Author: Hilary

Hi Ladies:

Quizzes are back……enjoy!

A “Whoopsies” Rules Quiz

Questions 1,2,3 are Stroke play, 4,5,6 Match play.

1. Elizabeth is playing Stroke play and she putts from the green and her ball strikes her clubs that are on the fringe. Whoops. What is her penalty?
a. One stroke
b. No penalty
c. Two strokes

2. Mary Lou is playing Stroke play and putts from the green and her ball hits her fellow competitor’s clubs that are on the fringe. Whoops. What is her penalty?
a. Two strokes
b. One stroke
c. No penalty

3. Sandy is playing Stroke play and her ball is in the bunker. She strikes her ball too softly and accidentally hits her ball twice. Whoops. What is her penalty?
a. One stroke penalty
b. Two stroke penalty
c. Ignore it happened!

4. Rebecca is playing Match play and her putt from the green strikes the clubs of her Opponent. Whoops. What is her penalty?
a. Loss of hole
b. One stroke penalty
c. No penalty

5. Amanda is playing Match play and her putt from the green hits her own clubs that are on the fringe. Whoops. What is her penalty?
a. One stroke
b. Loss of hole
c. No penalty

6. Pat is playing Match play and her ball goes in the water hazard. She drops a ball within two club lengths of where it last crossed the hazard, but accidentally
hits her own club that is on the ground. Whoops. Apart from the one stroke penalty for going in the water, does she incur any additional penalty ?
a. Loss of hole
b. No additional penalty
c. One stroke additional penalty

“Whoopsies” answers

1. a. As the clubs belong to Elizabeth there is a one stroke penalty and the ball must be played where it lies, Rule 19-2.

2. c. As the clubs belong to a Fellow competitor (Stroke play) there is no penalty, it is “the rub of the green”. The ball must be played where is lies.

3. a. One stroke penalty, Rule 14-4. Sandy counts her stroke and adds one penalty stroke.

4. c. No penalty as the clubs belong to the Opponent (Match play). However Rebecca has two options.

1) Cancel her stroke and repeat the putt, Rule 19-3 or 2) Play the ball as it lies.

5. a. One stroke penalty, and play the ball where it lies, Rule 19-2. (Both Stroke and Match play incur the same penalty.)

6. b. Pat gets no additional penalty. In both Match and Stroke play when you drop a ball under a Rule you must re-drop if you hit your equipment, Rule 20-2.
There is no limit to how many times you may do this, but your partners will call you a klutz!

I hope this helps you,
Hilary

Ladies:

I first want to thank all those who took part in my Rules survey; it helped me have more insight for my future Rules quizzes. I hope I have answered all your questions.

Drum roll please……..Here is the final “Survey says” question. So that there is no misunderstanding this time I will be giving Rules/Decisions references.

The infamous hole #12. Question #3

What may you do if your ball lands on the bridge that crosses the water hazard mid-way across the fairway on hole #12?

The bridge itself is an Obstruction which is IN the water hazard, and as such is covered by Rule/Decision13-4/30. However the bridge is not “ground in the hazard” so:

You may hit your ball as it lies on the bridge, and ground your club. There is no penalty if you do this.

If you do not want to hit your ball from the bridge, and as the bridge is IN the water hazard, you may take relief, under penalty of one stroke, under Rule26-1, Water hazards.

The stakes defining the water across the fairway are yellow, but the stakes lining the bridge are red defining a lateral hazard, as many bridges on courses are, so you may:

Drop a ball within two club lengths of the bridge on the grass.

Hit a ball from where you hit before.

Drop a ball as far back as you like in line with you ball and the pin.

If you ball is on the bridge, but rests in the pilings, you have the same options.

Below I have pasted a link to an excellent article which explains this “Ball on bridge over a water hazard situation”.

http://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2009/01/ask-linda-99-ball-on-bridge-in-hazard.html

That’s it for the Survey.
Hilary

Hi Ladies:

"Survey says" hole #12

OK, this hole is almost over, whew. We are on problem area #2 of three. I know I said previously short, concise and no rule numbers but
sadly I cannot make this any shorter.

What should you do if your shot from the fairway on hole #12 flies over the green and you think your ball may have landed 
in the ice plants behind the green?


As this area is not Out of Bounds and you do not know the exact place where your ball landed it is possible that you ball "may" be LOST or UNPLAYABLE.
You are allowed to play a Provisional ball from where you made your stroke, but be sure to inform your fellow players that is what you are doing.

If you find your original ball and it is PLAYABLE, pick up your Provisional ball and play on. No penalty.

If, after a five minute search, you cannot find your original ball then it is LOST.  Play your Provisional ball and take a ONE STROKE penalty.

If you find your original ball in the ice plants and you cannot make a stroke at it without altering your area of intended swing by moving the ice plants, or 
unnecessarily pressing them down when you take your stance then you declare your ball UNPLAYABLE.

You take a ONE STROKE penalty and your options are:

Play your Provisional ball, because under the Unplayable ball Rule you are allowed to hit from where you made your last stroke, and you have done that already.

If your ball is visible and IF, AND ONLY IF when you measure your ball's distance from the cart path a measurement of two club lengths* would make your
ball touch the cart path, you may
drop a ball on the cart path within this two club lengths. You may then take your nearest point of relief from the path and
drop a ball onto the grass beside the path, no closer to the hole.

To speed up play you may just find your nearest point of relief on the grass and drop a ball there, no closer to the hole.

*Please note: If you ball is further back from the path in the ice plants than two club lengths you will have to take multiple drops, and one stroke penalties,
until your ball is on the cart path. Not worth it!The third option for the Unplayable Rule is really not a feasible one in this situation. Going back far back as you like, in line with the pin, would just put you
further back up the hill into the plants, and you would have to drop a ball back into the ice plants
!

The last "Survey says" problem for hole #12 I'll be sending out shortly........watch your e mail!

Hilary