SGC Rules Committee Rulings
January 10, 2020
Item #1:
On Silverbell Golf Course hole #4, a player's drive came to rest in the vicinity of a tree (on the right side of the hole between #4 and #5). There is an old broken PVC pipe near the tree. There are a couple of animal-created dirt mounds nearby, but it was determined that they did not interfere with the players stance or swing path. After the hole was played there was a discussion about whether the player should have gotten relief from an "irrigated tree well". The claim of the tree being irrigated was based on the broken PVC pipe. Should the player have gotten relief?
Committee Ruling:
Silverbell golf course has a local rule for staked trees. The tree was not staked or clearly "welled," therefore the local rule does not apply (broken PVC pipe does not mean the tree was irrigated). If the ball had come to rest in or on top of the animal holes, then there would be free relief, otherwise it is play it as you find it.
Item #2
On Silverbell Golf Course hole #5, there is an area to the right of the fairway and cart path that has no vegetation. Over the years rain has created numerous "rivulets" as water drains down the hill. From time to time a player's ball comes to rest in the bottom of one of these rivulets. There is no good way to hit a ball from this spot as the club will hit either the hard dirt behind the ball or the very top of the ball. After discussing this with players it became obvious that this situation was being handled in different ways by various groups, with some thinking that relief is warranted and others thinking that this is the "rub of the green" and the player must play it as it lies. What is the ruling?
Committee Ruling:
The "rivulets," are just part of the rough, it is the rub of the course. You can either hit it out or take an unplayable lie with 1 stroke penalty, but the player does not get relief.
Past Rules Reviews
Embedded Ball
In a recent Club tournament, a player incorrectly applied the embedded ball rule (USGA 25-2) to a ball in a water hazard. USGA Rule 25-2 clearly defines an embedded ball only in closely-mown area through the green. The player ultimately signed an incorrect scorecared and was disqualified from the competition.
All SGC club members are reminded that there are no instances where there is "free" releief from a hazard and are urged to become familiar with the USGA rules governing these situations. In questionable situations, it is advisable to play two balls and get clearification from the Rules committe or pro before signing a card.
Provisional Ball
Recently, a member teed off and drove his ball down the fairway on #11 at Silverbell. After walking to where the ball should have been he was unable to find his ball. The group began the search and as the 5 minutes allowed was nearly up, the player returned to the tee box, anounced a "provisional" ball, and hit his shot. While doing this, his first ball was found by the group. The player continued to play the found first ball and picked up his second. He played the first ball through the completion of the hole. Was there a rules violation?
Yes. USGA Rule 27-2 Defines a provisional ball and when a provisional ball may be played. Under Rule 27-2 (below) a provisional ball must be declared and hit prior to the player (and his partner in team play) moving forward to look for the first ball. In the case above the first ball was delared lost and the second tee shot became the ball in play when it was hit.
27-2. Provisional Ball
a. Procedure
If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally in accordance with Rule 27-1. The player must inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he must play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball.
If he fails to do so and plays another ball, that ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1); the original ball is lost.