Damage on line of putt

[DeanoMK]

Just curious on this one.

You're on the green but on your line is deliberate damage from another player - it's an old mark where someone has clearly done a Sergio and whacked the ground with their club - are you allowed to move the ball so that the damage is no longer on your line?

Thanks

 

[jim8flog]

since January 2019 you have been allowed to repair any 'damage' to the green other than that caused by normal wear.

You would not be allowed to move the ball in this situation.

 

[Crow]

Out of curiosity, how far can one go with a "repair"?

Could you use soil to fill in a hole and then press and smooth it down?

Or taking it to wild extremes, could you dig up a piece of turf from one part of the green and relay it in another to repair damage? Silly question I know but would the rules permit it?

 

[rulefan]

A player may repair damage on the putting green without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore the putting green as nearly as possible to its original condition,

Yes to the former but 'It depends' to the latter. IMO probably no.

But
If a player is unable to repair damage on the putting green, such as an indentation from a club or an old hole plug that has sunk below the surface, the player may request that the Committee repair the damage.

If the Committee is unable to repair the damage and the player's ball lies on the putting green, the Committee could consider providing relief to the player under Rule 16.1 by defining the damaged area as ground under repair.

If the committee or a referee is not available then the player should play two balls in stroke play or make up his own mind in matchplay.

 

[Crow]

Thanks.

 

[*TQ*]

A player may repair damage on the putting green without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore the putting green as nearly as possible to its original condition,

Yes to the former but 'It depends' to the latter. IMO probably no.

But
If a player is unable to repair damage on the putting green, such as an indentation from a club or an old hole plug that has sunk below the surface, the player may request that the Committee repair the damage.

If the Committee is unable to repair the damage and the player's ball lies on the putting green, the Committee could consider providing relief to the player under Rule 16.1 by defining the damaged area as ground under repair.

If the committee or a referee is not available then the player should play two balls in stroke play or make up his own mind in matchplay.

Out of curiosity when playing two balls is there any rule which states which ball is played first? Could I, for example, claim damage on the line of my putt which can't be repaired, play a second ball from three inches to the right of my original ball, miss it but get a read on the putt to then hole my original ball? Would any rule have been broken?

I assume when playing two balls if the original ball gives a better score the second ball is forgotten about and the committee not notified? Or are you obliged to notify the committee and their decision then forces which ball was in play?

 

[Colin L]

Take a look at Rule 20.1c(3). where you will find the procedure for playing two balls if in doubt.

https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/rules/the-rules-of-golf/rule-20#20-1c

You may play the balls in whichever order you decide. You should choose which ball you want to count and if you don't, the first ball you play will be counted. You are required to hole out with both balls but it's not a matter of being allowed the better of the two scores. It's a means of sorting out uncertainty about a Rule, not a Mulligan!

That's the very bare bones of it. Take a read through the full rule which further explains what happens if one, or other or both balls were not played in accordance with the rules.

Interpretations 20.1c(3)/1 through to 20.1c(3)6 inclusive give you a very full explanation of how it all works - far too much to summarise!
https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/rules/interpretations/rule-20-interpretations

Do come back with any questions on it after you've had a look at the Rule and its Interpretations.