September 20, 2004

A player uses an optional ball drop located behind a water hazard in taking relief for a ball that has entered the water hazard.  When he drops a ball, it rolls and comes to rest outside the ball drop two feet in front of where it hit the ground in the ball drop.  The player must: 

	Re-drop, as many times as necessary until the ball remains in the ball drop.
	Re-drop once more, and if the ball rolls outside the ball drop again, place it on the spot where it first touched the ground within the ball drop on the second drop.
	Re-drop twice more, and if the ball rolls outside the ball drop again, place it on the spot where it first touched the ground within the ball drop on the third drop.
	Nothing.  The ball is in play.

The correct answer is D - The player does nothing - the ball is in play.  Decision 33-8/34
As long as the dropped ball first strikes a part of the course within the ball drop, it does not have to come to rest within the ball drop.  The dropped ball may roll closer to the hole provided it comes to rest within two club-lengths of the spot where it first struck a part of the course within the ball drop.  The reason why the ball may roll "closer to the hole" is that it still has not rolled closer to the hole than the estimated position of the original ball in the water hazard.  (The ball drop was located behind the water hazard).

August 23, 2004

Which of the following statements is false?

	A player may remove a cigarette butt from a bunker.
	A player may not remove a half-eaten pear from a bunker.
	A player may brush aside loose sand from the line of his putt with his hat.
	A player may brush aside dew from the line of his putt with his hat.

The correct answer is D - Definition of loose impediments, moveable obstructions, Rule 13, Rule 16. A cigarette butt is a moveable obstruction and Rule 13-4, Exception 1 allows a player to remove an obstruction in any hazard, provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball.  However, the half-eaten pear is a loose impediment and Rule 13-4c prohibits a player from touching or moving a loose impediment lying in or touching any hazard.  Even though there may not be any pear trees in the vicinity, the half-eaten pear is still deemed to be a natural object which is the definition of a loose impediment.  Therefore both statements A and B are true.

Loose sand and soil are loose impediments on the putting green only, but not elsewhere.  Since the player removed the loose sand from the line of his putt, we know that the player's ball lies on the putting green, therefore he may brush away the loose sand - Rule 16-1a.   In 2004 this rule was revised and the player is no longer limited to using only his hand or club to brush away loose impediments on the putting green - see Decision 16-1a/8.  Therefore, statement C is true.

However, dew and frost are not loose impediments; therefore, a player is prohibited from removing dew or frost from the line of his putt - see Decision 16-1a/3.  Therefore statement D is false.

August 16, 2004

In stroke play, Player A prepared to play a 60 foot putt.  He asked Player B to tend the flagstick.  Player A did not expect to hole the putt, he simply was trying to get the ball close enough to have a 2 putt.  Both he and Player B watched in amazement as the ball slowly trickled towards the hole and dropped in.  In his amazement at watching the ball trickle towards the hole, Player B neglected to pull the flagstick as the ball hit the hole and fell in.
What is the penalty, if any?

	Player A receives a 2 stroke penalty for striking an attended flagstick.
	Player B receives a 2 stroke penalty for failing to remove the flagstick.
	Both Player A and Player B receive a 2 stroke penalty.
	Player B is disqualified.

The correct answer is A - Decision 17-3/2.  Player A receives a 2 stroke penalty.  In this case, Player B did not intentionally fail to remove the flagstick.  Player B incurs no penalty.  

If Player B failed to remove the flagstick for the purpose of causing Player A to incur a penalty, Player B is disqualified in both match play and stroke play for a serious breach of Rule 1-2. In stroke play, in equity (Rule 1-4) Player A must replay the stroke without penalty.

If Player B’s failure to remove the flagstick was for the purpose of preventing Player A’s ball from going beyond the flagstick and not for the purpose of causing Player A to incur a penalty, in match play Player B lost the hole under Rule 1-2 when he failed to remove the flagstick before Player A’s ball reached the hole. The fact that Player A’s ball subsequently struck the flagstick (a breach of Rule 17-3a) is irrelevant since Player B had already lost the hole. In stroke play, Player B incurs a penalty of two strokes under Rule 1-2, and Player A incurs the same penalty under Rule 17-3a.

If Player B’s failure to remove the flagstick was not deliberate, e.g., the flagstick stuck in the socket or Player B was distracted and did not see Player A putt, Player A incurs a penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play under Rule 17-3. Player B incurs no penalty.

August 2, 2004

In stroke play, a player played a poor shot and his ball came to rest through the green near a lake.  In anger, the player lifted his ball and threw it into the lake from where it could not be retrieved.  The player placed another ball on the spot from which the original ball was lifted and holed out.  What is the penalty, if any?

	No penalty.
	1 Stroke
	2 Strokes
	3 Strokes

The correct answer is D - Decision 18-2a/13.5.  Although Note 1 to Rule 18 states "If a ball to be replaced under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted," since the only reason the player's ball was not recoverable was due to the player tossing the ball in the lake after lifting it,  the Note does not apply.

In stroke play, the player incurred a penalty of 3 strokes - one under Rule 18-2a for lifting his ball without authority under the Rules and two under Rule 15-2 for substituting a ball when not permitted.  (Revised

July 12, 2004

A player hits his tee shot into a lateral water hazard and attempts to play the ball as it lies.  He hits the ball and flies it into the woods.  He cannot find the ball, so he returns to the hazard to drop another ball in the water, but before dropping it, he decides that he probably won't be able to hit it.  So he drops the ball outside the hazard two club-lengths from where it last crossed the margin of the hazard before coming to a rest in that hazard.  He chips the ball onto the green and makes the putt.  What is his score for the hole?

	4
	5
	6
	7

The correct answer is C - Rule 26-2b(ii)  and Decision 26-2/1.  The player hit his tee shot into the lateral water hazard (1 stroke).  He attempted to play his next shot from the water hazard and hits it into the woods (1 stroke).  He cannot find the ball so he returns to the water hazard under stroke and distance to drop a new ball into the hazard from the spot he last hit from (1 penalty stroke under Rule 27-1).  Before dropping, he decides that he won't be able to hit the ball out of the hazard, so he drops a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where his ball last crossed the margin of the hazard before coming to a rest in that hazard (1 penalty stroke under Rule 26-2b).  He chips this ball onto the green (1 stroke) and sinks his putt (1 stroke).   His score for the hole is 6 - he has actually hit the ball 4 times and has two penalty strokes.

July 6, 2004

A player finds a ball he believes is his ball, declares it unplayable and drops it under Rule 28b or c.  He then discovers that the ball is not his, i.e. it is a wrong ball.  What is the ruling?

	No penalty for lifting and dropping a wrong ball.
	1 stroke penalty for lifting and dropping a wrong ball.
	2 stroke penalty for lifting and dropping a wrong ball.
	Disqualification for lifting and dropping a wrong ball

The correct answer is A - Decision 15/13.  There is no penalty for lifting and dropping a wrong ball.  A penalty is only applicable if a stroke is played at a wrong ball (Rule 15-3).  The player would be entitled to resume search for his own ball.

June 28, 2004

A player finds his ball in high rough after a two-minute search, leaves the area to get a club and, when he returns, is unable to find the ball.  How much time is he now allowed to find his ball?

	None.  Once he found his ball, the first time his allotted time for searching was considered to be used up.  He must proceed under stroke and distance for a lost ball.
	Three minutes.
	Five minutes.
	Eight minutes.  (Three from the original search, plus five more for a new search.)

The correct answer is B - Decision 27/3.  The player is allowed the remaining three minutes of the original five minute search to find his ball again.

June 21, 2004

Player A, in taking relief from a lateral water hazard in which the red hazard line is painted right along the edge of a paved cart-path, measures his two club-lengths and the two club-lengths puts him on the cart path.  What is the proper procedure?

	The player does not have to drop on the cart path, so he may take his nearest point of relief plus one club length on the opposite side of the cart path (away from the hazard side). 1 stroke penalty.
	The player does not have to drop on the cart path, so he may take his nearest point of relief plus two club-lengths on the opposite side of the cart path (away from the hazard side). 1 stroke penalty.
	The player must first take relief from the water hazard and drop the ball on the cart path.  Once the ball is in play after a proper drop, if the player has interference from the cart path, he may now take relief from the cart path.  Since the nearest point of relief may not be in a hazard, the player must now find the nearest point of relief plus one club length on the opposite side of the cart path (away from the hazard side).  1 stroke penalty.
	The player must first take relief from the water hazard and drop the ball on the cart path.  Once the ball is in play after a proper drop, if the player has interference from the cart path, he may now take relief from the cart path.  Since the nearest point of relief may not be in a hazard, the player must now find the nearest point of relief plus two club lengths on the opposite side of the cart path (away from the hazard side).  1 stroke penalty.

The correct answer is C - The player must take the proper relief from the two different situations that he is facing.  He may not "combine" the drops into one procedure.  He must first take relief from the lateral water hazard and if he chooses to measure two club-lengths from where his ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, and in doing so, this area within which to drop the ball is on the cart path, then he must drop a ball on the cart path.  He must drop the ball and let it come to rest before determining how he will proceed.  If the ball rolls back into the hazard, or closer to the hole or more than two club-lengths from where it first struck the part of the course, then the ball must be redropped.  If this scenario is repeated, the player must then place the ball on the spot where the ball first struck the course on his second drop.  When the ball is in play after taking relief from the lateral water hazard, and if the player now has interference from the cart path, he may now play the ball as it lies on the cart path or take relief from the cart path.  Since the player may not drop the ball in a hazard,  he must find his nearest point of relief and measure one club-length from that point on the opposite side of the cart path from the hazard. The player incurs a one stroke penalty for the drop out of the hazard.  He gets free relief from the cart path.

The reason why the player must go through this "double drop" situation is that the relief for the two situations (lateral hazard and cart path) is different.  In order to ultimately take relief from the cart path, the player must determine where his nearest point of relief from the cart path is and the only way to determine that point is to drop on the cart path and see where the ball ends up.

June 1, 2004

The design of a hole is such that a player must hit the ball about 100 yards in order to carry a water hazard.  A Local Rule has been adopted to assist players who cannot drive over the hazard by allowing them to drop a ball, under penalty of two strokes, in a Ball Drop (Dropping Zone) that is located across the hazard.  Is such a Local Rule authorized?

	No.
	Yes, the Committee can adopt any Local Rule that they deem fair.
	Yes, however the penalty should be only 1 stroke.
	Yes, however, the penalty should be 3 strokes.

The correct answer is A - Decision 33-8/2  No.  Such a Local Rule substantially alters Rule 26-1b as it allows the player to drop a ball on a part of the course (i.e., on the green side of the water hazard) that the Rule would not have permitted him to reach.  Furthermore, the penalty for taking relief under the water hazard Rule (Rule 26) is one stroke, and may not be increased to two strokes by a Committee through a Local Rule - see Rule 33-8b.

May 18, 2004

During the second round of a 54 hole event, play was suspended due to a severe thunderstorm.  Player A marked the position of his ball in the fairway with two tees before returning to the clubhouse.  When play was resumed, the player found that due to the torrential downpour, both of his tees marking the position of his ball had washed away.  How should the player proceed?

	If the location where the ball is to be replaced is not determinable, the player must drop a ball under Rule 20-3c as near as possible to the estimated spot - and incurs a 1 stroke penalty for not properly marking the spot.
	If the location where the ball is to be replaced is not determinable, the player must drop a ball under Rule 20-3c  as near as possible to the estimated spot - no penalty.
	If the location where the ball is to be replaced is not determinable, the player must place a ball as near as possible to the estimated spot - and incurs a 1 stroke penalty for not properly marking the spot.
	If the location where the ball is to be replaced is not determinable, the player must place a ball as near as possible to the estimated spot - no penalty.

The correct answer is D - Rule 6-8d.  This is another one of the Rules changes for 2004!  The provisions of Rule 20-3c no longer apply in this particular situation.  Prior to this year, when play resumed following a suspension by the Committee, and the player found that his ball or ball-marker had moved,  washed away or disappeared during the suspension of play, and the location of his ball or ball-marker was impossible to determine, the player was required to proceed under Rule 20-3c and drop a ball as near as possible to the estimated spot if the ball lay through the green or in a hazard or place a ball as near as possible to the estimated spot if the ball lay on the putting green.  This Rule has been changed  and the player now must now estimate the spot where the ball or ball-marker had been and place a ball on that estimated spot regardless of whether the ball or ball marker had been through the green, in a hazard or on the putting green.  A good, consistent and fair change!

May 11, 2004

A player's ball lies through the green.  The player removes a small dead branch that has broken off a nearby tree.  The branch was within 1 club-length of  the player's ball, but was not touching the ball.  Just before he steps up to the ball to address it, it moves.  What penalty has the player incurred, if any?

	No penalty and he must play the ball as it lies..
	1 stroke penalty and he must play the ball as it lies.
	1 stroke penalty and he must replace the ball.
	2 stroke penalty and he must replace the ball.

The correct answer is A - Rule 23-1.  This is one of the Rules changes for 2004!  Rule 18-2c has been withdrawn and Rule 23-1 has been amended to provide that a player incurs a penalty stroke for causing his ball, lying anywhere other than on a putting green, to move due to removal of a loose impediment and that this penalty will be assessed under Rule 18-2a.  However, this is no longer an automatic penalty if the ball moves after a loose impediment within one club-length of the ball is touched or removed.

Prior to 2004, a player would incur a penalty stroke if he moved or touched a loose impediment within one club-length of his ball (other than on the putting green) and the ball subsequently moved and he would have been required to replace the ball.  This made sense if the movement of the ball was a direct result of touching or moving the loose impediment.  However, the player still received a penalty if the ball moved and the touching or removing of the loose impediment had absolutely nothing to do with causing the ball to move.  This definitely was not a fair ruling.  

In the situation we've described, the act of removing the broken branch did not actually cause the ball to move.  And since the the player had not addressed the ball, no penalty is incurred and the player plays the ball as it lies. 

April 4, 2004

There are several pine needles on Player A's line of putt.  He bends over and brushes them away with the back of his cap.
What is the penalty?

	No penalty.
	1 Stroke penalty for touching the line of his putt with other than his hand or club.
	2 Stroke penalty for touching the line of his putt with other than his hand or club.
	2 Stroke penalty for improving his line of play.

The correct answer is A - Rule 16-1a.  This is one of the Rules changes for 2004!  This Rule has been amended in 2004 to provide that the player may now remove loose impediments on the putting green by any means, provided he does not press anything down.

March 25, 2004

A player plays a second ball under Rule 3-3, Doubt as to Procedure.  The player ends up making the exact same score with both balls, so he does not bother to report this to the Committee when he turns in his scorecard.
What is the penalty, if any?

	There is no penalty since the player made the same score with both balls.
	1 stroke penalty for failing to report  to the Committee.
	2 stroke penalty for failing to report  to the Committee.
	The player is disqualified for failing to report to the Committee.

The correct answer is D - Rule 3-3a.  The player must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning his score card.  If he fails to do so, he is disqualified.

This is one of the Rules changes for 2004!  Now, whenever a player elects to play a second ball under Rule 3-3, Doubt as to Procedure, the player must report back to the Committee regardless of whether he made the same score with both balls or not.  There is a very good reason for this.  The way the Rule was applied in the past, a player did not have to report to the Committee if he made the same score with both balls.  What if the player proceeded incorrectly with both balls?  If he made the same score with both balls, and did not have to report to the Committee, then the player got away with a violation of the Rules.  This certainly would not be fair to the rest of the field.  Now the player must report to the Committee and if he did not proceed correctly with either ball, the appropriate penalty can be applied, creating a more equitable situation for the field.