You are playing in the Saturday club competition and marking
the card of a player with whom you have not played previously.
On the second hole (a long par 4) you are in a fairway
bunker for two strokes and the player for whom you are marking is on the
fairway a little closer to the hole, also for two.
You play out short of the green and as you rake the bunker
you hear ‘your’ player play his shot and then notice that his ball has
travelled about 25 metres at 45 degrees to his direct line to the hole.
You each play on to the green and two putt to complete the
hole.
As you leave the green you ask the player for his score and
he advises you that he has taken six strokes, which is in accord with your
reckoning. You enter this score on to his card accordingly.
While waiting to play from the next tee he says to the
group: ‘Just what you need to do to start a round – hit a ball with a practice
swing on the second hole.’
What, if anything, do you do?
I would ask the playerto explain what happened, if he has indeed moved his ball accidentally as a result of a practice swing refer him to rule 18-2a and explain the penalty of 1 stroke for moving his ball and 2 strokes if the ball was not replaced, I would also refer him to the definitions as to what constitutes a stroke. The player would appear to have incurred a 2 stroke penalty, if he did not agree I would refer the facts to the committee and not sign for the score on that hole until it was corrected.
ReplyDeleteLarry is correct so unless the player agrees to change the score to an 8 tell him you will not sign the card as his marker and therefore he will be dq. The committee has no role in this, it is your responsibility as marker
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, if you read rule 6-6b, signing and returning score card, it states in part that you must settle any doubtful points with the committee.
ReplyDeleteI as marker would record 8 and sign, player can refuse to sign and resolve doubt with committee.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, we would appear to agree, it is just that my years in the Diplomatic Service always take me the long way round to get a result!
ReplyDeleteThanks Larry & Anon
ReplyDeleteThe significant points which I think need to be emphasised from this question are:
1. The player has not executed a stroke but has caused the ball to move, so Rule 18-2a(i) applies.
2. The player was required to replace the ball under penalty of one stroke.
3. Since the ball was not replaced as required the player incurs a total penalty of two strokes (or loss of hole in match play) in accord with the Rule 18 penalty statement.
However, I have posed a supplementary question for July which is:
Assume that the player in the June question had his error drawn to his attention after he had played on to the green but before he had played his first putt. He has incurred a penalty of two strokes in accord with Rule 18 but how should he now proceed?