2011 #3 Ball Moved by Equipment

THE SCENE:
Your ball rolls onto the cart path and stops. You know you get free relief from the path because it is an immovable obstruction. So, you drop your ball properly. You are holding several clubs. So, before taking your stance you select your 7 iron and toss your other clubs onto the ground.
Uh-oh! One of your clubs bounces and lands on your ball, causing it to move.


What would you do?
        A.    You hadn't yet taken your stance. So, there is no penalty. You reach out with your club and roll your ball back into place and then play it.
        B.    Your equipment accidentally caused your ball to move. You add a penalty stroke, replace your ball and then play it.

B is correct because even though you hadn’t yet taken your stance, your club did did cause your ball to move.


Look in your Rules of Golf book. Rule #18 says:
RULE #18 BALL AT REST MOVED
18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
When a player’s ball is in play, if:
the player … causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule,
the player shall incur a penalty stroke… The ball shall be replaced.
(ii)equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move,
the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.
If the ball is moved, it must be replaced …
If you fail to replace your ball, you'll be in breech of Rule #18, a maximum 2-stroke penalty.


What this means to you is:
Your ball was at rest.
Your club (your equipment) caused your ball to move.
You incur one penalty stroke.
Your must replace your ball - or incur a 2-stroke penalty.


REMEMBER: If your equipment causes your ball to move, replace it and add a penalty stroke to your score for the hole.
 

2011 #2 Who Can Move the Flagstick?

THE SCENE:
Your 4-some is on the green of hole #4. All of your balls lie within 6 feet of the cup. Mary removes the flag and places it on the ground. Your partner putts. Her ball misses the hole then heads towards the flagstick. It’s going to hit. And that will be a two stroke penalty.


You rush over and lift the flagstick just in time. The ball rolls on by and then stops. Whew! But one of the other players shakes her finger at you and says, “That’s a two stroke penalty. You can’t lift the flag while the ball is moving! Only the person who removed the flagstick can move it.”


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A) You know you are allowed to move the flag so you refuse to take a penalty.
B) You just got excited and acted without thinking. You apologize and take a 2-stroke penalty.


A IS CORRECT.
This was new in 2008. Anyone is allowed to move a flagstick lying on the ground to prevent a ball from hitting it.


Actually, there are two things you can move out of the way of a ball in motion. Equipment of the players and a flagstick whether you are ‘tending it, holding it up or have placed it on the ground.


Look in your Rules of Golf book at Rule #24
24-1. Movable Obstruction
When a ball is in motion, an obstruction that might influence the movement of the ball, other than equipment of any player or the flagstick when attended, removed or held up, must not be moved.
Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.


Then look at this decision which says that anyone can move the flag:

17-1/6 Attended Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted Q. While a ball is in motion after a stroke, the person attending the flagstick removes it and places it on the ground. He then realizes the ball might strike the flagstick, so he picks it up. What is the ruling? A. There is no penalty. A flagstick that is attended, removed, or held up may be moved by anyone even if doing so could influence the movement of a ball in motion (Rule 24-1). REMEMBER: Anyone is now allowed to move the flag if a ball might hit it.

2011 #1 Can You Lift and Clean Your Ball?

THE SCENE:

Your ball in lying in the fairway on hole #4. It has a hunk of mud adhering to it. You lift the ball and rub it against the grass to clean it. But then your fellow competitor calls you on it. She says, “Hey! You can’t do that! That’s a one stroke penalty.”

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

A. You did lift and clean your ball, so you take a one stroke penalty.

B. Your ball had mud on it. You couldn’t even tell if it was your ball until you cleaned it. So there was no penalty.

A IS CORRECT.

You are not allowed to lift your ball. If you do so, you will be penalized 1 stroke.

See Rule 18 Ball at Rest Moved 

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment

a. General

When a player's ball is in play, if:

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it, touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it) or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule, or

(ii)equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move,

the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

You are not allowed to clean your ball.

If you lifted your ball to identify it, and if you followed the proper procedure for doing so (see Rules Tip 2008 #8 How to ID Your Ball), you will still be penalized 1 stroke for cleaning it.The following rule says you can’t clean your ball when you have lifted it to ID it.

Rule 21 Cleaning Ball

A ball on the putting green may be cleaned when lifted under Rule 16-1b. Elsewhere, a ball may be cleaned when lifted, except when it has been lifted: a. To determine if it is unfit for play (Rule 5-3); b. For identification (Rule 12-2), in which case it may be cleaned only to the extent necessary for identification; or c. Because it is assisting or interfering with play (Rule 22). If a player cleans his ball during play of a hole except as provided in this Rule, he incurs a penalty of one stroke and the ball, if lifted, must be replaced. The only time you are allowed to Lift, Clean and Replace you ball on the fairway is when the Club has instituted Winter Rules.

REMEMBER: When your ball lies in the fairway or ruff, even if it is very dirty, don’t lift it and clean it.