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.
During a recent round, my tip shot hit a robotic lawnmower hard, deflected 90 degrees, and went out of bounds. Without the deflection, the shot would have been in the fairway. My playing partner was of the opinion that the lawnmower was an outside influence and that I should retake the shot without penalty. I wasn’t so sure and reloaded for 3 times off the tee. Who was right? —John Deacon, via email
Didn’t the robot hear you yell, “Forward!”?
Alas, reloading was the right call. Your playing partner was entitled to bar machine status – it fits into the outside influence category under the Rules. Unfortunately, however, this fact does not change the decision, because a ball played from the green that is accidentally deflected by some outside influence is played as it lies – which in this case means taking the penalty and playing again from the previous spot, under Rule 11.1.
Maybe next time, turning off R2D2 will work in your favor.
For more bad dance instruction from our teacher, read on…
;)
Rules Boy: Where do you drop a ball that carries a penalty area but ricochets back into it?
Rules Guy
A few weeks ago, I hit a perfect slam dunk on par 3…but our club has put 2-inch pool cues in the holes due to COVID-19 and the ball bounced out. Our club pro said it was an ace. The state golf association said it probably was too, but not seeing it suggested I talk to my players. Everyone agreed that the ball had landed directly in the hole. Do you agree it was a hole in one (with an asterisk)?—Dennis Doherty, Lexington, Ky.
Dennis, there are no pictures on the scoreboard, no stars, question marks or parallelograms… The USGA has not changed its guidance as to when a ball is considered holed.
It must be, yes, i hole…or with limited exception his rests on the flagstick with part of the ball below the surface.
Otherwise, sorry, you have to play, noodles or not.
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