
club that he or she damaged by slamming it
into the ground.
3. When a player suspects that his or her
ball has become cut during play of a hole,
the player may mark and lift the ball without
penalty to determine if it is unfi t for play.
However, before lifting the ball, the player
must announce his or her intention to lift and
give his or her opponent, marker or fellow-
competitor an opportunity to examine the ball
and observe the lifting and replacement.
4. A Local Rule must be adopted in order
to prohibit the use of distance-measuring
devices.
5. If a player accidentally steps on and
moves his or her ball while searching for it in
the rough, he or she will incur a one-stroke
penalty and must replace the ball.
6. When your ball is in a bunker, you may
remove a loose impediment that is in the same
bunker without penalty.
7. A Local Rule must fi rst be adopted by
the Committee before a player may take relief
on the opposite side of a lateral body of water
equidistant from the hole.
old hole plugs or damage to the putting
green caused by the impact of a ball. See
also Decision 16-1a/7 [Player Repairs
Depression on Line of Putt Created When
Partially Embedded Acorn Removed].
Forthcoming Rule 13.1c(2) [Improvements
Allowed on Putting Green: Repair of
Damage] states, in part, “A player may repair
damage on the putting green without penalty
by taking reasonable actions to restore the
putting green as nearly as possible to its
original condition….” This Rule includes
“Embedded objects (such as a stone, acorn or
tee)” as examples of “damage on the putting
green.”
2. Now Currently, Rule 4-3a [Damaged
Clubs: Repair and Replacement: Damage in
Normal Course of Play] allows a player to
repair a damaged club if it was damaged in
the normal course of play. But Decision 4-3/1
[Meaning of Damage Sustained in “Normal
Course of Play”] points out that intentionally
striking the ground with a club other than
during a stroke, practice swing or practice
stroke is an act that is not in the normal course
of play. Forthcoming Rule 4.1a(2) [Use or
Repair of Club Damaged During Round]
allows a player to repair a conforming club
if it is “damaged during a round.” This
Rule states, in part, “”Damaged during a
round” means when the club’s performance
characteristics are changed because of any
act during the round … whether …[b]y the
player (such as making a stroke or practice
swing with the club, putting it in or taking it
out of a golf bag, dropping or leaning on it, or
throwing or abusing it ….”
3. Now Current Rule 5-3 [Ball Unfi t for
Play] requires that the player announce his
intention to lift and give his or her opponent,
marker or fellow-competitor the opportunity
to examine the ball and observe the lifting and
replacement of the ball. Forthcoming Rule
4.2c [Ball Becomes Cut or Cracked While
Playing Hole] does away with this requirement!
Answers:
4. Then The Note to current Rule 14-3
1.
Then Currently, Rule 16-1c
[Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other [Artifi cial Devices and Unusual Equipment;
Damage] limits the player to repairing only Abnormal Use of Equipment] states, “The