While working a stroke play tournament this summer I was called over by a player to make a ruling. At a par – 4 hole, Player A hit his second shot into a dense thicket behind the green. Since the ball may be lost, Player A announced that he was going to hit a provisional ball. The provisional ball came to rest near the hole. One of his fellow competitiors went forward to search for Player A’s original ball. Player A decided that he was not going forth to search for his original ball and approched his provisional ball.
As he is nearing his provisional ball, his fellow competitor tells him he believes that he has found his original ball and that he needed to come over and identify the ball as his original ball. Player A refused and said he was going to play his provisional ball.
The fellow competitor spotted me and called me over. He explained what had happened. I went over to Player A and explained to him that one of his fellow competitors may have found the original ball and that he needed to identify the ball. The player steadfastly refused to do so saying ” I have no intention of searching for or identifying such a lousy shot” and that he was going to play his provisional ball.
I then explained to Player A that under Rule 27 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Provisional Ball, that he must inspect the ball that had been found and, if it was his original ball, he must continue play with it or proceed under Rule 28 Ball Unplayable. I also explained that if he refused to comply with my ruling I would be justified in imposing a penalty of disqualification for his refusal to comply with a Rule.
Needless to say, he did not want to be disqualified and so he identified the ball as his and proceeded under Rule 28 Ball Unplayable.
If you have any questions, comments or you seek information on any of the Rules of Golf please contact me at Mike Fay Golf.
Frank Guastella, PGA Rules Official Michigan Section PGA
In the Rules of Golf an obstruction is a movable obstruction if it can be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction and the player may seek relief when his ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing. The player must find the “Nearest Point of Relief” and proceed from that point.
The Note to the Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief” provides that the player should determine this point by using “the club with which he would have made his next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the address position, direction of play and swing for such stroke.” This does not mean that the player may use any club, address position, direction of play or swing in determining the nearest point of relief.
In determining the nearest point of relief accurately it is recommended that the player use the club, address position, direction of play and swing (right or left – handed) that he would have used had the obstruction or condition not have been there. For example, the player has interference from an immovable obstruction and, were it not for the obstruction, he would have used a right – handed stroke with a 7 iron to play the ball from its original position towards the green. To determine the nearest point of relief accurately, he should use a right – handed stroke with a 7 iron and the direction of play should be towards the the green.
If you have any questions regarding the Rules of Golf please submit them to @new.mikefaygolf and we will get them answered for you. Here is hoping that you are “Playing By The Rules.”
This is the next in the Playing By The Rules Video Series. Mike and Frank discuss the proper way of using a provisional ball. We discuss what the rule states and how to go about it properly, because it matters to your score!
Announcing your intentions to hit a provisional ball is so important because if you don’t that next ball you do hit becomes the ball in play. This leaves you no chance to find the original ball.
If you have questions on the Rules of Golf or comments on this video please leave them below. As always, here is hope that you are Playing By The Rules!
Losing a golf ball in the leaves can be frustrating and it is that time of the year when the leaves are falling and it can become difficult for you to find your golf ball due to the accumulation of leaves. The Committee may make a temporary Local Rule declaring accumulations of leaves through the green at certain holes to be ground under repair and Rule 25-1 (Abnormal Ground Conditions) will apply and the player would get swing relief and one club length no nearer the hole.
The Local Rule should be restricted to the hole(s) at which the trouble with leaves occurs and it should be withdrawn as soon as conditions permit. Particular attention should be paid to the opening paragraph of Rule 25-1c; unless, it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in the leaves, it must be treated as lost elsewhere and Rule 27-1 (Ball Lost) applies and this becomes a stroke and distance penalty.
Most players just tee the ball up between the markers and hit. There is much more to the teeing ground. In the next video in the Playing By The Rules Video Series, Mike and Frank discuss the actual area of the teeing ground and it’s dimensions. You’d be surprised to see how big it actually is. Why is that a big deal? Mike and Frank discuss it.
Please leave your comments below! Thanks for watching!
If you have any questions regarding the Rules of Golf please submit them to @new.mikefaygolf and we will get them answered for you. Here is hoping that you are “Playing By The Rules.”
