Did you see this?

[One Planer]

Earlier on watching some of the Tournament of champions on Sky.

They were harping on about Nick Watneys caddie breaking a rule about "testing the surface on a green".

http://tourreport.pgatour.com/2012/01/06/watney-avoids-two-stroke-penalty/

I've been trying to find a video of it to post along with the thread, no joy yet.

Did you see it????

Anyone have an opinion??

Personally, I think his caddie knew exactly what he was doing, dock him the 2 strokes.

 

[Imurg]

Not seen it but all the accounts say the caddies didn't touch the green so No Foul.....
Maybe he was trying to get a blemish in shadow so he could determine if it was an old pitchmark or just a spike mark...?
Whatever it was, if he didn't touch the green then it's no penalty.

 

[One Planer]

Not seen it but all the accounts say the caddies didn't touch the green so No Foul.....
Maybe he was trying to get a blemish in shadow so he could determine if it was an old pitchmark or just a spike mark...?
Whatever it was, if he didn't touch the green then it's no penalty.

I know what you mean Imurg, but when you see a clip of it, it looks mighty suspicious. His hands, to me, looked like they were brushing the surface.

But then again, I wasn't there just watching it on HD TV

 

[Yer Maw]

I agree that it couldn't have been anything other than testing the green. Unless sweeping something off the line but less so.

 

[rickg]

Touching the green with your hand is not a penalty, unless you roughen it or scrape it.

"During the stipulated round, a player must not test the surface of any putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."

If just touching the green with your hand was a penalty, then Villegas would get a 2 shot penalty for every putt!! also you are allowed to brush away loose impediments.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vi...e&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=690

 

[One Planer]

Touching the green with your hand is not a penalty, unless you roughen it or scrape it.

"During the stipulated round, a player must not test the surface of any putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."

If just touching the green with your hand was a penalty, then Villegas would get a 2 shot penally for every putt!!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vi...e&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=690

He wasn't just touching it though Rick. He "appeared" to be running his hand over the surface, behind Watney studying the line.

I'm still trying to find a clip!!

 

[Yer Maw]

Touching no. Sweeping his hand left to right, twice above the grass and once on the grass 6" in front of Watney's marker, yes.

 

[JustOne]

I watched it last night and his hand appears to rub across the surface,.. but not if you watch it in reverse, you can then see it's above the ground, oddly.