CAN I GET A RULING?

WHEN WE DO WRONG ~ Jeff Rivard

May 5, 2020

Playing from a wrong place or playing a wrong ball can be equally frustrating. In match play the penalties for each are loss of hole. Once the breach occurs, the hole is complete.

In stroke play, however, there are differences. Wrong place is a two-stroke penalty with play continuing on unless the breach is serious. Efforts at correction can result in additional penalties even without a serious breach. Abandoning the ball and replaying correctly is necessary only for a serious breach. An example–a player his a ball on a long shot into a penalty area. He takes lateral relief, and that spot results in the stroke being clearly shorter and easier than from where the player should have played.

Playing a “Wrong Ball” is also a two-stroke penalty, but the error must be corrected before playing from the next teeing area. The following “wrongs” are examples:

WRONG BALLS

• Player’s own ball played from out of bounds
• Found after search time expired and played
• Playing another player’s ball in play
• Played from out of bounds
• Set aside from original spot and played

WRONG PLACES

• Ball in penalty area dropped and played within penalty area
• Dropped ball played outside required relief area
• Ball replaced on wrong spot and played
• Ball played after it was moved from its original position
• Ball played after relief taken under a wrong Rule
• Ball played from no play zone
• Serious Breach in taking relief
• Ball played from wrong putting green
• Player inaccurately estimates spot from which ball would have come to rest that was deliberately stopped or deflected and plays a stroke

A “Substituted Ball” is never a Wrong Ball. Whenever a player puts a ball into play by teeing, dropping or placing, it may be in the wrong place, but is never a “Wrong Ball”. Sometimes it is permitted or sometimes it is a violation depending on whether the Rules authorize a player to change balls in the play of a hole. A player may always substitute a ball when taking relief under a Rule. When replacing a ball on the exact spot, the original ball must be used.

Although all of this may seem confusing at times, there are a few simple questions that lead to correct answers:

• (1) Did the Rules permit the procedure?
• (2) Did the Rules allow the ball to be played from the chosen location?
• (3) Did the player put the ball into play properly?

Follow this train of thought to avoid unnecessary penalties.