New 2019 Rules

[Ratcatcher]

Hi
In my last club championship I accidentally moved my ball on the fairway while brushing away some Rabbit droppings around my ball. The ball moved approx 4 inches at a right angle, I continued playing the ball as it lie under 2 shot penalty. I later found out that I should of replaced it to it's original spot and then played it under penalty. Because I played it from the wrong pkace I was disqualified. My question is that under the new rules if when in the rough I accidentally move my ball I can replace it without penalty, the same applies when on the green, also if I hit my ball on to a different fairway and someone else picks it up I can replace it as close as possible to it's original spot without penalty. I can't find anything in the new rules where this would apply if I was to accidentally move my ball on the fairway. This rule doesn't seem to make sense your thoughts would be most appreciated.
Richard

 

[rulefan]

Hi
In my last club championship I accidentally moved my ball on the fairway while brushing away some Rabbit droppings around my ball. The ball moved approx 4 inches at a right angle, I continued playing the ball as it lie under 2 shot penalty. I later found out that I should of replaced it to it's original spot and then played it under penalty. Because I played it from the wrong pkace I was disqualified.

Let's take the current rule 18-2 first.
For moving the ball there is a 1 stroke penalty.
For not replacing it it is a 2 stroke penalty (in total). There is no additional penalty under this rule.
There is no additional penalty for playing from a wrong place unless it was considered to be a Serious Breach. I can't see that 4" is serious. However, if it was, you must correct the situation on pain of DQ.

What reason was given for the DQ?

 

[rulefan]

My question is that under the new rules if when in the rough I accidentally move my ball I can replace it without penalty, the same applies when on the green, also if I hit my ball on to a different fairway and someone else picks it up I can replace it as close as possible to it's original spot without penalty. I can't find anything in the new rules where this would apply if I was to accidentally move my ball on the fairway. This rule doesn't seem to make sense your thoughts would be most appreciated.
Richard

There is no penalty if you accidentally move your ball when searching for it nor when the ball is on the green. Rule 9.4

 

[Ratcatcher]

I disqualified myself.
What I find strange with the rule is that it seems you can accidentally move your ball in other areas without penalty
But not on your own fairway. My situation was totally accidental yet I'm penalised.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I disqualified myself.
What I find strange with the rule is that it seems you can accidentally move your ball in other areas without penalty
But not on your own fairway. My situation was totally accidental yet I'm penalised.

Obvious question to ask is - Who could verify that you moved your ball accidentally? And even if a PP was watching - how are they to know whether or not it was deliberate or accidental? For me this sort of rule - which seems unfair when things happen accidentally - is in place to deter the cheat and to avoid 'accidental' movement benefit the player. We just have to be careful.

 

[Ratcatcher]

My playing partner saw it happen the only problem was that he told me the proper ruling after I had finished playing the hole.

 

[duncan mackie]

My playing partner saw it happen the only problem was that he told me the proper ruling after I had finished playing the hole.

But obviously not the real proper ruling or you wouldn't have disqualified yourself (which you can't actually do anyway....but that's another matter).

As to your underlying question, there isn't any change going forwards in the situation you describe. You have taken the very specific change associated with searching for your ball and looked to apply it wider - which doesn't work.
If, after having found your ball in the rough, you accidentally cause it to move you are still subject to the same penalty as currently....1 shot and replace. If you fail to replace it's 2 shots. If where you caused it to move to was considered a significant advantage and you failed to replace you would be DQ'd.

 

[rulie]

My playing partner saw it happen the only problem was that he told me the proper ruling after I had finished playing the hole.

Still not a dq offence - just add the two penalty strokes to your score for that hole and carry on.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

But obviously not the real proper ruling or you wouldn't have disqualified yourself (which you can't actually do anyway....but that's another matter).

As to your underlying question, there isn't any change going forwards in the situation you describe. You have taken the very specific change associated with searching for your ball and looked to apply it wider - which doesn't work.
If, after having found your ball in the rough, you accidentally cause it to move you are still subject to the same penalty as currently....1 shot and replace. If you fail to replace it's 2 shots. If where you caused it to move to was considered a significant advantage and you failed to replace you would be DQ'd.

Being pedantic Duncan, under the new rules,
No penalty if a player causes the
ball to moved during search. The ball will always be replaced, even if its original spot is not known.

I’m not sure if the op means moving it accidentally after it is found or during as per the change above.

 

[duncan mackie]

Being pedantic Duncan, under the new rules,
No penalty if a player causes the
ball to moved during search. The ball will always be replaced, even if its original spot is not known.

I’m not sure if the op means moving it accidentally after it is found or during as per the change above.

Not sure what your pedantic differential is so I can't comment; always happy for someone to be pedantic on this board - I might have missed something!

As to the OP, I took his reference to accidentally moving the ball in the rough being the same as on the green to indicate he wasn't considering the search process.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Not sure what your pedantic differential is so I can't comment; always happy for someone to be pedantic on this board - I might have missed something!

As to the OP, I took his reference to accidentally moving the ball in the rough being the same as on the green to indicate he wasn't considering the search process.

I’d took his reference to mean during the search process, apologies.

 

[Ratcatcher]

I’m taking about the new 2019 rules
My ball was at rest on the fairway I wasn’t looking for it.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

My ball was at rest on the fairway I wasn’t looking for it.

I was on about your comment about no penalty for accidentally moving it in other areas, which Rulie also answered. It was me confused.

 

[Ratcatcher]

The point of my question was why doesn’t the same rule apply when accidentally moved ball on your own fairway

 

[Homer]

The point of my question was why doesn’t the same rule apply when accidentally moved ball on your own fairway

Because you can see it!

 

[duncan mackie]

The point of my question was why doesn’t the same rule apply when accidentally moved ball on your own fairway

It does; the exception is when youbare on the putting green, and that exception has arrived slowly over the last decade following televised events and perceived inequity.

The justification is along the lines that you are now on a prepared surface, where you are already permitted to mark and remove and replace the ball so you can't (as opposed to the subjective aren't) gaining anything.

 

[jim8flog]

The point of my question was why doesn’t the same rule apply when accidentally moved ball on your own fairway

In your specific incidence you have moved caused the ball to move when removing a loose impediment which is still a penalty in the new rules. It is this action which specifically invokes rule 18.2 (current rules).

 

[backwoodsman]

The point of my question was why doesn’t the same rule apply when accidentally moved ball on your own fairway

Like other have said, except on the green, the lack of penalty only applies if you accidently move the ball while searching for it - ie while you can't obviously see it. If it's on the fairway, you can see it, and you won't be searching ...