Greensomes and preferred lies

[rulefan]

Thanks for your thoughts. Let me revisit an earlier point - picking up a ball. Ball A goes long and a bit left, ball B is much shorter so the side picks up ball B intending to hit ball A. They get there and find it has just found it's way through an OOB fence. What are their options?

Ball B was moved without the cover of a rule so a penalty would be incurred if that ball was replaced and played. Ball A would be subject to S&D if played.

 

[D-S]

Ball B was moved without the cover of a rule so a penalty would be incurred if that ball was replaced and played. Ball A would be subject to S&D if played.

So does the side still have the choice of playing ball A with a penalty or ball B with S&D?

 

[rulefan]

So does the side still have the choice of playing ball A with a penalty or ball B with S&D?

IMO yes. Both balls are in play again and a stroke hasn't been made.

But I now have a new problem with 9.4b Exep 1 bullet 2 (but leave that aside for the moment)

 

[salfordlad]

I'll propose this - go back and replace ball A with its one stroke penalty (same as would happen if A was a provisional), play on. I'll also propose that it's a foolish move by the side to pick up ball A without knowing ball B's situation.

I agree. This has common ground with lifting a ball to take relief without knowing what a relief area looks like - it raises risks that could bite. In this case, I think the side is now playing 3 and can choose to replace at the lifted ball B spot or return to the tee.

Overall, for competitions that involve choice in ball selection like Greensomes and Scrambles, I think the cleanest way to operate is be guided by only one thing - has a further stroke been made. Other things like taking relief, lifting a ball intending that it has no further role or even taking penalty relief do not matter to the choice. I also don't see this as an 'integrity' issue, because if the side lifts a ball and subsequently needs to continue with that ball (no other stroke yet made) they will incur the 9.4b penalty.

With the golf-playing public becoming ever more diverse over time, and the social and competition playing frameworks likewise, I would like to see RBs provide some general guidance/discussion on these sorts of issues in Committee Procedures.

 

[rulefan]

Belay my last