What do you do if you hit the ball OB off the tee, but discover the ball inside another hole?
Getty Images
The Rules of Golf Are Complicated! Thankfully, we have the teacher. our Rules Guy knows the book inside out. Have a question? He has all the answers.
I have a question that has caused a heated debate in my club. If a ball shot on hole no. 1 passes the out-of-bounds mark, crosses the adjacent fairway, then enters through the out-of-bounds mark into hole no. 10 and stays in its fairway, is the ball OB or not? —Mario Polit, by email
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Guy Rules isn’t being philosophical or talkative; there is a Model Local Rule (A-5) that would treat a ball that crosses a boundary as out of bounds even if it rests on another part of the course.
Without the Model Local Rule, then if the ball comes to rest somewhere that is in the court (ie, in-bounds), it doesn’t matter whether it has gone completely over a boundary or not – the ball is in the court. Which means the Rules Guy has to ask you a question: Does your course have said Model Local Rule in effect?
Rules Boy: An OB action is getting in the way of my swing. Can I move it without penalty?
Rules Guy
For more OB guidance from our teacher, read on…
You hit a ball and it splits in two. One part lands on the green, the other out of bounds. What is the rule of thumb? – J. Herring, by email
Did you hit the ball with a golf club or a lawnmower, J? Was that a gutta-percha ball or a feather?
This sort of thing doesn’t happen much anymore, thanks to modern technology, but on the rare occasion it does, Rule 4.2b covers the issues – the stroke doesn’t count, and you go back and play again from where you last made it, scythe, unfortunate stroke.
Need help taming the greens on your home course? Get an order The Green Book by Golf Logix.
Have a question about the Rules? Ask Guy Rules! Send your questions, confusion and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.
