Australian Senior Golfer

BUNKERS can not only be difficult to get out of at times they can also be a minefield when it comes to the Rules of Golf. One of our readers, Andrew Janiak, obviously had a lively discussion with his playing partner over a bunker incident and the interpretation of the rules during a recent round. [...]

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QUESTION: In a stableford round Tom putted up just 50 cm short of the hole, he properly marked his ball, put the ball in his pocket and tended the flag for the other players. By accident when replacing the ball on the mark he substituted another ball and subsequently sunk the putt?

What is the ruling?

1. Tom is penalized two strokes and must replace the proper ball on the mark before putting out
2. Tom is penalized one stroke and must re-take the putt using the original ball
3. Tom is penalized two strokes and the putt counts

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With the very windy weather of late, Golf Rules Quiz No 5 is very pertinent.

John’s drive comes to rest on a steep slope through the green. Fearing that the ball may move, he does not address the ball (i.e. he does not ground the club) nor does he do anything else that might cause the ball to move. However, during his back swing the ball begins to move and he strikes the ball while it is in motion.

What is the ruling?

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A PLAYER’S ball comes to rest on a cart path such that his nearest point of relief is behind the obstruction. He properly determines his point of relief and lifts and drops the ball in accordance with Rule 24-2b. The ball rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief but not nearer the hole than where it originally lay on the path. What is the procedure? (a) The player must re-drop the ball. (b) The dropped ball is in play.

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Tony and Joe are playing a course that is wet and muddy. Both have played their second shots to just short of the green. Joe is away by a few centimetres. Tony, thinking his ball will interfere with Joe’s play, marks, lifts and puts it in his pocket so he can hold an umbrella and his clubs.

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On a steep, fast green a player putts the ball above the hole. The player marks, lifts and cleans the ball and replaces the ball. Then, before the marker was lifted, the ball rolls off the green. What is the ruling?
a) The player may replace the ball at the marked position.

b) The player must play the ball as it lies

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The first of a new series of Golf Rules Quiz questions….A ball at rest on the green simply rolls in to the hole when no one is near it. What is the ruling ? Like a lot of things in golf, it depends.

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