RULES
KNOW your
RULES
In the latest in our series of scenarios that applies to every-day golfers and what the correct procedures are
By MIKE GREEN
tournament to watch
19-22
Kaulig Companies Championship, Firestone Country Club
THE Situation
It happens to the very best, so the next time you find your shot settling in a tree, you’ll have to make a decision as to what to do – once you've waved off your playing partners’ chirp to take out your ‘tree iron’.
In our main image we show Sunshine Tour pro Rhys West in a discussion with a rules official after his ball lodged in a tree at the 2018 Vodacom Origins Of Golf at Zebula Country Club.
The rules are quite clear in that you have to be able to positively identify the ball is yours. True story: American star Rickie Fowler missed the cut at the 2018 Players Championship after hitting his ball into a tree. 'The marshals and the fans were standing right there and say my ball got stuck up there in the tree. Unfortunately, the part of the ball that was showing was just all white and dimples. I couldn’t see any of my markings and so couldn’t identify it, so back to the tee.'
With the help of a rules official Mark Russell, Fowler tried to identify the ball with the help of binoculars. He also argued his case, saying everyone there knew it was his ball.
''I'm on your side,' the official told Fowler. 'But we've got to identify that ball as yours. There's nothing I can do unless we can identify it as yours. It's a shame.'
TREE OVER PAR
Dawie van der Walt in a spot of trouble at the Nedbank
Golf Challenge … maybe he should have left his tree
wood in the bag.
watch NOW
RULE 9 & RULE 19
Rule 19 covers the player’s several relief options for an unplayable ball. This allows the player to choose which option to use – normally with one penalty stroke – to get out of a difficult situation anywhere on the course (except in a penalty area).
Should you decide to climb the tree, you need to be careful not to move your ball and incur a penalty stroke under Rule 9.4. Clarification 9.4a/1 says: 'A player sees a ball lying in a tree but cannot identify it. The player climbs the tree in an attempt to identify the ball and in doing so accidentally dislodges the ball. The ball is identified as the player's ball. In this case, since the ball was accidentally moved, there is no penalty for moving the ball (Rule 7.4). The player must replace the ball or may directly use a relief Rule (such as Rule 19 – unplayable ball).'
Additionally, if you declare in advance that you are going to proceed under the unplayable ball Rule 19, you may then shake the tree to try and dislodge a ball you believe to be yours. That clarification says: ’A player's ball is believed to be in a tree. The player makes it clear that if the ball is found they will take unplayable ball relief under Rule 19. The player shakes the tree; the ball falls down and is identified by the player within three minutes of starting the search. The player may now take relief under Rule 19 (unplayable ball) adding only the one penalty stroke prescribed by that Rule with no additional penalty for causing the ball to move.'
IN SUMMARY
Play it as it lies (no penalty): This is the only option without a penalty. You can hit the ball as it lies in the tree, even if you have to climb the tree or use a club to knock it down. The act of hitting or dislodging the ball is your next stroke.
Declare it unplayable (one-stroke penalty).
Treat as a lost ball (stroke and distance penalty): If you can't find your ball in the tree within three minutes, you must treat it as a lost ball. This incurs a one-stroke penalty and requires you to return to where you last hit the ball and play your next shot from there.
To feature in the mag, simply email us an interesting tale involving a rule at your club that is worth
discussing, and we’ll make it happen. Get in touch with us at contact@thegolfmag.co.za
To feature in the mag, simply email us an interesting tale involving a rule at your club that is worth discussing, and we’ll make it happen. Get in touch with us at contact@thegolfmag.co.za
SHAUN ROY / DELL-E / DP WORLD TOUR
