Penalty for ball moving ?

richart

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Is it still a penalty if you drop your marker on your ball and it moves ? I know Ian Poulter got penalised a few years ago, but has the rule been changed ?
 
The rule (20-1) hasn't changed.

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-20,20-1

However decision 20-1/15 clarifies just what is meant by 'directly attributable'

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-20,d20-1-15

Just to be clear, Decision 20-1/15 says that dropping the ball or ball-marker and causing the ball or ball-marker to move is a penalty, regardless of the height from which it was dropped. We teach it as "the Decision does not excuse clumsiness."
 
This is one of those that is up for potential change in 2019.

Our local rulesknowitallthatnearlyalwaysgetsitwrong guy talked his way out of a penalty for this a couple of years ago, and I only found the "directly attributable" definition after the comp had closed.
 
Surely if the new suggested local rule is in place then there is now no penalty regardless of whether it is directly attributable.
 
Yes. The relevant part concerns a ball on the green being accidentally moved by the player. There is no penalty and the ball must be replaced.

I assumed that's what he was on about as why else would you have your ball marker out and mention an incident also on the green?
 
I assumed that's what he was on about as why else would you have your ball marker out and mention an incident also on the green?
We don't know if the local Rule was in place at that course (or comp) so the answer provided stands until it's confirmed that the local Rule had been implemented.
 
Surprised you didn't know that
I know all about the new local Rule that Committees are permitted to implement, but it is only applicable when implemented by the course or comp. No mention of it being in effect in the original post.
 
I will check if there is a local rule. That might be why in the back of my mind it was not a penalty.

I asked our Secretary to implement the local rule as soon as it was introduced and it took about 6 weeks before he did, the very next round after introducing it I dropped my ball on my marker accidentally!
 
Is it still a penalty if you drop your marker on your ball and it moves ? I know Ian Poulter got penalised a few years ago, but has the rule been changed ?

Must have been a might big ball marker! Now don't go telling me it was one of these bleedin' poker chip things.
 
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