4BBB matchplay Wrong Ball

Jorton

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
4
Visit site
Hi, just after some guidance on this one if anyone can help out? Apologies for the long narrative

Players A and B are playing C and D. Players C&D are one down after 8.

Playing the 9th today all four players played their shots into the same blind portion of the fairway. Player A plays his ball onto the right side of the green. Player C (who has a shot on this hole) plays his ball to the back of the green. Player B plays his shot to the front of the green and Player D misses the green to lefthand side. Player D then chips to then hole finishing some three feet past. Player C putts his ball to within 4 feet. Player B putts his ball to within 4 feet whilst Player A putts his to within a few inches. Players C&D call it good so A&B are down in par 4. Player C makes his putt from 4 feet to also make 4, nett 3. Thereby winning the hole and levelling the match.
Player C tees off on hole 10 as does player D. Player B places his ball down and realises that he has the wrong ball. It is in fact player Cs ball from the 9th. Player C has played players Bs ball and visa versa. So who now wins the 9th hole? Are player C & B both disqualified meaning player A wins the hole as the only player to finish the hole given that player D didn’t hole out. Is there a ruling given that the next hole has started.
Player B called the pro who said C&D had lost the hole, so one down.
 
Last edited:

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
14,890
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
In match play:
• If the player and opponent play each other’s ball during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a wrong ball gets the general penalty (loss of hole).
• If it is not known which wrong ball was played first, there is no penalty and the hole must be played out with the balls exchanged.
 

hairball_89

Club Champion
Joined
Feb 26, 2016
Messages
1,140
Visit site
I got a little lost, but my understanding would be whoever hit the incorrect ball first lost the hole. What happens after the hole is lost is irrelevant.

So on the 9th, C who played first lost the hole. Someone with a better knowledge of the rules than I would have to decided whether C then *again* played the wrong ball, losing the 10th, although as it was a tee shot, I'd assume not?

Edit: Jim beat me while I was posting. I'd go with him not me!
 

YandaB

Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
1,117
Visit site
I found this https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/rules/interpretations/rule-23-interpretations#23-2a-1 which is quite similar to your situation and I would read that as being A wins the hole and so A&B are 2 up as D never holed out (but I think D would feel agrieved as he never had chance thinking it was thought to not be required). It indicates that the result of the previous hole can be changed even though the next has started. Like hairball, I'm not sure about the situation regarding C's status in the next hole, is he disqualified from that too or has he just used a different ball on the next hole?
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

Major Champion
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
32,418
Visit site
In respect of the 10th, I'd say that the ball each player played from the tee is that players ball in play. That any ball put in play by a player might not actually be 'owned' by the player is neither here nor there.
 

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
14,890
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
queries I would add

You say player Bs next shot was conceded was it at that point he picked up players C ball and not his own. Did one of other side or his own partner knock it back to him or pick it up and give to him?

Or were the balls exchanged when the shots in to the green were hit?
 

rulefan

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 21, 2013
Messages
14,639
Visit site
Hi, just after some guidance on this one if anyone can help out? Apologies for the long narrative

Players A and B are playing C and D. Players C&D are one down after 8.

Playing the 9th today all four players played their shots into the same blind portion of the fairway. Player A plays his ball onto the right side of the green. Player C (who has a shot on this hole) plays his ball to the back of the green. Player B plays his shot to the front of the green and Player D misses the green to lefthand side. Player D then chips to then hole finishing some three feet past. Player C putts his ball to within 4 feet. Player B putts his ball to within 4 feet whilst Player A putts his to within a few inches. Players C&D call it good so A&B are down in par 4. Player C makes his putt from 4 feet to also make 4, nett 3. Thereby winning the hole and levelling the match.
Player C tees off on hole 10 as does player D. Player B places his ball down and realises that he has the wrong ball. It is in fact player Cs ball from the 9th. Player C has played players Bs ball and visa versa. So who now wins the 9th hole? Are player C & B both disqualified meaning player A wins the hole as the only player to finish the hole given that player D didn’t hole out. Is there a ruling given that the next hole has started.
Player B called the pro who said C&D had lost the hole, so one down.
When B & C played the wrong balls they were both DQd from the hole. The match continues with A & D. A's putt is conceded. D did not hole out. So A (& B ) win the hole.
 

Jorton

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
4
Visit site
I found this https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/rules/interpretations/rule-23-interpretations#23-2a-1 which is quite similar to your situation and I would read that as being A wins the hole and so A&B are 2 up as D never holed out (but I think D would feel agrieved as he never had chance thinking it was thought to not be required). It indicates that the result of the previous hole can be changed even though the next has started. Like hairball, I'm not sure about the situation regarding C's status in the next hole, is he disqualified from that too or has he just used a different ball on the next hole?
Thanks everyone for the responses. I think this situation is as close to an example as possible, but doesn’t mention balls being in play but I don’t think this would matter.
Yes it was annoying that I never had chance to hole out and thus half the hole. We went on to lose the match 1down
 

rulefan

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 21, 2013
Messages
14,639
Visit site
Thanks everyone for the responses. I think this situation is as close to an example as possible, but doesn’t mention balls being in play but I don’t think this would matter.
Yes it was annoying that I never had chance to hole out and thus half the hole. We went on to lose the match 1down
Do you agree with post #7
 

Jorton

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
4
Visit site
When B & C played the wrong balls they were both DQd from the hole. The match continues with A & D. A's putt is conceded. D did not hole out. So A (& B ) win the hole.
Thanks, I agree with that summary. Player D is thus penalised for As error
 

rulefan

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 21, 2013
Messages
14,639
Visit site
I think he was surmising that D was "penalised" as a result of C playing the wrong ball - meaning that D lost out, or suffered an unfortunate result, as a consequence of not realising his partner C had made the error.
No. It was the mention of A's error.
 
Top