OOB ruling.

[Golfmmad]

I was asked a rules question by someone newish to the game, who had asked a few other golfers and could not get a definitive answer.

A ball runs into the OOB and is still running and a Rotweiler picks it up, runs on to the fairway and drops it, can the player play the ball from where it was dropped by the dog?

I said that it should be taken back to where it was last played with a one stroke penalty.

Any help appreciated.

 

[AmandaJR]

I'm not sure but will have a go! Dog would be considered an outside agency therefore the ball would have to be replaced in its original location (therefore oob) and the shot re-taken with a penalty for the oob.

Colin or Duncan or Jim or one of the other genuine experts will be along soon to clarify though

 

[chris661]

It's no different from a ball going oob and bouncing back in imo and tests ok.

 

[duncan mackie]

I'm not sure but will have a go! Dog would be considered an outside agency therefore the ball would have to be replaced in its original location (therefore oob) and the shot re-taken with a penalty for the oob.

looks good to me :thup:

 

[AmandaJR]

looks good to me :thup:

Get in!!! :clap:

 

[DCB]

I'd say that the ball is in play.

 

[bobmac]

Get in!!! :clap:

Unless.............

^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^

Just kidding

 

[AmandaJR]

Unless.............

^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^

Just kidding

The ball was still moving??

 

[duncan mackie]

looks good to me :thup:

but....

the real problem here is that the ball had not appaently stopped, so it didn't have an original location OOB

the has been some discussion regarding whether a dog, or similar, can make a 'deliberate' action as required in 19-1 and, whilst I'm not aware of an actual ruling the consensus was that it can't - so the provisions of the note to 19-1 would not apply.

the ball is therefore in play where it finally comes to rest.

 

[Golfmmad]

I'm not sure but will have a go! Dog would be considered an outside agency therefore the ball would have to be replaced in its original location (therefore oob) and the shot re-taken with a penalty for the oob.

Thanks Amanda, but just to confuse things, I said something similar and he said, "But if the ball was still moving as dog picked it up, who's to say it wouldn't of run back on to the fairway?"

 

[duncan mackie]

The ball was still moving??

yep :thup:

what you said was correct, but not in line with the situation outlined.

they're damm quick on here - I was posting the full response and the thread filled up!

 

[AmandaJR]

yep :thup:

what you said was correct, but not in line with the situation outlined.

they're damm quick on here - I was posting the full response and the thread filled up!

Thanks Duncan. I'm going to train Max to patrol areas of the course I'd rather not hit and fetch the rolling ball and drop it somewhere nicer

 

[Golfmmad]

Thanks a bunch for all the quick responses Guys 'n Gals, and to Duncan Mackie for clarifying.

Will pass it on.

 

[Colin L]

Colin or Duncan or Jim or one of the other genuine experts will be along soon to clarify though

Not me - I'm still in China and only catching up with the forum after all the questions have been answered. Not a bad of ensuring I don't make mistakes.

 

[CMAC]

its similar I would say to your ball hitting a bird in flight............rub of the green imo.

However, if it happened a few times ie trained dog, then I think a DQ might be imposed by the committee

 

[MashieNiblick]

My understanding is that if a ball in motion is picked up by a dog (or other outside agency) it is deemed to have come to rest at the point at which it is picked up.

19-1/6 Ball Picked Up or Deflected by Dog on Putting Green After Stroke from Off Green

"Q. A ball played from off the green was about a foot from the hole and still in motion when it was moved by a dog to a spot about ten feet from the hole. The ball was either deflected by the dog or the dog picked it up, ran with it and dropped it. What is the ruling?

"A. If the ball was deflected, it would be played as it lay, without penalty, from the spot to which it was moved by the dog (Rule 19-1).

If the dog picked up the ball, the player should have placed the ball, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where the original ball was when the dog picked it up (Rule 19-1a)."

So if a ball in motion OOB is deflected back in bounds it's in bounds, if it is picked up by the dog OOB and brought back in bounds, it is OOB.

I think that is the right interpretation.

 

[Golfmmad]

Thanks Mashie..

So does that mean that my first thought was right?

The ball was deemed to be OOB, so the ball should be taken back to where it was first played, and under a one stroke penalty?

 

[MashieNiblick]

I think so. Ball was out of bounds when it was picked up by the dog, so it is OOB (19-1a). Rule 27-1b therefore applies (stroke and distance penalty).

 

[DCB]

Mashie, your reading the wrong decision and reading too much into it. 19-1/6 relates to 'on the putting green'

In the instance described in the OP the moving ball was picked up OOB by a dog and deposited back in bounds. The ball is in play. It's a rub of the green.

 

[Imurg]

This new Rules Forum illustrates perfectly how unbelievably complicated the Rules of Golf are........