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In an individual game competition, is a player allowed to stay directly behind me while I am helping him understand his line? Does the rule change for the best ball competition? —Bokkie Gerber, via email
Yes – with remarks – and yes.
In individual hook game, no rule stops another player from standing in a stretch of the game line behind your ball for themselves. However, if the player is leaving you and you ask them to move, they must; While in this case the rules do not prevent staying after someone’s placement, it is certainly considered poor labeling. (Most likely the other player was either giving advice or helping you somehow, then there may be a violation of rules 10.2b (4) or 10.2a.)
However, in four, rules 22.6 and 23.8 prohibit your partner from staying in that position to learn something about their putt not to receive the general punishment.
For more guidance from our guru, read in…
This morning, a gentleman in the fourth tonnes made a habit of forcibly crashing around the hole with his putter (always in his striking line, of course). When he questions this “gardener”, he claimed that Greenskeepers were not doing their job properly when the holes changed. I happen to know better, as I’m one of them Greenskeepers. What rule should I quote? —Bob Keifling, sebring, fl.
Clearly, you Are they gentlemen that when you have chosen to take the high way than forcibly around the Noggin of this clod!
Next time, let the rules do this for you. Players can repair the “damage” of green placement, which includes the hole and the area around it, even if it does so improves the game line. But (!) Normal maintenance practices, natural coating and natural surface imperfections are not damage as determined by Rule 13.1C (2) and cannot be repaired.
If its tamping changes the soil and improves a state affecting the shock, such as the game line, then the rule 8.1a is applied, and it receives the overall punishment of two shocks in the game of hit and loss of holes in the game. Now who is not doing his job properly?
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