Category: Rules of Golf

Hi Ladies:

Our golf survey showed that hole #12 gives us all the most problems, 3 in fact.

Here is the first one, short, concise no Rule numbers.

On hole #12 your ball comes to rest in the pilings alongside the lake and the cart path.

The pilings are Immovable Obstructions and free relief is allowed. You may take free relief from the pilings and then the cart path.

To speed up play

You may drop a ball within one club length of your nearest point of relief on the grass alongside the cart path but no closer to the hole.

There is NO PENALTY.

Watch for problems 2 and 3 coming up shortly…………………………………

Hilary

“Survey says” #1

Here is my first Rules e mailing in response to my Rules survey. I am making them short and concise, no Rules numbers, just the facts.

Hole #2

You hit a ball from the tee box and it goes over the water, lands on the grass bank in front of the green, and bounces back into the water and disappears.
The stakes here are YELLOW.

You can play a ball again from the tee box; you can tee up your ball.

You can drop a ball in the grass on the tee box side of the lake as far back as you like, in line with the pin and where your ball last crossed the hazard.

Both options you take a one stroke penalty.

You may NOT drop a ball on the green-side of the lake. The stakes here are YELLOW, Water Hazard.

Hole #3

Your fairway shot goes way left and goes into the water.
The stakes here are RED.

You can play a ball again from where you made your last shot.

You may drop a ball within two club lengths from where your ball last crossed the hazard, no closer to the pin.

In this location it is usually impossible to go back in line with the pin and where your ball crossed the hazard as the water runs parallel to the fairway.

This is why it is marked with RED stakes as it is a LATERAL HAZARD, therefore the Rules allow you the two club lengths option.

Both options you take a one stroke penalty.

More survey answers to come…….

Ladies:
No Ladies play Day eh? Oh well, have more fun with this Rules quiz……………hopefully!

Enjoy.

2015 Golf Quiz #2

1. Felicity marks the position of her ball on the putting green with her marker and causes her ball to move. What is the penalty?

A. One stroke penalty

B. Two stroke penalty

C. No penalty

2. Helen tees her ball on the teeing ground and while practicing her swing she knocks the ball off the tee. What is her penalty?

A. No penalty

B. One stroke penalty

C. Two stroke penalty

3. Brenda’s ball lands next to a red stake marking the margin of a lateral water hazard. Before she makes her next stroke she removes the stake as it restricts her intended swing. What is her penalty?

A. One stroke penalty

B. Two stroke penalty

C. No penalty

4. Delilah’s ball lands “in bounds” but her swing is restricted by a white out of bounds stake. Before making her next stroke she removes the stake. What is her penalty?

A. No penalty

B. One stroke penalty

C. Two stroke penalty

5. Annie’s ball is on the putting green and before she putts she brushes away loose sand on her line of play. What is her penalty?

A. One stroke

B. Two strokes

C. No penalty

6. Penelope’s ball is on the fringe of the putting green and before she putts she brushes away loose sand on her line of play. What is her penalty?

A. No penalty

B. One stroke penalty

C. Two stroke penalty

Answers

1. C. No penalty. Rule 20-1, states if a ball, or ball marker, is accidentally moved in the process of lifting the ball, or marking its position, the ball or marker must be replaced. There is no penalty provided the movement of the ball or marker was directly attributable to the specific act of marking or lifting the ball.

2. A. No penalty. TheDefinition of a “stroke” is the forward movement of the club with the intention of striking at, and moving the ball. As the ball on the teeing ground is not in play until a “stroke” has been made, the ball may be re-teed without penalty, Rule/Decision 18-2a/19

3. C. No penalty. Under the Definition of Water Hazard it states that stakes used to define the margins of a Water Hazard are Obstructions. Rule 24-1a, Movable Obstruction, states that if a ball does not lie in or on the Obstruction, the Obstruction may be removed without penalty.

4. C. Two stroke penalty. TheDefinition of Out of Bounds states that objects defining out of bounds are NOT Obstructions, therefore they must not be moved. If a player removes them they are improving the area of their intended swing breaking Rule 13-2, Ball played as it lies. The penalty is two strokes.

5. C. No penalty. Under the Definition of Loose Impediments sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green but not elsewhere. Rule/Decision 23-1/1 states that loose impediments may be removed by any means except that, in removing loose impediments on the line of a putt, a player must not press anything down. Rule 16-1a (i)

6. C. Two stroke penalty. As we read in the answer for question 5, sand and loose soil are only loose impediments on the putting green. Removing sand from the fringe of the green breaks Rule 13-2. A player must not improve their line of play by removing or pressing down sand or loose soil. The ball must be played as it lies.

I hope this helps you.
Hilary