USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: APRIL, 1954 21

Example of symbols: "USGA" indicates decision by the United States Association. "R & A" indicates decision by the Royal and Ancient of St. Andrews, Scotland. "54-1" means the first decision issued in 1954. "R.37-7" refers to Section 7 of Rule 37 in the 1954 .

Water- Rule Requires Ball Played Outside Teeing Ground Three-Stroke Comes to Rest Out of Bounds USGA 53-37 USGA 53-38 R. 1, 33-2 R. 1, 7-2, 13-2 Q: During one of our events, Q: In stroke play A played his first stroke one contestant drove on a short water hole from outside the teeing ground and the ball and her ball landed in the confines of the clearly landed out of bounds. He played his hazard, but not in the water, thus enabling second stroke from within the teeing her to play the ball from the hazard. In ground. His fellow-competitor, B, said that doing so, her ball hit a rock in the hazard a penalty stroke should be added to A's and bounced back into the water. She drop­ score in accordance with Rule 29-la. A in­ ped a ball in front of the hazard and to the sisted that no penalty stroke should be add­ right with a clear shot to the green. ed, because he played his first stroke from I ruled the player had not played the ball outside the teeing ground and therefore the from the teeing ground into the hole by suc­ ball was not in play from the beginning of cessive strokes as required by Rule 1 as the stroke. Is A right? she had not dropped her ball in accordance with Rule 33-2a or b. Question by: KOMYO OHTANI KYOTO, JAPAN Question by: MRS. K. S. OCILVIE EVANSTON, III. A: A is correct. There is no penalty other than that stipulated in Rule 13-2. The stroke A: The ruling was incorrect. The player played outside the teeing ground was not a should have been penalized three strokes. stroke in the stipulated round (Rule 7-2) Under the principle of Rule 33-2a, the and did not bring the ball into play. There­ player was entitled to drop a ball behind fore, the fact that it came to rest out of the water hazard so as to keep the point at bounds was irrelevant. which the ball lay in the hazard, after her unsuccessful stroke, between herself and Insect May Be Frightened the hole, under penalty of one stroke. Away from Ball However, the player did not drop the ball USGA 53-39 in conformity with the pertinent Rule. The D. 17; R. 23-3 penalty for violation of Rule 33-2 in stroke Q: When a fly landed on a player's ball, play is two strokes. could he have taken a lighted cigarette and It is noted from your sketch that the play­ held it above the fly, the heat of the cigar­ er did not drop the ball nearer the hole. ette most naturally making the fly move 22 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: APRIL, 1954-

without touching the hall? If the claim had been made at the pro- Question by: IRA L. ADLER per time, the Committee should have ruled LANSFORD, PA. that A had violated Rule 2-3. The penalty for a breach of this Rule is disqualification A: Yes, provided the cigarette did not from the competition. In four-ball match touch the ball or the fly. play, this penalty does not apply to the An insect is not a loose impediment when partner, B (see Rule 40-3g and the prin- it adheres to a ball (Definition 17) and may ciple regarding breaches of Rule 2 set forth not be removed by cleaning the ball (Rule in Rule 41-7a). 23-3). However, there is nothing in the A committee is empowered by Rule 36-5 Rules to prevent a player from frightening to waive or modify a penalty of disqualifica- an insect or other animate being. tion, however, if it considers such action warranted in exceptional individual cases. Ball Enmeshed in Wire Screen For example, if the committee -concluded USGA 53-42 that the illegal ball had been used inadver- R. 31-2 tently on only one hole, it might have dis- This refers to USGA Decision 53-23, in which qualified the player only for that hole. it was stated that the player may not measure through an immovable obstruction in determ- Stroke Could Be Replayed ining u'here to drop a ball under Rule 31-2.) When Fellow-Compatitor Interferes Q: Suppose a ball in play became en- USGA 53-44 meshed in a wire screen which is an ob- R. 11-4; 26-3a,b; 41-8 struction. On which side should it be drop- Q: In four-ball stroke play, A, outside ped? twenty yards, plays without requesting any- Question by: SAMUEL Y. BOGGS one to hold the pin .. JENKINTOWN, PA. 1. B. his fellow-competitor; sees that A: Either side. ball is close, rushes to pull the pin and is struck. Rule 34-3b implies no penalty for A, since fIagstick was not attended at A's re- Small British Ball Used on One Hole quest; but is B penalized? What is to pre- vent B from doing this maliciously? USGA 53-43 2. In a similar situation, C, A's partner, R. 2-3; ll-l,3; 36-5; 40-3g does this. What is the decision? Q: A and were playing against C and n Question by: MITCHELL ROSENHOLTZ D in a four-ball tournament. At the seven- ST. PAUL, MINN. teenth hole C noted that A had used the small British ball on that particular hole. A: 1. Rule 11-4 would over-ride Rule 26- A agreed he had used the ball, not know- 3b in this situation, and A could have been ing it at the time. B won the hole with a permitted to replay his stroke without pen- 5, making A and B 1 up. The match alty to either side. Permission to replay the was finished with a half on the eighteenth stroke could only have been granted at the and C asked for a. ruling. time the incident occurred, however. After deliberation the Rules Committee Since A was more than twenty yards from decided that Rule 41-7 applied and disqual- the hole and did not either request or tacit- ified team A and B, giving the match to ly consent to having the fIagstick attended, team C and D. Appreciate your interpreta- Rule 34-3b does not apply. tion at your earliest convenience. 2. A would incur a penalty of two Question by: WILLIAM C. NEWMAN strokes under Rule 26-3a. The penalty would SIASCONSET, MASS. not apply to C; see Rule 41-8. A: We do not concur in your decision, al- though it was final (see Rule 1I-3). ,Fourteen-Club Rule Your statement of the facts indicates that USGA 53.45 C did not make a claim before the players R. 3, 36-5, 38-1 played from the eighteenth teeing ground, Q: During the qualifying round of medal as required by Rule 11-1. If this was the play, one 'of the players discovered, after .case, the hole should have stood as played. several holes, that she had fifteen clubs in Further, Rule 41-7 applies only to four- her bag, and so advised the woman qualify- ball stroke play, and the situation you cite ing with her, a member of another team, .arose in four-ball . who immediately reported the breach of rule USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT:APRIL, 1954 23

to the Rules Committee. The player having is disqualification unless the committee sees the fifteen clubs in her bag recognized the fit to waive or to modify it. extra club as one belonging to a member The facts presented seem to indicate that of her team, who was at the time also play- the club concerned was inadvertently trans- ing her qualifying round. The club was sent ferred from one player's bag to another be- to her out on the course by a . The fore play began. If that is so, and if the owner of the extra club had only thirteen player who temporarily carried the club clubs in her bag at the beginning of her did not use it, we feel that the Committee qualifying round. The player who had should have waived the penalty of disqualifi- breached the fourteen club rule continued cation in each case. to play, and at the end of the round the The marker who reported the violation of player qualifying with her, who was keep- Rule 3 but turned in an attested score for ing her score, turned in an attested score the violator incurred no penalty. She was for her after having previously reported the required by Rule 38-1 th do just that and breach of the rule. to leave the imposition of the penalty to The Rules Committee official, having re- the committee, since the committee might ceived the notice of the breach of the Rule choose to waive or to modify it. before the attested score was turned in, In stroke play, the committee'may impose disqualified the golfer breaching the Rule. a penalty whenever the facts requiring one Then one of the players advised the Rules become known and even after an attested Committee later in the evening after the score has been returned. qualifying had been completed, that she had The official with whom you discussed the called an official of the USGA on the tele- case by telephone undoubtedly was attempt- phone and had been advised by him that ing to inform you that the disqualification the fourteen club rule did not necessarily penalty could be waived or modified, as ex- apply in team matches to the extent of dis- plained above, if the committee so desired. qualification, that the penalty for breach of the rule in this instance could have been Ball Missed. Then Accidentally Knocked Off one, two or three strokes. It is certainly evi- dent to me that there was a misunderstand- USGA 53-46 ing. D. 5; R. 14, 27-1c In my opinion, had the attested score been Q: A up his ball within the teeing turned in before the breach of the rule had ground, addresses it and swings with the been reported, the player would not have intention of hitting it. He misses the ball been disqualified. Is this correct? completely. Then, in the act of waggling, he Although the tournament is over and the knocks it off the tee. winning team has been declared Women's B says he is shooting 3 and must play State Team Champion for 1953, the Presi- the ball where it lies, even though it still dent of the Women's Division of the Vir- lies within the teeing ground. A claims there ginia State Golf Association has requested is no Rule that covers this incident, that he me to present the matter to the USGA Rules can re-tee without penalty. of Golf Committee for an official opinion. Question by: MRS. ARNOLDSIl\IENSEN WINCHENDON,MASS. Question by: H. M. BLANKINSHIP A: A's ball lies 2, and he must play the LYNCHBURG,VA. ball as it lies. A: Your committee's decision is final (see Definition 5 provides: Rule 11-3), but we are pleased to offer our "A ball is 'in play' as soon as the comments. player has made a stroke on the teeing The competitor who started the competi- ground. It remains in playas his ball tion with fifteen -clubs violated Rule 3. The until holed out, except when it is out penalty is disqualification unless the com- of bounds, lost, or lifted in accordance mittee sees fit to waive or to modify the with the Rules or Local Rules." penalty, as it is permitted to do under Rule Therefore, the ball went into playas soon 36-5 in exceptional individual cases when as A made his first stroke and it was in play it considers such action warranted. when accidentally moved. Rule 27-1c pro- The competitor who accepted an addi- vides that the player incurs a penalty stroke tional club during her round from a fellow- in such a circumstance and must play the competitor playing on the course also vio- ball as it lies. lated Rule 3, even though she had started Rule 14 governs only when the ball is not with only thirteen clubs. The penalty, again, in play. 24 USGA JOURNALANDTURF MANAGEMEN.T:APRIL, 1954

Movable Obstruction Defined using the same that had heen used USGA 53-55 in qualifying or, as this competition is over R.31 a four or five weeks period, should the sur- Q. A ball was hit from the seventeenth viving player use her then current handicap tee and hooked, landing in fairly heavy (assuming her handicap may have changed grass about midway between a tree and a since playing the qualifying round) in effect ball washer at the eighteenth tee, the dis- at the time of each round of match play tance between the tree and the washer he- during the tournament? ing about two feet. This washer is on a post Question by: MRS.ANITAMORRIS like a fence post driven about two feet or ROCKVILLECENTRE,N. Y. more in the ground and with a piece of A. The matter is one for the committee V shaped on the bottom to keep it solid. in charge to determine and publish prior These washers are placed at every tee as a to the competition. Rule 36-1 provides ;n permanent fixture and have never been re- part: "The Committee shall lay down the moved even during the winter. The player conditions under which a competition is to who made the shot insisted he had the right he played." to move this washer and with the aid of The USGA recommends that player's han- was able to pull it out of the ground, dicaps should not be changed during the claiming that under the Rules it was a mov- progress of a competition that is to he com- able obstruction on the course. He was pleted within a week. For competitions ex- then able to make a clear shot to the green tending over a longer period, each competi. and tie the match, suffering no penalty for tor should use his handicap in effect at the his bad tee shot. The matter was referred to time each round or match is played. This the Golf Committee hut they couldn't agree applies to both Current Handicaps and as to whether the washer was or was not a Basic Handicaps. movable object hut did agree that it had heen put there as a permanent fixture. This supersedes USGA Decision 52-72 and Question hy: FRANK H. REYNOLDS all previous on this subject. NEW YORK,N. Y. When Ball Is Lost A. The ball washer which you descrihe R & A 53-59 appears to be an immovable obstruction Def. 6. within the meaning of Rule 31. The player Q. A player played his tee shot and, on may have been entitled to relief under going forward, failed to find his hall, so, Rule 31-2, governing immovable obstruc- saying he wIJuld give that up and go hack tions, hut he was not entitled to relief un- and play another, he proceeded to do so. der Rule 31-1, governing movable obstruc- The first hall was found by his opponent as tions. soon as he had struck his second. A movable obstruction is one which may The dispute which later took place. in be moved only with reasonable effort, with- the clubhouse was: (a) Whether the hall out unduly delaying play in violation of should he considered lost as soon as the Rule 37-7 and without permanently impair- player gives up the search and declares his ing proper course maintenance. intention of going hack and playing an- The penalty for a violation of Rule 31-1 other, although less than five minutes has is loss of hole in match play and two strokes elapsed since the search hegan, (b) Whether in stroke play; in four-ball play the penalty the hall can he considered still in play if would not extend to the player's partner found within five minutes hut after the (see Rules 40-3g and 41-8). player has gone hack and struck his sec- ond hall. Handicaps in Extended Competition It is admitted that it is unlikely that the USGA 53-58 second alternative would occur within the R.36-1 five minute limit hut the question there is Q. In a ladies' handicap tournament in purely theoretical. which 32 have qualified on the basis of their A. Under Definition 6 a hall is lost if it current handicaps at the beginning of the be not found within five minutes. Provided qualifying round and whose pairings for the ball is found within that period and match play over a period of four or five the player has not played another hall, weeks have been drawn in accordance with other than the provisional hall, from the their stroke play round, should the entire spot from which he played his previous shot, tournament be played with each competitor he can continue play with his original hall.