PUTTING GREEN

Attended Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted
Ball Overhanging Hole
Competitor Not Given Opportunity to Lift Ball Assisting Fellow-Competitor
Failure to Hole Out
Flagstick Attended by Opponent or Fellow-Competitor Without Authority While Player’s Ball in Motion
Flagstick Lying on Putting Green Removed by Player to Prevent Another Player’s Ball from Striking It
Flagstick Stuck into Green Some Distance from Hole by Practical Joker
Holding Flagstick with One Hand and Putting with Other Hand
Loose Impediments Removed from Line of Putt with Cap or Towel
Placed Ball Rolls into Hole
Player’s Ball Lifted Without Authority by Opponent in Four-Ball Match
Player Holds Umbrella Over Own Head When Playing Stroke
Player Refuses to Tell Opponent How Many Strokes He Has Taken
Player Unaware He Has Holed Out Puts Another Ball into Play
Removal of Loose Impediments Affecting Player’s Play
Removed Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted
Removing Dew or Frost from Line of Putt
Repair of Spike Mark Damage Around Hole

When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen into the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke, and must add a penalty stroke to his score for the hole; otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule.

Dec 3-4/1 Competitor Not Given Opportunity to Lift Ball Assisting Fellow-Competitor

Q. In stroke play, A’s ball lies near the hole in a position to assist B, whose ball lies off the green. A states his intention to lift his ball under Rule 22-1.  However, B says that he does not want A’s ball lifted. B plays before A has an opportunity to lift his ball. Should B be penalized?
A. Yes. B is disqualified under Rule 3-4. (Revised)

Dec17-2/2  Flagstick Attended by Opponent or Fellow-Competitor Without Authority While Player’s Ball in Motion

Q. A player plays from just off the putting green with the flagstick in the hole. While the ball is in motion, an opponent or fellow-competitor, without the authority of the player, removes the flagstick either because he believes the ball will not reach the hole or it has gone past the hole. What is the ruling?
A. The opponent or fellow-competitor is not penalized if the removal of the flagstick could not have influenced the movement of the ball. If there is any doubt as to whether the ball could have reached the hole or, having gone past the hole, returned to the hole (e.g., as a result of the slope of the putting green, wind, etc.), the opponent loses the hole in match play or the fellow-competitor incurs a penalty of two strokes in stroke play for a breach of Rule 17-2. (New)

Dec 1-2/3  Flagstick Lying on Putting Green Removed by Player to Prevent Another Player’s Ball from Striking It

Q. B removes the flagstick, places it on the putting green behind the hole and putts. A, believing that B’s ball will strike the flagstick, picks up the flagstick, allowing B’s ball to roll beyond where the flagstick had been placed. What is the ruling?
A. In match play, A loses the hole for removing an obstruction which might influence the movement of the ball while the player’s ball was in motion — Rule 1-2 or 24-1. In stroke play, A incurs a penalty of two strokes — Rule 1-2 or 24-1. B incurs no penalty.

Dec 17-1/5  Holding Flagstick with One Hand and Putting with Other Hand

Q. A player holds the flagstick with one hand and holes a short putt, gripping the putter with his other hand. Is this permissible
A. Yes, provided the flagstick has been removed from the hole and the ball therefore does not strike it. If the ball were to strike the flagstick, a breach of Rule 17-3a would occur.

Dec 1-4/3  Flagstick Stuck into Green Some Distance from Hole by Practical Joker

Q. A practical joker removes the flagstick from the hole and sticks it into the putting green some distance from the hole. The players approaching the green are unaware of this action and they play towards the flagstick and not the hole. Do the players have the option to replay?
A. No. In equity (Rule 1-4), the players must accept the resultant advantage or disadvantage.

Dec 16-1a/8  Loose Impediments Removed from Line of Putt with Cap or Towel

Q. A player touches his line of putt in brushing aside loose impediments with his cap or with a towel. Is this permissible?
A. Yes, provided he did not press anything down. (Revised)

 

Dec 20-3d/1 Placed Ball Rolls into Hole

Q. A replaces his ball on the putting green three feet from the hole. As he is about to address the ball, it rolls into the hole. Should the ball be replaced or is A deemed to have holed out with his previous stroke?
A. The answer depends on whether the ball, when replaced, came to rest on the spot on which it was placed before it started rolling. If it did, A is deemed to have holed out with his previous stroke. If not, A is required to replace the ball (Rule 20-3d). However, if the ball had been overhanging the hole when it was lifted, the provisions of Rule 16-2 would override those of Rule 20-3d. (Revised)

Dec 30-3f/10  Player’s Ball Lifted Without Authority by Opponent in Four-Ball Match

Q. In a four-ball match, an opponent lifted a player’s ball on the putting green after marking its position. He did this without the authority of the player. Is the opponent subject to penalty?
A. Yes. Rule 20-1 prohibits such action. Accordingly, the opponent incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-3b, but the penalty does not apply to his partner — see Rule 30-3f. The player must replace his ball.

Q In a match, B asks A how many strokes he (A) has taken during play of a hole or on a hole just completed. A refuses to give B the information requested. What is the ruling?

A A incurs the general penalty of loss of hole (Rule 2-6) for failing to act in accordance with the requirements of Rule 9-2a. The penalty applies to the hole being played or, if the hole has been completed, the penalty applies to the last hole played. (New)

Dec 1-1/2  Player Unaware He Has Holed Out Puts Another Ball into Play

Q. A player, unable to find his ball, puts another ball into play. He then discovers that his original ball is in the hole. What is the ruling?
A. The score with the original ball counts. The play of the hole was completed when the player holed that ball.

Dec 23-1/10  Removal of Loose Impediments Affecting Player’s Play

Q. A player with a downhill putt picks up loose impediments between his ball and the hole but leaves some behind the hole. The opponent or fellow-competitor wants to remove the impediments behind the hole as they may serve as a backstop, but the player objects. May the opponent or fellow-competitor remove the loose impediments behind the hole?
A. No. When it is the player’s turn to play, his opponent or a fellow-competitor has no right to remove loose impediments affecting the player’s play if the player requests the opponent or fellow-competitor not to do so. If the opponent or fellow-competitor ignores the request, he is in breach of Rule 1-2. In the absence of a request not to remove loose impediments affecting the player’s play, an opponent or fellow-competitor who does so incurs no penalty.
In either instance, if the player replaces the loose impediments he is in breach of Rule 1-2.

 

Dec 17-1/6 Attended Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted

Q. After a stroke is made, 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. The flagstick is deemed to be attended by the person attending it until the ball comes to rest and it may be moved by the attendant to a position where the ball will not strike it.

Dec 17-1/7  Removed Flagstick Placed on Ground Subsequently Lifted

Q. A, the opponent or fellow-competitor of B, removes the flagstick from the hole and places it on the ground. B putts and A, who is standing within reach of the removed flagstick, realizes that B’s ball might strike the removed flagstick, so he picks the flagstick up. What is the ruling?
A. A loses the hole in match play or incurs a penalty of two strokes in stroke play for removing an obstruction which might influence the movement of the ball — Rule 1-2 or 24-1. The provisions of Note 3 to Rule 17-1 do not apply because the flagstick was not being attended or held up to indicate the position of the hole when the stroke was made. (New)

Dec 16-1a/3  Removing Dew or Frost from Line of Putt

Q. May a player brush dew or frost from his line of putt?
A. No. Rule 16-1a prohibits touching the line of putt except in removal of loose impediments, repair of ball marks, etc. Dew or frost is not a loose impediment — see Definition of  “Loose Impediments.” Accordingly, such action would be a breach of Rule 16-1a.

Dec16-1c/4  Repair of Spike Mark Damage Around Hole

Q. A player’s ball lies on or near the putting green. Before playing his next stroke, he taps down spike marks in the vicinity of the hole. Is this permissible?
A. No. Such action would be a breach of Rule 16-1c since repair of spike marks in the vicinity of the hole might assist the player in his subsequent play of the hole.

Dec-14-2/2  Player Holds Umbrella Over Own Head When Playing Stroke

Q. A player playing in the rain holds an umbrella over his head with one hand while holing a very short putt, gripping the putter with the other hand. Is this ­ permissible?
A. Yes. Rule 14-2 prohibits a player, while making a stroke, from accepting protection from the elements from someone other than himself. However, it does not prohibit him from protecting himself.