MARSHALL, KNOW YOUR RULES...
THE
Q. MY BALL WAS IN A HAZARD BUT
PLAYABLE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE
BALL, MY FEET WERE OUTSIDE THE
HAZARD AND STANDING ON AN
EXPOSED DRAINAGE PIPE. DO I GET
RELIEF FROM THE PIPE EVEN THOUGH
MY BALL IS IN A HAZARD?
JON GREEN, MIDDLESBROUGH
A. hen your ball is in a water hazard, you
W
may choose to play it as it lies or take
relief under the water hazard rule (261). There is no relief from an immovable
obstruction outside the hazard when your
ball lies in the hazard.
Q. WAS PLAYING IN A MATCH WHEN
I
MY OPPONENT USED HER PUTTER
TO TAP DOWN HER MARKER AFTER
MARKING HER BALL ON THE GREEN,
THE MARKER STUCK TO THE SOLE OF
THE PUTTER AND WAS ACCIDENTALLY
LIFTED FROM ITS ORIGINAL SPOT.
I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING AND
ALLOWED HER TO REPOSITION HER
MARKER, I AM NOW WONDERING IF
SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PENALISED?
SALLY HEAM - OXFORD
A.
When a ball or ball marker is accidentally
moved in the process of marking and
lifting a ball, there is no penalty as long
as the movement is directly attributable
to that specific act. The key to this rule
is the meaning of the words “directly
attributable.”
Q. PLAYER’S BALL IS IN A BUNKER.
A
THERE IS ANOTHER BUNKER, A
FEW STEPS AWAY. HE STEPS INTO
THE OTHER BUNKER AND TAKES
A PRACTICE SWING, STRIKING THE
SAND. HAS HE BROKEN A RULE?
GARY FERNEL – MANCHESTER
A.
Yes, The player has broken Rule 13-4a,
which states that a player may not test
the condition of a bunker or any similar
bunker before he/she hits a ball that is
in a bunker. This rule applies to any
water hazard or bunker. The penalty is
loss of hole in match play, two strokes in
stroke play.
10 YOURCADDY | ISSUE 03
Q. A MATCH PLAY SITUATION I
IN
COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONALLY
COUGHED DURING MY OPPONENT’S
DOWNSWING CAUSING HIM TO
SHANK HIS BALL, I OFFERED TO LET
HIM PLAY IT AGAIN AND DUALLY
APOLOGISED BUT HE WOULDN’T RE
TAKE THE SHOT SAYING IT WASN’T
ALLOWED. CAN A PLAYER EVER
REPLAY HIS/HER SHOT IN THIS
SITUATION WITH AGREEMENT FROM
HIS/HER OPPONENT?
FRANK ROBINSON, BRIGHTON
A. A player is not entitled to a doNo.
over if he has been distracted by his/her
opponent. Players may not agree to a
relief procedure that is not available to
them under the Rules.
Q. OULD IT BE CONSIDERED “SHARING
W
EQUIPMENT” IF I LET MY COMPETITOR/
FRIEND HAVE MY RANGEFINDER
IN THE MIDDLE OF A MONTHLY
TOURNAMENT WHEN HERS WENT
DEAD? ANOTHER PERSON IN OUR
FOURBALL HAD ONE AS WELL, SO WE
HAD ONE TO SPARE. I DIDN’T WANT
TO TAKE ANY CHANCES, SO I TOLD
HER NO BUT I WOULD BE GLAD TO
GIVE HER YARDAGES FROM HER BALL.
CHRISTINE WATKINS, TAUNTON
A.
There is nothing in the Rules to prohibit
you from lending your rangefinder to
another player. It would actually be a
sportsmanlike gesture and would help
with the pace of play. You may share just
about anything but your clubs, including
tees, towels and even balls.
Q. TOOK A PRACTICE PUTT NEAR MY
I
BALL AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT IT. I
PUT IT BACK, COUNTED A PENALTY
STROKE, AND THEN PUTTED THE
BALL. DID I DO THE RIGHT THING?
JASON READING, WREXHAM
A.
Yes, ab