There has been a revision to Decision 4-4a/6 “Excess Club Put in Player’s Golf Bag”. The question to the Decision states: “A player arrives at the first tee. After the match or group’s starting time while A is preparing to play his shot, B, his opponent or fellow-competitor, by mistake places his driver in A’s bag, which results in A having 15 clubs. A then drives from the first tee. During play of the first hole, A discovers that B’s club has been put in his (A’s) bag. Does A incur a penalty for starting the club with more than 14 clubs?”
The answer now states: “No. Although A started the round with more than 14 clubs, A is not considered to have selected B’s club for play for the following reasons:
*The additional club was added to his bag by B on the 1st tee
*The club was added after the match or group’s time of starting
*The club had already been selected for play by B
Therefore A incurs no penalty provided he does not make a stroke with B’s club. The club may be returned to B and used by him.
The decision would be different, and A would be penalized under 4-4a if:
*The additional club had belonged to a player in another match or group
*The club had been added before A’s match or group arrived to the tee
*The club had been added before A’s match or groups time of starting
The Kevin Na slow play phenomenon at the Tournament Players Championship has everyone in the golf community talking about slow play. Na has become the poster-boy for slow play and has been torched in the locker room and in social media. He was put on the clock in the third round of the tournament and then recorded a bad time, which means by PGA Tour Pace of Play guidelines, he is likely subject to an automatic fine.
Rule 6-7 in the Rules of Golf covers Undue Delay; Slow Play. The Rule states: “The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish. Between completion of a hole and playing from the next teeing ground, the player must not unduly delay play.” Note 2 under this Rule says: “For the purpose of preventing slow play, the Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), establish pace of play guidelines including maximum periods of time allowed to complete a stipulated round, a hole or a stroke.”
The normal penalty for a breach of Rule 6-7 would be two strokes in stroke play. In stroke play, the Committee may, in such a condition, modify the penalty for a breach of this Rule as follows:
First offense – One stroke
Second offense – Two strokes
For subsequent offense – Disqualification
In Michigan PGA events, we define undue delay as taking more than 40 seconds to play a stroke. Other than on the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke will begin when he and his caddie have had a reasonable opportunity to reach his ball, it is his turn to play, and he can play without interference or distraction. Time spent determining yardage will count as time taken for that stroke. On the putting green, timing will begin after a player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to lift, clean and replace his ball, repair his ball mark and other ball marks on his line of putt and remove loose impediments. Time spent looking at the line from beyond the hole and/or behind the ball will count as time taken for that stroke. Our Pace of Play Policy has been adopted from USGA and PGA Tour events.
If you have any questions on the Rules of Golf you can submit them to “Ask The Pros” @new.mikefaygolf on Twitter or you can contact me direct at [email protected] I hope you are “Playing by the Rules.”
We will continue our journey through the principal Rules changes introduced for 2012 by discussing Rule 20-7c Playing from Wrong Place; Stroke Play. Note 3, under Rule 20-7c has been amended so that if a player is penalized for playing from a wrong place, in most cases the penalty will be limited to two strokes, even if another Rule has been breached prior to his making the stroke.
Note 3 now states: “If a player incurs a penalty for making a stroke from a wrong place, there is no additional penalty for:
(a) Substituting a ball when not permitted;
(b) Dropping a ball when the Rules require it to be placed, or placing a ball when the Rules require it to be dropped;
(c) Dropping a ball in an improper manner; or
(d) A ball being put into play by a person not permitted to do so under the Rules”
If you would like to learn more about the Rules of Golf please follow me on Twitter @fgcards. I usually Tweet out some Rules and Decisions on the Rules of Golf each day.
Rule 19-1, Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped by Outside Agency, now includes an expansion to the Note to prescribe various outcomes when a ball in motion has been deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency. To quote the Rule Book:
“Note: If a player’s ball in motion has been deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency:
(a) After stroke from anywhere other than on the putting green, the spot where the ball would have come to rest must be estimated. If the spot is:
(i)through the green or in a hazard, the ball must be dropped as near as possible to that spot;
(ii)out of bounds, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1; or
(iii)on the putting green, the ball must be placed on that spot.
(b) After stroke on the putting green, the stroke is cancelled. The ball must be replaced and replayed.
If the outside agent is a fellow-competitor or his caddie, Rule 1-2 applies to the fellow-competitor.
(Players ball deflected or stopped by another ball – See Rule 19-5)”
Formerly, Rule 19-1 provided that if a players ball was “purposely” deflected or stopped by an outside agency (eg: a spectator), the principles of equity were applied to determine the point from where the ball was to be played. A number of rules decisions provided guidance. The new note to 19-1 clarifies this situation. Thomas Pagel, the Senior Director of Rules of Golf for the USGA, explained that these changes were driven by a desire to add more certainty to the rule.
Our articles on the principal changes in the Rules of Golf for 2012 – 15 continues as we discuss “Rule 6-3a Time of Starting”. Rule 6-3a has been amended to provide that the penalty for starting late, but within five minutes of the starting time, is reduced from disqualification to the loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play. Previously, this penalty reduction could be introduced as a condition of competition.
Though many golfers will notice this revision, the Rules will be more forgiving to players who get to the tee late, but within five minutes, of their starting time. In the past, if a player arrived late to the tee, they were disqualified unless the Committee had added a condition of competition that allowed for a five minute grace period, which would modify the penalty to two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. The 2012 revision modifies the rule to match the current condition of the competition. Now, only players that arrive more than five minutes after the starting time will be disqualified.
