Matchplay.....again!

[Iaing]

Here's a scenario which happened to me in a matchplay tie a couple of weeks back.
My opponent tees off at a par 3 and goes through th green.
I tee off and hit as near as dammit a perfect shot which stops dead on the soft green. From the tee it looks very, very close or even touching the flagstick without dropping.
Gets up to the green and my ball is overhanging the hole embedded in it's pitchmark.
Opponent says " Unlucky bud, that would have cost you in the bar, but I'll give you that putt"

So he's conceded the putt which can't be retracted, I can't refuse the concession. So I'm in the hole for two.

But, thinking back now, should I have had the opportunity to lift my ball, repair the pitchmark, replace my ball and see if it fell in the hole ( within a reasonable time)for a hole in one?

 

[Doh]

By the same token if you replace it and it roles into the hole, Have you coursed the ball to move. I think the answer to your question is no as your ball has come to a stop even though it's in its own pitch mark.

 

[Colin L]

.
But, thinking back now, should I have had the opportunity to lift my ball, repair the pitchmark, replace my ball and see if it fell in the hole ( within a reasonable time)for a hole in one?

Painful to be so close to a hole in one and a great idea of how to get one after all. So let's look at whether that could work for you.

You could indeed mark and lift your ball, repair the pitch mark and replace your ball. But if the ball wouldn't come to rest on the spot when replaced and toppled into the hole you would have to replace it. If the same happened again you would have to find a spot (not nearer the hole!) where the ball would stay still (see Rule 20-4d). So no hole in one that way.

So what if you replaced the ball and it stayed put. It is overhanging the hole. After a few seconds it falls into the hole. That's not the same as if your putt ends up overhanging the hole and you are given time to wait in the hope it will fall: in this case, your replaced ball was at rest. The good news is that you are deemed to have holed out with your previous stroke - so you have your hole in one? Well, the bad news is you incur a penalty stroke so you score 2. See Decision 16-2/0.5

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-16/#16-2/0.5

 

[MashieNiblick]

Nice one.

2 goes on the card, but would it still be a hole in one?

As the Rule says "the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke" mine's a pint of best! (smiley)

 

[Iaing]

And if a gust of wind were to blow it in after repairing the pitchmark?

 

[MashieNiblick]

Hmm... interesting.

Rule 16-2 applies specifically to a ball overhanging the hole. So if the ball was overhanging the hole then it would seem you get a penalty shot even if it was blown in by a gust of wind. However, if it wasn't overhanging the hole then it would appear the Note to Rule 18-1 applies and there's no penalty.

Seems odd.

 

[Colin L]

If a placed ball moves after it is at rest (ie not in the process of placing it) and falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his previous stroke
Decision 20-3d/1 http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-20/#d20-3d-1

However, if the ball is overhanging the hole, as in Iain's case, then Rule 16-2 takes precedence. Which means that had his ball simply stopped away from the hole and been blown in he would have had his hole in one. Instead, he embeds right on the edge of the hole and if the replaced ball falls in he is penalised. Interesting indeed.

I think the penalty in Decision 16-2/0.5 is intended to be consistent with what happens if you putt and the ball is overhanging the hole and you take longer than allowed ( walk up to the hole plus 10 seconds) waiting for the ball to drop. If it drops too late, you are deemed to have holed out with the previous stroke but penalised one stroke. It does seem, however, to give rise to an anomaly where a ball is simply blown into the hole is deemed to have been holed with the previous stroke and no penalty.