Nov/Dec 2011.

Answers
Answers to October Quiz

Hole 1, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Billy's drive comes to rest in a tractor tyre mark in the soft ground on the left hand side of the fairway. Billy treats the tyre marks as GUR and drops the ball within one clublength of the nearest point of relief of the tyre marks. He strikes the ball to the green and holes out in two putts. What should go on Billy's card?

a) 4
b) 5
c) 6
d) DQ

Billy is penalised two shots for taking free relief when he is not entitled to do so. It is a local rule that tractor marks are an integral part of the course.
Note: Billy could be disqualified if the Committee deemed that he gained a significant advantage as a result of playing from a wrong place (See Note 1 to Rule 20-07). This would be highly unlikely where a player took relief from a tyre mark when not entitled to do so.

Hole 2, Par 3. Strokeplay.

Joe dunks his tee shot in the right hand bunker. He clips the ball with his follow through in playing from the bunker in a classic double hit. The ball finishes on the green. He holes out with two putts. What score should go on Joe's card?

a) 4
b) 5
c) 6

As Joe did not intent to hit the ball on the follow through it cannot be counted as a stroke. He is however penalised one shot for the illegal hit.

Hole 3, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Both Margaret and Nora are on the green in three. As they approach the green, a turkey scurries across the green, picks up Nora's ball in it's beak and disappears into the scrub on the hill. What is Nora to do??

a) Nora must go back and replay her third shot.
b) Nora must chase the turkey, retrieve her ball and replace the original ball on the green.
c) Nora may place a ball without penalty as close as possible to where the original ball lay.

Definition of Outside Agency and Rule 18-2, Ball at rest moved by outside agency.

Hole 4, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Fintan has a putt for a seven. As this would not give him any points he picks up his ball. He then realises it is a stroke competition. Which of the below is the correct course of action?

a) replace the ball, finish out and add a shot to his score
b) replace the ball, finish out and add two shots to his score
c) he must disqualify himself for not holing out

Penalty for breach of Rule 20-1 is one stroke.

Hole 5, Par 5. Strokeplay.

Tommy's second ends up stuck to the base of the large ash tree 150m from the green. His ball is unplayable as it is cradled between two roots. He decides to take a penalty drop. He drops a Pro V1 instead of dropping the Pinnacle he hit for his second. He figures the Pro V1 has a much better chance of stopping on the shallow green. Tommy hits the Pro V1 to five feet and sinks the putt. Which of the below is correct?

a) Tommy made seven, as he is penalised two shots for switching his golf ball.
b) Tommy is disqualified for bending the rules to his advantage.
c) Tommy made a par.

Tommy took relief under Rule 28c. It states 'Drop a ball within two clublenghts....' not 'Drop the ball.....'. Thus no rule was broken and the par stands.

Hole 6, Par 3. Strokeplay.

Just as Tony tees off, a turkey flies out of the scrub to the right of the hazard. The ball and turkey collide in mid air. The turkey escapes rattled but uninjured while the ball drops into the middle of the hazard. Which of the below is an option for Tony??

a) As his ball was deflected by an outside agent, Tony must retake his tee shot without penalty.
b) Tony should drop a ball opposite where the ball dropped into the hazard and play his second.
c) Tony can play his third from the tee.

Hitting the turkey is known as 'rub of the green' and is tough luck on Tony. Rule 19-1 and Definition of Rub of the Green. Tony must proceed as if he hit the ball directly into the hazard.

Hole 7, Par 5. Matchplay.

Eamonn and Gerry both on the green in three in an early morning match. Eamonn holes out in five. Gerry has a six footer up hill for birdie. Gerry clears the dew from his line before making the putt. Who won the hole?

a) Eamonn. b) Gerry

Dew is not a loose impediment and thus cannot be removed without penalty. Definition of Loose Impediments. Gerry breached rule 13-2 by improving his line illegally adn thus forfeited the hole..

Hole 8, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Peter is on the front left apron in three. There is a lot of sand on his line that had been thrown out of the bunker by some previous players. Which one of the following is correct?

a) He may clear the sand from the apron and the green.
b) He may clear the sand from the green.
c) He may clear the sand from the apron.
d) He may not clear any of the sand.

Sand and loose soil are loose impediments when on the green but not elsewhere. Definition of Loose Impediments.

Hole 9, Par 5. Stokeplay.

Kevin has hit two fine shots to the green and looking forward to the eagle opportunity. There is an old cup that is capped with an artificial insert on his line. Kevin moves his ball so as the old cover is no longer on his line. He holes out in two putts. What score should go on Kevin's card?

a) 4
b) 5
c) 6

As the cup cap is artificial it is deemed to be and immoval obstruction. See Rule 24-2a "If the player's ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt". Kevin took proper relief under Rule 24-2b.

Hole 10, Par 3. Strokeplay.

John and Joe both hole out in four. They then realise they played from the white markers instead of the yellows. Which of the below is correct?

a) The 4s stand as there was no advantage in playing from the white markers.
b) They should return to the yellow tee and add two shots to whatever score they make from there.
c) They should add a two shot penalty, thus both scored six and continue to the next tee.

The boys should the play from the correct teeing ground or face disqualification, Rule 11-4b.

Hole 11, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Mick pulls his second shot into the hazard just short of the green. He decides to drop within two clublengths from where it crossed the margin as it a lateral water hazard. The ball rolls down the slope to within a foot of the hazard line. Being a leftie, Mick's natural stance would mean he has to stand in the hazard up to his ankles in water. Which of the below is correct?

a) Mick is entitled to redrop without penalty as his stance must be clear of the hazard.
b) The ball is in play. Mick cannot redrop without penalty.
c) As it is obvious the ball will roll down the slope again, he should place the ball within two clublengths.

Mick took relielf under 26-1c. There is nothing in the rule that says the players stance or swing must be clear of the hazard. A smarter move might have been to take relief under Rule 26-1b, keep the point of entry between himself and the flag and go back as far as he liked where the ball would not roll back into trouble.

Hole 12, Par 5. Stokeplay.

Pierce is just off the green in three. There are turkey droppings all over the place including some stuck to his ball. Which of the below is correct?

a) He may clear the droppings from his ball, apron and green without penalty.
b) He may clear the droppings from the apron and green without penalty.
c) He may clear the droppings from the green without penalty.
d) He may not clear any of the droppings.

Animal droppings are loose impediments. Definition of Loose Impediments. Anything adhering to a ball is not a loose impediment and thus cannot be removed Decision 21/2.

Hole 13, Par 4. Stokeplay.

Vincent's drive just makes it over the hill and is level with the 150m mark. The Please Ring The Bell sign on the top of the hill is right in his line. Vincent removes the sign, hits his second to the green, replaces the sign, and holes out in two putts. What did Vincent score??

a) 4
b) 5
c) 6
d) DQ

Vincent was not entitled to remove the sign. The local rule on the card states that 'bell and bell notice on the 13th hole' are immovable obstructions. In removing the sign he improved his line of play and thus infringed Rule 13-2. Vincent would be allowed free relief from the sign if it interfered with is stance or swing. Rule 24-2.

Hole 14, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Breda's second shot catches the right hand bunker. There is a turkey feather just behind her ball that is making a tough shot even tougher. Which one of the following is correct?

a) Breda cannot remove the feather without penalty.
b) Breda can remove the feather without penalty as long as she does not disturb the ball.
c) Breda can drop back outside the bunker under penalty of one shot.

You cannot touch any natural objects such as leaves, stones, divots, twigs, banana skins, acorns etc in a bunker. Athlone GC has a local rule allowing stones in bunkers to be removed.

Hole 15, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Frank is having awful problems in getting his drive airborne. He decides to use one of the five inch tees he bought on the internet. The extra height might give some chance of getting under the ball and clearing the trees in the hazard. Much to his dismay the ball shoots out quail high and worse again, it hits his bag. Frank holes out in four more shots. What should go on his card?

a) 5
b) 6
c) 7
d) DQ

Frank is disqualified for using a non-conforming tee. A tee may not exceed 4 inches. See Definition of Tee.

Hole 16, Par 4. Stokeplay.

Ann's second ends up adjacent to the stake of a small staked tree. The tree does not interfere with Ann's stance or swing but the stake gives her no backswing at all. Which of the following holds true?

a) Ann must play the ball as it lies or take relief under penalty.
b) There is always free relief from stakes trees to protect the course.
c) Ann can play the ball as it lies but incurs a penalty if she touches the tree.
d) Ann can treat the stake as an immovable obstruction and take free relief from it.

The stake is not a natural object and is thus and immovable obstruction. Ann is entitled to relief under Rule 24-2b as long as it does not give relief fron the tree in the process. See Decision 13-2/16.

Hole 17, Par 3. Strokeplay.

Kathleen hits a even iron to the apron of the green. There is a small turkey feather adhered to the top of the ball. With the precision of a surgeon, Kathleen removes the feather without moving the ball. She holes out in two shots from the apron. What should go on her card?

a) 3
b) 4
c) 5

Kathleen gets a two shot penalty. See Definition of Loose Impediments. Anything adhering to a ball is not a loose impediment and thus cannot be removed Decision 21/2.

Hole 18, Par 4. Strokeplay.

Colm's head is in a spin after taking four shots form the edge of the green in the turkey competition. He gets his addition all wrong and signs for an 80, nett 67 instead of the 82, nett 69 that he actually scored. Still, 69 is the best score returned on the day. Assuming the computer is out of service what should the committee do?

a) Colm goes home with a nice plump turkey as his 69 stands.
b) Colm goes home feeling a right thukey after being disqualified.

The player is responsible for ensuring the correct score is recorded at each hole. The Committee is responsible for addition of scores and application of handicap recorded on the card, Rule 35-5. Thus they shoud correct Colm's error and leave the card stand.