The USGA and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, jointly write and interpret the Rules of Golf to guard the tradition and integrity of the game. The latest version went into effect on January 1, 2010.
The MGA is readily available to provide answers to any Rules of Golf questions or concerns. The MGA is an experienced liaison between the USGA - the ultimate authority on the Rules of Golf - and our member clubs. For more information about the Rules of Golf, as well as access to an interactive Rules of Golf quiz, please visit the USGA's official Rules Section.
The MGA is also available to assist Member Clubs with any rules questions that they may have. For more information, contact Jesse Menachem at jmenachem@mgalinks.org.
New in 2011... beginning with the Spring issue of MassGolfer magazine, the MGA will be posting Rules of Golf Q&As. All questions and answers are courtesy of MGA Rules of Golf expert and former USGA Rules of Golf staff member, David Hayes.
Q. Karen takes her stance and grounds her club lightly behind her ball which is lying on the putting green. Before making her stroke, the ball rolls a couple of inches and comes to rest. What is the proper procedure and has Karen incurred a penalty?
A. Rule 18-2b (Ball Moving After Address) is the relevant Rule. This Rule was
recently revised by the USGA and R&A so the answer is dependent on whether the
2008-2011 or 2012-2015 Rules of Golf is in effect.
2008-2011 Rules of Golf |
2012-2015 Rules of Golf |
Karen is deemed to have caused the ball to move – she incurs a one-stroke penalty and she must replace the ball on the spot from which it was moved. |
If it is known or virtually certain that Karen did not cause the ball to move (e.g., a strong gust of wind came up after Karen addressed the ball and the moved due to the wind) then no penalty is incurred and the ball is played from its new position (as mentioned in the new Exception to Rule 18-2b). However, in the absence of such evidence Karen would incur a one-stroke penalty and be required to replace the ball on the spot from which it had been moved. |
Q. While playing in his stroke-play club championship, Jeff plays his third stroke and the ball comes to rest two inches short of the hole. In disgust, he knocks the ball away from the hole (to Point X) with his putter. Jeff is unsure what to do and plays the ball from Point X and then, using one more stroke, holes out. What is Jeff's score for the hole?
A. Knocking the ball away from the hole was not a stroke (Decision 18-2a/23); rather, Jeff incurred a one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2a and was required to replace the ball on the spot from which it was moved (two inches from the hole). By failing to do so (i.e., by instead playing from Point X), Jeff instead incurred the general penalty, two strokes, under Rule 18-2. Jeff's score for the hole is 7 (5 strokes made plus 2 penalty strokes).
Q. Bernie hits his tee shot into the rough. After a brief search he locates a ball but he is unable to recognize it as his own. Crouching down, Bernie rolls the ball over slightly so that he can see his identifying mark. Has Bernie proceeded correctly?
A. No. Rule 12-2 permits a player to lift a ball if lifting it would allow him to identify the ball; however, a player doing so must follow the procedure specified in that Rule: he must first announce his intention to lift the ball to his marker or fellow-competitor (in stroke play) or his opponent (in match play) and allow this person to observe the lifting and replacement of the ball; he must mark the position of the ball; and he must only clean the ball to the extent necessary to identify the ball. By failing to follow the procedure in Rule 12-2, Bernie has incurred a one-stroke penalty.
Q. Anna plays her stroke and sees that her ball is rolling towards a few loose twigs laying on the ground. Worried that the twigs will deflect her ball, she moves them. Has Anna breached a Rule?
A. Yes. Loose impediments such as these loose twigs may not be moved while a ball is in motion if doing so might influence the movement of the ball (Rule 23-1). Anna has incurred the loss of hole penalty in match play or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play. Anna would be wise to avoid moving anything other than equipment of a player (including her own equipment) or a removed, attended, or held-up flagstick (Rule 24-1) while her ball is in motion.
