Rules

Enhance your knowledge

Words by Daniel Sommerville

Eddie Pepperell at the Turkish Airlines Open

Failure To Hole Out

aniel Sommerville, R&A Rules manager, looks back on Eddie Pepperell’s disqualification in last year’s Turkish Airlines Open for failure to hole out (Rule 3.3c) during his third round. While playing the 4th hole, Pepperell found the water several times and ran out of golf balls. Rather than borrowing any from another player he elected to walk in. It is permissible to borrow balls from anyone, including other players on the course –something to keep in mind for your monthly medals. However, as is the case at all European Tour events, the One Ball Rule (Model Local Rule G-4) was in place at the Turkish Airlines Open. This Local Rule meant that if Pepperell had borrowed balls from another player to use during his round, they would have to have been the exact same make and model that he had started his round with. Only a week later in the PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Golf Classic, Russell Henley D

inadvertently found himself breaching some highly skilled players may choose

the One Ball Rule. He realised while signing golf balls after the round that he to play a ball with a high spin rate at par 3s and a firmer ball at long par 5s. The Local

had used a different ball on holes 9 to 12, resulting in the general penalty on each Rule is, therefore, recommended for use in competitions for highly skilled players,

hole (two strokes in stroke play) and a total of eight penalty strokes… and a missed cut! Golf balls that are different colours are considered to be different balls, even if they are the same make and model with identical markings, so players who use a colour other than white may find it even more difficult to find an exact match without delaying play when faced with this situation. The purpose of this Local Rule is to prevent a player from using balls with different playing characteristics, which could be an advantage depending on the nature of the hole or shot being played. For example, i.e. tour professionals or elite amateurs.

One Ball Rule

essentials

n The One Ball Rule (MLR G-4) is

intended for professional or elite

amateur events n Its intended

purpose is to stop players using balls

If a player breaches this Local Rule, he or she gets the general penalty. In stroke play this is two strokes for each hole where a breach occurs. If the player becomes aware of such a breach, they must stop using that ball before playing from the next teeing area –they may use it for the rest of the hole on which the breach is discovered. They must then complete the round with a ball of the same make and model as used at the start of the round. Otherwise, the player is disqualified.

Your Queries Answered

QWe get free relief from interference by sprinkler heads in the fairway and I think they are classed as ‘abnormal ground conditions’? My playing partner’s ball was three inches in front of a sprinkler head. In all likelihood, he could have hit the ball without hitting the sprinkler head, but it would have defi nitely been a major distraction when taking his swing. Should he have had free relief or not? IanG, GM website forum

AA player is only entitled to relief from an obstruction such as a sprinkler head if there is physical interference to stance or area of intended swing or the ball touches, or is in or on, the obstruction. Therefore, there would be no relief in this scenario. The fact that the sprinkler head was a distraction does not entitle the player to free relief (Rule 16.1a). Daniel Sommerville, R&A Rules manager

No free relief is available here

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R&A winners Each month, the readers whose queries are featured will receive an Open Championship putter cover plus a sleeve of three R&A logo Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

Playing a shot with the headcover on will result in a penalty

QPlaying a par 3 recently, I hit a horrendous tee shot which ended up 40 yards right of the pin. I then hit a gorgeous chip shot which ended up two inches behind the hole. The nine-hole competition had fi nished and no one I was playing with said “pick it up” –I think they were gobsmacked it never dropped. Anyway, I walked up and just knocked it in with the putter headcover on. While waiting for the others to putt out I wondered if there was any infringement there. Would this have been allowed in a competition? Tashyboy, GM website forum

This is a breach of Rule 10.1a. This Rule requires the player to fairly strike the ball with the head of the club so there is a momentary contact between the ball and the club, which is not possible when the club has a headcover on it. The stroke counts and the player gets the general penalty –two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. Daniel Sommerville, R&A Rules manager

Rules Refresher –Provisional Ball

Rule 18.3 –Provisional Ball –is one of golf’s most useful Rules when it comes to keeping play moving. It allows you to play another ball provisionally from where you last played under penalty of stroke and distance in case you don’t find your original ball or you think it might be out of bounds. Most golfers are aware of this Rule, but there are one or two little things to remember when it comes to implementing it correctly. Firstly, you may not play a provisional ball if the only possible place your original ball could be is in a penalty area. In such circumstances you must proceed under one of the options available to you for a ball in a penalty area. The second important thing to note is that you must announce you are playing a provisional ball before playing it, either using the word “provisional” or indicating that you are playing a ball provisionally under Rule 18.3. Interestingly, in the latest Interpretations on the Rules of Golf, phrases that clearly imply you are playing another because there is some doubt that you will find the original ball are acceptable, with one of the examples given, “I’m going to play another just in case”. Phrases where no doubt is implied are not acceptable though, so “I’m going to reload” or “I’m going to hit another one” are not sufficient. to search for your original ball, the provisional ball may be played provisionally from point A but not point B. The provisional ball will become the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance if your original ball proves to be either out of bounds or lost, or when you

“You may not play a provisional ball if the only possible place your original ball could be is in a penalty area”

If you don’t announce your intention clearly, the second ball will automatically become the ball in play, and you won’t be able to play the original ball even if you find it in the middle of the fairway. The third point, which is where this diagram comes in, concerns how long you may keep playing the provisional ball for. This is dictated by where you estimate the search area for the original ball to be. You may play further strokes with a provisional ball until you pass the spot where you estimate the original ball to be. In this diagram, if you are intending play it from a spot closer to the hole than where you estimated the original ball to be. It is worth highlighting that the phrase “estimated to be” is important here. You will not be penalised if your estimation of where the original ball might be is wrong and you end up playing the provisional ball from closer to the hole than where the original ball is subsequently found. If the original ball is found on the course outside a penalty area within three minutes, you must abandon the provisional ball –you do not get a choice over which ball to proceed with.

Test Your Knowledge

1

In stroke play, Fergus’ ball is embedded in the penalty area. What is the ruling?

2

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In stroke play, Fergus lifts his ball as it is leaning against the flagstick, and part of the ball is below the surface of the hole. What is the ruling?

A. Fergus can play the ball as it lies or take embedded ball relief. B. He can play the ball as it lies or declare the ball unplayable. C. He can play the ball as it lies or take penalty area relief.

3

In stroke play, Fergus takes his stance close to his ball in the bunker and the ball immediately moves. What is the ruling? A. Fergus gets one penalty stroke and must replace the ball. B. There is no penalty and Fergus’ ball is considered holed. C. He gets one penalty stroke, but the ball is considered holed.

4

In stroke play, Fergus makes a stroke with his driver which has a sticker on the face to see where the impact of the ball is. What is the ruling?

A. Fergus gets one penalty stroke and the ball must be replaced. B. He gets one penalty stroke and the ball is played as it lies. C. There is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. A. There is no penalty. B. Fergus gets the general penalty. C. Fergus is disqualified.

Quiz Answers