*** Official Rules Questions/Issues Thread ***

[ctyri]

Originally Posted by ntnBO

What you did in a recreational setting is just fine. Just keep in mind that according to the letter of the law, you did not identify your ball and would have to proceed under a lost ball penalty.

You have three options in an unplayable lie situation. And in this instance, the point of reference is the spot on the ground directly under where your ball lies in the tree.

1, drop within two-clublengths no nearer the hole.
2, taking the point in line with the hole, you may go straight back as far as you want and drop.
3, replay from your previous position.

All options include a 1-stroke penalty. Therefore if your tee ball lodges in the tree, you will be hitting three on your next shot.

BO

Scrolling this thread is great as I have committed to posting all scores according to the rules of golf. Thanks for taking the time for such a great explanation.

[kom]

Player A is chipping from the fringe or putting, his ball hits player B's ball which is already on the green causing Player B's ball to move significantly and Player A's ball to end up far away from where it "should" have gone.

What is the remedy? Any penalties? (I guess Player B should have marked his spot/picked up ball prior to A's shot? But w/e it didn't happen.)

Bonus Q, not really rules, if you are playing for $X/hole and pressing if a hole is a tie, what do you do if you tie the 18th?

[ntnBO]

Originally Posted by kom

Player A is chipping from the fringe or putting, his ball hits player B's ball which is already on the green causing Player B's ball to move significantly and Player A's ball to end up far away from where it "should" have gone.

What is the remedy? Any penalties? (I guess Player B should have marked his spot/picked up ball prior to A's shot? But w/e it didn't happen.)

No penalties. Player A plays his ball from where it lies, player B replaces his ball to it's original position.

Bonus Q, not really rules, if you are playing for $X/hole and pressing if a hole is a tie, what do you do if you tie the 18th?

A standard Nassau bet is only 18 holes, no extras.

BO

[JackInDaCrak]

huh, I always thought a penalty was assessed if the other player was putting from on the green but not if they were playing from off the green. good to know. Thanks, BO

[mvoss]

Originally Posted by JackInDaCrak

huh, I always thought a penalty was assessed if the other player was putting from on the green but not if they were playing from off the green. good to know. Thanks, BO

Just to be clear here, if player B has a ball on the green and player A is putting or chipping his ball from a lie on the green and hits player B's ball, player A is assessed a 1 stroke penalty. If player A is not on the green he is not penalized.

[SeanyJ]

Originally Posted by mvoss

Just to be clear here, if player B has a ball on the green and player A is putting or chipping his ball from a lie on the green and hits player B's ball, player A is assessed a 1 stroke penalty. If player A is not on the green he is not penalized.

I always thought it was a 2 stroke penalty.

[mvoss]

Originally Posted by SeanyJ

I always thought it was a 2 stroke penalty.

I'm an idiot, it's a 2 stroke penalty

[Ortho]

I'm playing a par-3 hole with a very difficult shot. I hook the first ball into the woods and assume it's going to be lost or oob.

I hit a provisional and make a great shot that lands on the green (not relevant to the rules question but I can't make this shot one time in ten).

I stupidly go look for the first ball and find it in bounds but unplayable. Chipping it out or any recovery from the woods is impossible, as is dropping within 2 clublengths or going backwards from the spot. The only way I can get relief with this first ball under the unplayable rule is to return to the tee.

Am I correct that I must ignore my provisional ball on the green, which I would be thrilled to lie 3 with, and return to the tee and hit another ball playing 3?

[g-bebe]

To follow up on Ortho's question... regarding the unplayable rule, well, what is it exactly? How is a ball determined unplayable and what's the proper action?

[ctyri]

Originally Posted by g-bebe

To follow up on Ortho's question... regarding the unplayable rule, well, what is it exactly? How is a ball determined unplayable and what's the proper action?

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-28/

[JTrout]

Yes, you must ignore your provisional once the first ball is found.
It is up to the player to determine whether or not his ball is unplayable.

[ctyri]

Originally Posted by JTrout

Yes, you must ignore your provisional once the first ball is found.

i.e., don't seek for what you hope not to find.

[Ortho]

Thanks.

Yeah, it was confusing.

I knew that if I found it in the woods I would have a hard time, even if it was playable, getting it to where the provisional was in two more shots, but I was not sure at the time whether I was supposed to make some kind of effort to find it or if I'm allowed to just calculate that finding it would be -EV. I had no idea that I'm under no obligation to look for it.

[ctyri]

Originally Posted by Ortho

... but I was not sure at the time whether I was supposed to make some kind of effort to find it or if I'm allowed to just calculate that finding it would be -EV. I had no idea that I'm under no obligation to look for it.

Yeah, you can declare it lost without looking for it (or at any time before the 5 min elapses). BUT... an opponent can decide to look for it, and if he identifies it, you must play it. If you refuse to identify the ball should he find it, the issue can be taken to the tournament committee who may rule to DQ you.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[_Mantis_]

What's the ruling when my club breaks in half before I hit the ball, but the broken part of the club hits the ball and the ball goes about 20 yards?