What is the rule?

Dolph Starbeam

I remember seeing something like this last year on the PGA and always wondered what the ruling would have been. If i remember correctky it was Mickelson playing a bunker shot from the begining of one of those bunkers that are a couple hundred yards long, he caught a tree and the ball came down but abput 150 yards away but just missed the bunker, waht would have been the ruling of it came back into the bunker? Would they have been able to rake the bunker?

Maybe a pointless question but just something i'va thought about for a while now

PhilipMarlowe

As an exception to rule 13.4
"2. After making the stroke, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard, provided nothing is done to breach Rule 13-2 with respect to his next stroke. If the ball is outside the hazard after the stroke, the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard without restriction."

So you can rake the bunker as long as it doesn't improve your lie for the next shot.

Dolph Starbeam

Licksy wrote: »

As an exception to rule 13.4
"2. After making the stroke, if the ball is still in the hazard or has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard, provided nothing is done to breach Rule 13-2 with respect to his next stroke. If the ball is outside the hazard after the stroke, the player may smooth sand or soil in the hazard without restriction."

So you can rake the bunker as long as it doesn't improve your lie for the next shot.

Thats what i would have thought alright, makes sense.

stringy

OK what's the rule in matchplay regarding pitchmarks on the green? Can you repair your own (and others) or do you have to check with your opposition? My playing partner was of the opinion that you couldn't repair a pitch mark you made unless you checked with the opposition, i.e. if you went ahead and repaired it, they could call you up on it for improving your lie/line?

I always repaired my own without gaining permission, and if there were others in my putting line, I'd check with opposition.

PhilipMarlowe

You can repair a ptichmark on the green at any time, regardless of whether you are on the green or not.
The reason people sometimes ask in matchplay is to seek approval from their opponent. You obviously can't repair a blemish in the green that that isn't an obvious pitch mark and it's just manners to ask I guess.

RandolphEsq

In relation to the bunker question, I think it was Garcia a while back who was in a bunker (one of those bunkers that acts as a moat around a green) and hit over the green back into the bunker. As he forgot it was the one bunker he hit the sand in anger thus being penalised for grounding the club in the sand before hitting the ball. Just reminded of it reading that question!

stringy

Licksy wrote: »

You can repair a ptichmark on the green at any time, regardless of whether you are on the green or not.
The reason people sometimes ask in matchplay is to seek approval from their opponent. You obviously can't repair a blemish in the green that that isn't an obvious pitch mark and it's just manners to ask I guess.

cheers but looking for exact ruling if possible

DonkeyPokerTour

A quick one from yesterday. Yesterday on the 16th hole I drove off left and into trees close to the OB line So I played a provisional. I went looking for my first one and found it Touching the OB line but not over it, and in a spot where I had completely no shot. Since my round made little difference at that stage (on my way to shooting 105) I picked it up and played my provisional. But whats the ruling here:

1. The ball is OB, play the provisional.
2. The ball is not OB, play it as it lyes, take a penelty drop or go back and hit another from the tee?

Other "ruling" question. On the 18th I flew the back of the green and landed on the practice putting green rolled through and onto the fringe. Now If i'm on the putting green I know I'm entitled to a free drop but if I'm on the fringe am I? As i said I was not playing well so I took a penelty drop back off the fringe (was sure to take a woful divot and damage the practice area and its not like I was in contention). Would i be entitled to a free drop here? Also did I do the right thing in looking after the practice facilities when I'm out of contention? Would you have done the same.

Regards
Ian

L.O.F.T

stringy wrote: »

cheers but looking for exact ruling if possible

16-1. General
• a. Touching Line of Putt
The line of putt must not be touched except:

(i) the player may remove loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down;
(ii) the player may place the club in front of the ball when addressing it, provided he does not press anything down;
(iii) in measuring — Rule 18-6;
(iv) in lifting the ball — Rule 16-1b;
(v) in pressing down a ball-marker;
(vi) in repairing old hole plugs or ball marks on the putting green — Rule 16-1c; and
(vii) in removing movable obstructions — Rule 24-1.

(Indicating line for putting on putting green — see Rule 8-2b.)

• b. Lifting Ball
A ball on the putting green may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned. The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted and the ball must be replaced (See Rule 20-1).

• c. Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other Damage
The player may repair an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not the player’s ball lies on the putting green. If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of the repair, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of repairing an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball. Otherwise, Rule 18 applies.

Woodgate

DonkeyPokerTour wrote: »

Yesterday on the 16th hole I drove off left and into trees close to the OB line So I played a provisional. I went looking for my first one and found it Touching the OB line but not over it, and in a spot where I had completely no shot. Since my round made little difference at that stage (on my way to shooting 105) I picked it up and played my provisional. But whats the ruling here:

1. The ball is OB, play the provisional.
2. The ball is not OB, play it as it lyes, take a penelty drop or go back and hit another from the tee?

The ball was in bounds so you would have had to play it or take a penalty drop.

DonkeyPokerTour wrote: »

On the 18th I flew the back of the green and landed on the practice putting green rolled through and onto the fringe. Now If i'm on the putting green I know I'm entitled to a free drop but if I'm on the fringe am I? As i said I was not playing well so I took a penelty drop back off the fringe (was sure to take a woful divot and damage the practice area and its not like I was in contention). Would i be entitled to a free drop here?

I would reckon that the practice green is OB, I don't know your course, if not you could have played from the fringe, you took a drop you didn't need to so it would prob be a penalty against you.

PhilipMarlowe

The first one is a bit ambiguous. "touching the line but not over it"
The line itself is OOB. The inside edge of the line is the important bit. The ball is OOB when all of it is OOB so if some of the ball was on the course-side of the line even if most of it was on the line then bob is your uncle.... you could maybe have taken an unplayable (so penalty stroke but no real distance penalty).