2004 #14 Do you want that ball to be marked?

THE SCENE:
On hole #2, your drive lands in the sand on the right of the putting green. You climb down into the bunker, take your stance and prepare to swing. Then you spot another ball on the green just beyond the hole.

What would you do?
A.  Ask the owner to mark her ball to prevent a 2-stroke penalty if your ball hits hers?
B.  Say nothing and hope she doesn’t mark? If your ball misses the hole it might be stopped by her ball.


B is correct. 

If your ball hit hers, there would be no penalty because your ball is not on the green.

Open your Rules of Golf book to Rule 19-5. You will see the following:

Rule 19 Ball in motion deflected or stopped
19-5. By Another Ball
a. At Rest
If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by a ball in play and at rest, the player must play his ball as it lies. In match play, there is no penalty. In stroke play, there is no penalty unless both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke, in which case the player incurs a penalty of two strokes.

There is no penalty, so base your decision on whether or not you want the ball moved. If her ball is short of the hole, it could prevent your ball from going in the hole. If it is beyond the hole, it could serve as a backstop.

REMEMBER: If your ball is NOT on the putting green, there is no penalty if your ball hits a ball that IS on the green.

2004 #13 You Address Your Ball. Then the Wind Blows.

The Scene:
It is a very windy day. You chip your ball onto the green on hole #8, and it rolls up close to the pin. You walk forward to tap it in for a 5. You take your stance and ground your club. Then before you can swing your putter back the wind moves your ball closer to the hole.

What would you do?
You had already addressed your ball when it moved. Therefore you are ‘deemed’ to have moved it and must take a one-stroke penalty. But should you replace it?

A. You know you almost always have to replace your ball when something moves it, so you replace it now.
B. Wind moved your ball. You feel the ball should be played from where the wind moved it.

A is correct.
If you had not yet addressed your ball when the wind moved it, you would play it from where it lay. But since in this instance you had addressed it you are deemed to have moved it, yourself. So you have to take a penalty stroke and replace your ball. If you don’t, you will be playing from a wrong place and penalized for that.

Open your Rules of Golf book to Rule 18-2b. You will see:

  b. Ball Moving After Address

If a player’s ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke), the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of one stroke. The ball must be replaced unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

There is a simple way to avoid this penalty. On windy days don’t ground your club until you are ready to putt. You have addressed the ball only when you have taken your stance and have also grounded your club. On a windy day take your stance but don’t let your club touch the ground until you are ready to putt. Then if the wind moves your ball you will not be penalized and you will not have to replace it.

REMEMBER: If it is windy, don’t ground your club until you are ready to putt.

2004 #12 Borrowing Clubs

THE SCENE:
You are playing in a team event. You and your 3 partners are heading for the green on hole #7 when you realize your putter is missing. You chipped in on hole #6 (hallelujah!). So the last time you remember using your putter was on hole #5. You must have left it there.


What would you do?


A  Putt with your driver? (It has the straightest side)


B  Borrow a club from a team mate?
 
The Correct answer is A.
 
Many of you think that you are allowed to borrow a club from a partner, or team mate because Rule #4-4b says:
Partners May Share Clubs.

But if you read the small print that follows it says
Partners may share clubs, PROVIDED that the total number of clubs carried by the partners so sharing does not exceed fourteen.

That doesn’t mean that you can have 14 clubs and your partner can have 14 clubs. It means the total carried by both of you can’t exceed 14 - if the two of you are going to share clubs.
 
Otherwise you will be penalized 2 strokes for each hole where you borrowed a club, with a maximum 4 stroke penalty.

REMEMBER: Unless you want a 4-stroke penalty, don't borrow a club. Putt with your driver, or another club.

2004 # 11 When can you pick up your ball and take your maximum as your score?

THE SCENE:

You are not in a tournament today. This is a regular Tuesday play day. You are playing hole #3 on the Charger. You tee your ball up, hit it high and watch it splash into the water. You tee another ball. This time it hits the ground then bounces into the water. Thank goodness for the Special Rules for the Nine Hole Group. You know that now, after two tries, you can drop a ball on the other side of the water hazard. You will be lying 5 and hitting 6. So you hop into your cart, ride over to the fairway, drop a ball and hit it. Actually you chunk it. The turf flies and the ball runs about 20 yards. You catch up with it and hit it again. The ball heads straight for the flag then takes a bad bounce to the right then rolls even further right and keeps rolling all the way into the water. You now lie 7. One penalty stroke for the hazard gives you an 8 and you will be hitting 9. Eight is your personal maximum. 

What would you do?
A.  You have been playing well and want to stay in the competition so you will keep playing. You will putt out on this hole and take your full score.
B.  Announce that you will take your maximum for the hole, then grab your ball retriever and begin searching for your balls while the others finish playing the hole.

B is correct. 

Thank goodness for the Special Rules for the Nine Hole Group. This is not a tournament. You can take your maximum and remain in the competition. Not only is this permitted, it is encouraged because it will speed up play.
   
Your Niners’ handbook says: During regular Play Days you may pick up your ball upon reaching your handicap maximum. If you have not holed out when you reach your maximum, place an "X" on the scorecard next to your score for that hole. YOU WILL STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES.
 
REMEMBER: When you are not playing in a tournament and you reach your maximum, PICK UP your ball and take your maximum as your score for that hole.

2004 #10 How to Take Free Relief

THE SCENE:
The recent storm created casual water and ground under repair throughout our course. Both of these situations as well as others such as your ball lying on a cart path or a sprinkler head provide free relief. But how do you take free relief? It would certainly speed up play if everyone knew exactly what to do.

To take free relief you do 3 things.

1. Find your nearest point of relief
2. Create a drop area
3. Drop your ball properly

Find your nearest point of relief
What is your nearest point of relief?
It is the spot where your ball would lie if you moved it just enough so that there was no longer any interference. It can’t be closer to the hole, in a hazard or on the putting green.

The easiest and quickest way to find your nearest point of relief it to grab the club you intend to use to make the shot; take your stance and ground your club as if you were going to hit your ball as it lies right now. Then, without changing your posture, move forward, back or sideways, (no closer to the hole) just enough so that there is no longer any interference. You are not standing in it. Your club is not touching it and it wouldn’t interfere with your swing. This might be only 2 inches! Then, the place where your club is grounded is your nearest point of relief. Place a tee in the ground to mark it.

Create a Drop Area
Many of you think that is where you should hit from. Not so. This is a rule to help you. You drop within a club length of your nearest point of relief. Take any club in your bag and measure one club length (no closer to the hole) from the tee you placed in the ground. Pretend your club is making the wing of a snow angel – swing it around on the ground creating an arc the length of your club and no closer to the hole. This might be a half circle. That entire area is your drop area but not in a hazard or on the putting green. When you get the hang of this you can just estimate the drop area. You don’t have to place a tee in the ground.

Drop Your Ball Properly
Hold a ball at arm’s length, shoulder height and drop it straight down into the drop area. If it rolls more than 2 club lengths from where it strikes the ground (use the club you measured with) you must drop again. This time, watch where the ball hits the ground. If it again rolls more than 2 club lengths, place the ball on the spot where it hit the ground.

REMEMBER: Taking free relief is as easy as 1-2-3. Practice it so you can do it quickly.

2004 #9 What does ‘Attest’ mean? And why should you do it?

The Scene:
You just shot your best round of the year on the Charger. You pull out your score card and ask the scorer in the other golf cart to attest it. She says, “Test what?” You say, “You know. You sign my card ‘attesting’ to the fact that my score is correct. Then I’ll sign it and turn it in.” She says, “No. You don’t need to do that. We don’t do that here.”

What would you do?
A. Insist that she sign your scorecard?
B.  Turn the scorecard in un-attested?

A is correct. 

Even if it makes her angry, she needs to sign your scorecard. If she doesn’t, you could be disqualified and that great score would never be posted.

Open your Rules of Golf book to the rule that lists the player’s responsibilities. Look under 6-6 in the two sections a and b. You will see:

Rule 6, THE PLAYER.
6-6a Recording Scores.
On completion of the round the marker shall sign the card and hand it to the competitor
6-6b Signing and Returning Card
He (the player) shall ensure that the marker has signed the card, countersign the card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.

There is no penalty for a breach of 6-6a (no penalty for the marker) but the penalty for the player for a breach of 6-6b is DISQUALIFICATION!!!
So it is your responsibility to see that your card is signed and attested. If you turn in a card without both signatures you could be disqualified. In this  Niners group you probably wouldn’t be. But you could be. So get in the habit of doing it right and you’ll never have to worry about that
 
REMEMBER: After play, before handing in your scorecard, sign it yourself AND have it signed (attested) by the scorer in your group.

2004 #8 Is your ball embedded? in the Ground?

THE SCENE:
You hit a drive from the 18th tee. Oh, no! You pulled it left. Your ball is soaring above the trees, going way up on the hill. Maybe it will bounce down into the fairway. You wait expectantly. Nothing happens, You note which tree the ball went over, get a line on where you think the ball landed, then you drive down to the fairway, climb up the hill and search.

The good news is that you find your ball. The bad new is that it’s nestled down into some moss. But your fellow competitor says, “Don’t worry. That ball is embedded. You get a free drop.”

What would you do?
You drop your ball as near as possible to where it lies but not nearer the hole and hope it will bounce away from the moss.
You know that Beech Mountain has a local rule that provides relief for an embedded ball through the green (not just in a closely mown area like the fairway). But embedded in moss? You don’t think so. You play the ball as it lies.

B is correct.
Look at 

Rule 25-2. Embedded Ball
A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole.

Our local rule extends the area from ‘closely mown area’ to ‘through the green’. This includes the ruff. But the local rule was never intended to provide relief for a ball embedded in moss or in anything else.

REMEMBER: To get relief for an embedded ball, that ball must be embedded in the ground.

2004 #7 What if your ball is unplayable in a bunker?

The Scene:
You are playing hole #1. Your second shot lands in the rough on the right side of the fairway, well short of the bunker. The flag is just beyond the bunker and you aim for it, take a full swing and let it rip. But the deep rough grabs your club. The ball allllmmoooost makes it over but darn it, it lands short, in the bunker, right under the lip. You’ll never get it out of there. You decide to declare your ball unplayable and take the one stroke penalty. But then,

What would you do?
A. Drop your ball inside the bunker?
B. Take another penalty stroke and drop your ball in the rough, just behind the bunker?

A is correct.

Open your Rules of Golf book to
Rule #28 Ball Unplayable
If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke:
a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played; or
b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or
c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.

You have three options only. Hit from where you hit before or drop inside the bunker either within 2 club lengths of where the ball lies (no nearer the hole) or on a line behind the ball. (Imagine a straight line which starts at the flag stick, goes straight through your ball and on back.) You can drop anywhere on that line behind your ball except when your ball is in a bunker. Then you have to drop it inside the bunker.

REMEMBER: If your ball is unplayable in a bunker the only way to get out is to go back and hit from where you hit before.

2004 #6 Should you post a score?

The Scene:
You are playing in the 3 day Member / Member. The first day is Alternate shots and the second day is a Scramble. You know you can’t post either of those scores because they weren’t played according to the principals of the Rules of Golf. But today was Best Ball of the Twosome and you played very well. Someone teased you and said if you didn’t post your score she’d call you a sandbagger. But how can you post it? You picked up on 6 holes when you were ‘out of the hole’.

What would you do?
A. Ignore the teaser. Your score is not acceptable. You don’t have to post it.
B. Post a 9-hole score?
C. Post an 18-hole score?

C is correct.

If you begin a hole but don’t complete it you should record a score (for handicap purposes) that is the score you most likely would have made. And place an X next to that score.

For example, if on hole #2, you and your partner are both lying 2. Her ball is 4 feet from the hole and yours is 2 feet. She sinks her putt for a 3. You pick your ball up. Your most likely score for the hole would be a 3. So record X3 on your scorecard.

A harder example: On hole #17 your partner’s ball sails onto the green and stops near the hole. Your tee shot dives into the water. Of course you pick up. But you can still estimate your most likely score for the hole. Think of it as the number of strokes it would take you to complete the hole from that position more than half the time. And you are the best judge of that so do your own estimating. Just don’t exceed your maximum.

In the Member/Member above, if you estimated properly you would have 6 scores with X’s but you still would have an 18-hole score to post.

REMEMBER: Estimate your most likely scores. There is no limit to the number of unfinished holes a player may have in a round and still post her score.

2004 #5 What score should you post?

The Scene:
It is a Thursday playday and rain is predicted. As you begin play the sun peeks through but a couple of hours later black clouds move in. You are on hole #14 when the deluge finally begins, bringing lightning and bucketfuls of rain. You drive back to the clubhouse and dry yourself off, glad to get out of the storm. Your scorecard is dry and legible but should you post a score?

What would you do?
In the breezeway record N/C and
A. Toss your scorecard in the trash?
B. Post a 9-hole score?
C. Post an 18-hole score?

C is correct.

If you play 13 or more holes you should post an 18-hole score. For each of the unplayed holes (in this case #14 - #18) post a score equal to par plus any handicap strokes you are entitled to receive on that hole.
If you play between 7 and 12 holes you should post a 9-hole score. If you had played only 7 holes before the rains came down you would post a 9-hole score. For each of the two unplayed holes, #8 and #9, you would record par plus any handicap strokes you are entitled to receive on that hole.

These are scores to be posted on the computer, not to be entered as a score for the competition.

REMEMBER: If you play 13 or more holes, in the breezeway you can write N/C or the score the Playday Chair tells you to write. But when you get to the computer post a full 18-hole score.

2004 #4 Searching for your ball in a hazard.

The Scene:
You hit a long ball which seems to just hang in the air before finally dropping into a green-side bunker. When you arrive you can’t see the ball. You think it might be buried or it might be under some of the leaves in the bunker.

What would you do?
A. You would use your club to brush away the leaves and dig holes in the sand, trying to find your ball. Once found you would replace it and re-cover it so that you could barely see a part of the ball. Then you would hit it.
B. Your ball is lost. You would take a one stroke penalty and hit from where you hit before.



A is correct. 

You are allowed to use your hands, your club, anything to find your ball. If you uncover it too much, that’s okay. Just replace the sand and leaves so that you can barely see a part of the ball.

Open your Rules of Golf book to:
Rule #12 Searching for and Identifying Ball.
12-1 Searching for Ball;
In a hazard, if a ball is believed to be covered by loose impediments or sand, the player may remove by probing or raking with a club or otherwise, as many loose impediments or as much sand as will enable him to see a part of the ball. If an excess is removed, there is no penalty and the ball must be re-covered so that only a part of the ball is visible.

REMEMBER: If you can’t find your ball in a hazard you can do almost anything to find it as long as you replace it and cover it back up before hitting it.
 

2004 #3 Relief from Immoveable Obstruction in Bunker

The Scene:
You are playing your third shot on hole #11. There are people working in the bunker short of the green on the right. You aim for the middle of the green. The ball takes off straight then begins to bend to the right, hits the ground and bounces into the bunker where it rolls under the equipment used by the men.
But wait! One of the men reaches down, picks up the ball and tosses it out of the bunker.

What would you do?
A. The man is an outside agency, right? Can’t you play the ball where it lies?
B. You get free relief from the immovable obstruction but you must drop the ball within the bunker.

C. You can pay your way out of the bunker with one penalty shot.

C. is correct.
It is true that the man is an outside agency. If the ball had bounced off him you would be allowed to play the ball as it lies. But since he lifted it you have to replace it. THEN consider your options.

You get free relief from the immovable obstruction. That means that you can drop the ball within one club length of the nearest point of relief (no nearer the hole). But the ball must be dropped within the bunker.

You can get out of the bunker but it will cost you. Draw an imaginary straight line starting at the flagstick. Draw that line through your ball and back out of the bunker as far as you wish. You can drop your ball anywhere on that line behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke. This is a new 2004 Rule.

Open your Rules of Golf Book
Turn to rule #24 Obstructions. You will see:

24-2. Immovable Obstruction
b. Relief
Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows:
 (ii) In a Bunker: If the ball is in a bunker, the player must lift the ball and drop it either: (a) Without penalty, in accordance with Clause (i) above, except that the nearest point of relief must be in the bunker and the ball must be dropped in the bunker; or (b) Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.

REMEMBER: You can pay your way out of the bunker when taking relief from an immoveable obstruction.

2004 #2 Slope and Handicaps

The Scene:
You arrive at Beech Mountain to play golf. The course has been re-rated. You didn’t have a chance to play all winter so you had no scores to bring back. But the handicap they give you is two stokes higher than the one you had when you left here last fall. 

What would you do?

A. Tell the Pro that the handicap computer is broken.
B.  The Slope is higher than last year. That means the course is harder. That’s what increased your handicap. But that means that you are not as good a player as you thought you were.

C.  Your handicap index is the same as it was last year. You get a higher course handicap (and more strokes) because the courseis harder.

C is correct.
Your handicap index is the true measure of your golfing skills. It is the same no matter where you play. Your course handicap is the number of strokes you are given to play a particular course.

The Slope indicates the difficulty of the course you are playing. The average Slope for a course is 113. If your golf course is of average difficulty your course handicap (the number of strokes you are given) will be the same as your handicap index. If your golf course is harder (the Slope is higher) you’ll be given more strokes and if your course is easier (the Slope is lower (under 113)) you will be given fewer strokes.

Last year the Slope at Beech Mountain was 113. If your handicap index was 25.1, your course handicap would have been 25. This year the Slope is higher, 120. If your handicap index is still 25.1 your course handicap would now be 27. You are still just as good a golfer as you were last year. You are just being given extra strokes to play a harder course.

Note: If you are a 27 and a friend of yours at a different course is a 25, that doesn’t mean she is a better golfer than you. Ask what her handicap index is. That is the only thing you can compare.

REMEMBER: It is your handicap index that indicates your golfing skills, not your course handicap. Your index is the number with the decimal place.

2004 # 1 Did Your Ball Move?

The Scene:
You hit a great approach shot that comes to rest about 10” from the hole. You walk up to your ball, ready to tap in for a birdie when your putter accidentally touches your ball. The ball moves, or at least it rocks towards the hole and then rocks back.

What would you do?
A. Tap in for a birdie but then add a one stroke penalty for causing your ball to move?
B. Tap in for your birdie with no penalty.

B is correct because your ball did not move.

Open your Rules of Golf book to page 3. This is Section II, DEFINITIONS. Now find the definition for ‘Move or Moved’. You will see the following:

A ball is deemed to have “moved’’ if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place.

Since your ball just rocked forward and then rocked back ending up in the same position it started out in, your ball has not moved. So there is no penalty and you can tap in for your birdie.

REMEMBER: If your ball doesn't actually move to a new location, just play it. There is no penalty.