Moral Dilemma No. 6

NapoleonInRags

Playing a fourball today - one of those situations where both teams have a score going and everything is polite but competitive.

Both pairs have longish birdy putts on the 9th green. We make ours and the opposition misses past the hole by 18 inches or so. The guy who misses is obviously narked that we got ours and he missed - so instead of properly addressing his par putt he stands below the hole and knocks the ball towards himself into the hole for his par.

Myself and my partner discussed it but neither of us were sure if it was a foul so we said nothing - anyone care to comment?

As it turned out both pairs were off the pace - but for future reference....

Orion

I don't see the problem. He can't stand behind the ball while putting but no rule break afaik if he stands past the hole and putts it in. The rule (#16) is quite specific.

There may be a decision about such a situation but Rule 16 states: "The player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball."

Either way - the equitable thing to do would be to mention it to the other pairing and let them seek a ruling before they sign their card. Once the competition is declared closed it's too late anyway - there is a decision on that. If they'd been given the chance to get a ruling it would be at worst a 2 shot penalty - but signing for a wrong score is dq. I know what I'd choose.

Sandwlch

Not really a moral dilemma - just a question of knowing the rules.

His putt was legal. You cannot putt with your feet astride the hole - rule introduced to outlaw croquet style putting. But the line of the putt only extends up to the hole. From the opposite side of the hole from the ball, it is not considered that there is any line since it is not part of the intended path of the ball from its position to the hole. So OK.

L.O.F.T

Sandwlch wrote: »

Not really a moral dilemma - just a question of knowing the rules

+1

Curly7

These moral dilema's a getting ridiculous. It's like being in primary school again, by the sounds of it some people are more interested in whether people are breaking rules than their own game.

A moral dilema to me is if somebody puts a ball into the bush and then sneakily drops a ball out of their pocket and pretends to have found it. That's something that will affect the score, not something stupid like putting backwards towards the hole, or removing a flagstick.

how do these moral dilemas affect anyones scores or their ability to play the holes to the best of their ability???

The_Architect

There is a quite simple answer:

Bring back matchplay as the predominant form of the game. Play the ball as it lies.

You can then get rid of three-quarters of the rules book.

fullstop

Curly7 wrote: »

These moral dilema's a getting ridiculous. It's like being in primary school again, by the sounds of it some people are more interested in whether people are breaking rules than their own game.

A moral dilema to me is if somebody puts a ball into the bush and then sneakily drops a ball out of their pocket and pretends to have found it. That's something that will affect the score, not something stupid like putting backwards towards the hole, or removing a flagstick.

how do these moral dilemas affect anyones scores or their ability to play the holes to the best of their ability???

Couldn't agree more, people seem to be pre-occupied with finding a rule to pull others up on when both going well in a competition or matchplay judging by the last few of these threads. Just get on with the game. If you watch golf on tv you will see the pros putting out like this quite often if they just miss a putt.

Gophur

Rule 7-2).
e. Standing Astride or on Line of Putt
The player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.
Exception: There is no penalty if the stance is inadvertently taken on or astride the line of putt (or an extension of that line behind the ball) or is taken to avoid standing on another player’s line of putt or prospective line of putt.