Stump the Rules Wizard


PENALTY CAUSED BY PLAYER’S PARTNER


Q: Dave asks: Player A is in a large greenside bunker. His partner B goes around the bunker to get a rake to toss to his partner. Before B gives the rake to his partner he rakes an area of footprints well away from the line of play of his partner and says nothing to his partner; after rak-


ing the footprints B suggests to his partner how to play the shot based on what he may have learned by raking the bunker. He also does the same two things from a similar greenside bunker. Are there penalties assessed to A in any of these situations? A: In threesome, foursome, best-ball or four-ball play, where the context so admits, the word “player” includes his partner or partners. When the player’s part- ner raked the bunker, the player is disqualifi ed from the hole in match play or is penalized two-strokes in stroke play under Rule 13-4.


LOST BALL IN CASUAL WATER


Q: Jim asks: A ball that is hit into a fairway that is saturated (due to watering or rain) almost always plugs. If you can’t fi nd the ball, is this always a lost ball or does this fall under abnormal ground condi- tions if everyone agrees it landed in this area? A: If it is casual water, Rule 25-1c applies. The spot where the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the abnormal ground condition must be determined and, for the purpose of applying this rule, the ball is deemed to lie at this spot. The player may substitute another ball, without penalty, and take re- lief as prescribed in Rule 25-1b(i). If it is not casual water, the ball is lost if it is not found within fi ve minutes and Rule 27-1 applies.


WINTER 2011 / NCGA.ORG / 21 PUTT ISN’T HIT WITH THE PUTTER FACE


Q: Tom asks: A player’s ball lies in the rough by the green. He chooses to putt the ball using a mallet putter. In his stroke he does not hit it with the putter face, but contacts it with the bottom of the putter. Is this a violation of Rule 14-1? A: Rule 14-1 states that the ball must be fairly struck with the head of the club; it does not say the face. No penalty.


Edited by Ryan Gregg, Director of Education. To submit questions e-mail rgregg@ncga.org.


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