Ball moved

[cookelad]

Playing in the swindle yesterday, on the 11th 150yard steeply uphill par 3 with a short steep slope behind and towards the green, playing partner's ball stops halfway up this slope. As he reaches the ball he takes a couple of practice swings nearby, then the ball rolled from its position on to the green.

As we weren't 100% sure of the ruling (and only being a swindle) we decided that he has had a nice stroke of luck and now gets to play his 2nd shot from the green and not the downslope.

I'm guessing in a comp we would need to assess whether it was the practice swings that caused the ball to move or just gravity being slow in taking hold of the ball? what would the potential penalties be?

 

[bobmac]

No penalty and play it from the green

 

[duncan mackie]

..... we would need to assess whether it was the practice swings that caused the ball to move or just gravity being slow in taking hold of the ball? what would the potential penalties be?

potentially...

if you believed that the practice swings caused the ball to move then you must replace the ball and apply a 1 shot penalty.

if you didn't replace it believing that you had caused it to move then it would be a 2 shot penalty

if you didn't replace it believin that you had cause it to move, and you gained a significant advantage, then you would be DQ

 

[cookelad]

potentially...

if you believed that the practice swings caused the ball to move then you must replace the ball and apply a 1 shot penalty.

if you didn't replace it believing that you had caused it to move then it would be a 2 shot penalty

if you didn't replace it believin that you had cause it to move, and you gained a significant advantage, then you would be DQ

The first two are pretty much what I was expecting not considered the third but it makes sense and he (obviously) gained a significant advantage from it!

The player and the guy stood next to him both said it didn't look like he'd caused the ball to move, so it appears the correct decision was made - but good to know for future reference Thanks guys!

 

[MarkA]

Correct me if I'm wrong but if he'd addressed the ball it would have a one shot penalty and replacement of the ball?

 

[Colin L]

Yes, unless the movement of the ball was certainly caused by something else like a gust of wind.