richbeech
Hacker
Hi,
Just after a bit of advice on something that occurred in a recent team match.
My ball was lying just off the green ( 6 inches or so) and I had elected to putt it. I was stood beside my ball eyeing up the line and as I was doing so I noticed a small clump of grass cuttings just in front of my intended line. So I bent down to move it with my left hand while resting my right had on top of the putter, you know how you do sometimes, sort of using it as a support for your body weight.
As I went to push myself back up, the putter head slipped on the ground and moved my ball sideways about 12-18 inches or so, completely accidental of course. It was still about 6-8 inches off the putting green.
Not knowing the rule, I just thought that it counted as a shot and I then went to play it from where it was. Fortunately one of my opponents said, 'if you play that where it is now it's a two shot penalty.'
My playing partner, who didn't see the incident, disagreed with him and said it was the same as accidentally knocking your ball off the tee and no penalty. In the end it kind of came to nothing because my PP had a putt to halve the hole so I just picked my ball up, but we never did agree on what the correct ruling was and what I should have done.
Any advice?
Just after a bit of advice on something that occurred in a recent team match.
My ball was lying just off the green ( 6 inches or so) and I had elected to putt it. I was stood beside my ball eyeing up the line and as I was doing so I noticed a small clump of grass cuttings just in front of my intended line. So I bent down to move it with my left hand while resting my right had on top of the putter, you know how you do sometimes, sort of using it as a support for your body weight.
As I went to push myself back up, the putter head slipped on the ground and moved my ball sideways about 12-18 inches or so, completely accidental of course. It was still about 6-8 inches off the putting green.
Not knowing the rule, I just thought that it counted as a shot and I then went to play it from where it was. Fortunately one of my opponents said, 'if you play that where it is now it's a two shot penalty.'
My playing partner, who didn't see the incident, disagreed with him and said it was the same as accidentally knocking your ball off the tee and no penalty. In the end it kind of came to nothing because my PP had a putt to halve the hole so I just picked my ball up, but we never did agree on what the correct ruling was and what I should have done.
Any advice?