1. Facts — May I Drop in a Penalty Area?

Reader BF didn’t get the roll off the steep slope to the left of the Par 4 Hole #12 at OEI. With the ball from his drive just off the fairway, but in the rough and well below his feet he chunked his approach shot into the unkempt PA mini-gorge fronting the green. He found his ball, and after struggling to purchase a stance took a mighty swing hoping to somehow flop the ball out of the deep grass and onto the green. He was unsuccessful. The ball skanked a few feet off to the right, remaining in the PA, with a lie this time which was unplayable.

He now lay 3 in the PA with a ball that was unplayable. What were his relief options? May a player take a drop in a PA?

Ruling

Penalty relief for an “unplayable” ball is available anywhere on the course, except from a PA. If a ball is unplayable in a PA, relief is available and must be taken under the options provided in R17 “Penalty Areas”. (R19.1).

These options include:

(1) Stroke and Distance (R17.1d(1)- yes, a player may take S and D relief from a PA by dropping into a one-club relief area measured from where the prior shot in the PA was made. BF elected this option and was able this time to chop the ball onto the green lying 5, two-putting for a Mickey Mantle 7.

(2) Back-on-the-Line (R17.1d(2))- in the alternative, he could have elected to take b-o-l relief outside the PA dropping 4 and again hitting 5 into the green. Note, however, that the reference point for b-o-l relief is where the ball “last crossed” the edge of the PA. In BF’s case, with his 3rd shot attempted from the PA, his b-o-l relief from outside the PA would be from a reference point where his second shot crossed the edge of the PA, and not b-o-l from the spot where he played his 3rd shot or from the spot where his 3rd shot resided in the PA. (In this case, b-o-l relief from side hill approach angle would have been awkward).

BF reflected on his misfortune . “The shot I tried off the side of the hill was ridiculous. I should have laid up.” Hindsight is wonderful!

( On this subject, note a player might also choose to take B-o-L relief and drop in a PA in a situation where is ball is “unplayable “ in the General Area, but no RA is available in the GA …i.e, a ball against the edge of the PA with “no closer” relief unavailable in the GA … so, yes, another circumstance where one might drop in a PA ; See, R19.2b).

II. Facts- Collision Chaos

A festive atmosphere permeated the grounds of HCC, as patrons and extended family from all points of the compass displayed their colorful July 4th golf wear, on golf carts adorned with the Red, White, and Blue. Those players fortunate enough to get a prized tee time conducted themselves in a more dignified and business-like manner.

Foremost’s drive (yes, truly a drive) on the difficult Par 3 4th Hole at HCC took a peek at the putting surface and then rolled well back finally stopping above the fairway bunker short of the green complex. Facing a front pin placement, F grabbed a 9-iron and attempted to skip his ball up the bank and just over the lip of the green. He bladed this delicate attempt; the ball scooted past the hole and somehow came to rest at the top of the green some 40-feet above the hole.

F eyed his long par putt and calculated a left to right break from a target about 5 feet above the hole. He yanked his putt about 2 feet off-line left. The ball caught a ridge F hadn’t seen, and curved left another 3 or 4 feet squarely striking his partner TD’s ball which was about 10 feet above the hole.

F’s ball, which in the absence of a collision was certain to roll back off the green and back down the hill, stopped on a dime and gently rolled to the hole and within the leather for a kick-in 4, net 3. TD replaced his ball, and just missed his par putt … in for another 4 for the team.

F was troubled by the collision of balls on the putting green with both balls at rest on the putting green prior to the putt causing the collision. He figured a penalty stroke would have to be assessed somewhere, but would it be assessed against F, or against his partner, TD, who had inexplicably failed to mark his ball? (TD said a putt that bad could never have been expected, and that he was certainly not at fault for not marking his ball …okay, F had to agree.)

Further complicating the scoring issue, it should be noted that in addition to the intra-squad Four-Ball Match Play competition between partners F, TD and opponents BF and KBP, this foursome as a team was playing in a best two-ball net Stroke Play competition against several other fine teams in a weekend competition. Serious dollars were at stake on all fronts.

BF ended the Match Play controversy quickly by sinking a miraculous 35 foot putt (on a similar line as F’s putt) for a birdie 2. Pure luck …had to be. But would F’s 4, net 3, stand and assist the team in the Stroke Play competition? What did F score on Hole #4? F refused to certify the scorecard pending rules review.

After the round, the teams from the mens’ competition began rolling into the locker room. Cash from entry fees was piled on a locker room table. The TD-captained team was unable to submit its team score due to the rules question; the mood began to grow surly around the table. As the volunteer banker, Reader and Player AN was catching heat for his delay in declaring winners and distributing the purse.

Pro KM approached and quickly grasped the situation, immediately sensing that the sparks from the fireworks display scheduled for later in the evening paled against the potential explosion of the fireworks bubbling just under the surface in the locker room. Wisely, he grabbed his rule book and reading glasses and began to assist in the Ruling before the situation got out of hand.

Ruling

Match Play

There is never a penalty for an “accidental” collision in Match Play competition, even if the collision occurred with both balls “at rest” on the putting green prior to the putt causing the collision. F was correct in playing his ball from the spot where it came to rest after the collision. He made a 4, net 3. TD was correct in replacing his ball at the spot where it resided prior to the collision. (R11.1).

(Note that a “deliberate” effort to assist a partner’s putt, by leaving a ball in a spot serving as a backstop, would give rise to a violation. (R11.2a). No one suggested F or TD were smart enough or skillful enough to devise and execute this plan, and it is inapplicable to this situation.)

Stroke Play

Unfortunately, in Stroke Play, when both balls are at rest on the putting green prior to the putt causing the collision, the player making the putt also receives the General Penalty (two strokes). Therefore, for the Stroke Play competition, F made a 6, net 5.

An additional question was raised during the rules review … was F allowed to accept the result of the collision and play his ball as it lay near the hole, or whether in Stroke Play F was required to replay his original 40-foot putt in addition to receiving the GP ( the 2-stroke penalty)?

For a ball played from a putting green, only three collisions require a replay: (1) the ball hits “any person” other than the player or the person attending the flagstick, (2)the ball hits a “movable obstruction”, or (3) the ball hits “an animal”. Note that the rule specifically excludes “a ball at rest” from the definition of “movable obstruction” for the purposes of the rule. (R11.1b(2)), so no replay was required.

F compliments all the players for their patience in awaiting this Ruling, and thanks the Committee for its professionalism in over- looking the holiday customers and distractions and prioritizing this important post-competition Ruling.

As usual, any comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F