Rule 19-5b relates to a ball in motion being
deflected or stopped by another ball, also in motion.
The 2008-2011 Rule Book stated:
b. In Motion
If a player’s ball in motion after
a stroke is deflected or stopped by another ball in motion after a stroke, the
player must play his ball as it lies. There is no penalty, unless the player
was in breach of Rule 16-1f, in which case he incurs the penalty for breach of
that Rule.
The current Book states:
b. In Motion
If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke other than on the
putting green is deflected or stopped by another ball in motion after a stroke,
the player must play his ball as it lies, without penalty.
If a player’s ball in motion after
a stroke on the putting green is deflected or stopped by another ball in motion
after a stroke, the player's stroke is cancelled. The ball must be replaced and
played, without penalty.
One would have thought that this is a
reasonably significant variation to the Rule and yet The Castle has not
seen fit to bring this to our attention through the Principal Changes section
of the Book. One can only speculate on why this might be the case.
If reference to such a change was consciously
determined by the Castle Dwellers not
to be worthy of making the Principal Changes cut then one can only ask,
‘what is the point of having a Principal Changes section at all?’
Roggies should heed the warning that, based
on experience with the current Rule Book, the Principal Changes section cannot
be relied upon to tell the full story when it comes to alerting material
changes to the Rules.
