ruling?

[hovis]

i had a tricky rule call last week. i run it by the two senior pro's at my range and they disagreed with each other.
i saw the one pro today looking happy with himself as he showed me a email from the R&A with the answer.

.your playing a par 4 with a blind green.
.hit a perfect drive.
.you still cant see the green but send a perfect 7 iron over the hill towards the green
.as you walk over the hill you cant see your ball
.you asume it went OB directly behind the green.
.play another and whilst putting out your original was in the hole.

WHATS THE RULING?

the two argument where,,,,,
.you've declared the ball lost and played another, tuff!
. the first shot counts...EAGLE.

the email said. Eagle! a hole is finished when the ball goes in the whole therefore you score a two. however, you are now guilty of practicing on the golf corse as you continued to play the hole (disqualification in comp's)

saying that i wouldn't put it past the pro to write his own email

 

[Imurg]

Eagle.
The Hole is finished when the ball rests at the bottom of the cup.

 

[chiv]

If you dont know its actually lost I think you should call the 2nd ball 'provisional'. You can play it up to the hole and upon finding your ball in the hole quite rightly claim the eagle. Good one though and thats why you have officials advising pros!!

 

[Bratty]

I may be wrong, but I'd say the second part of the email is wrong.

I agree with Chiv.

You didn't practice in any way, shape or form. You played a provisional (assuming you called it as such) which you continued to play until finding your ball. Which as I understand it is perfectly within the rules.

 

[RGDave]

I agree with Chiv too.

If your replacement ball is provisional, you can go on a 40 shot rampage over half the blo**y course and it's still not practising.

(now that would be funny)

 

[Tommo21]

Interesting…..if the ball in the hole is the score, then the hole is finished. Surely your not practicing if you hit a shot on a hole that’s already finished. After all when you putt out you can have another go.

 

[cheezburga]

It's an eagle - the hole was finished when the ball went in the hole. As to practicing - nope! See rule 7.2 (Strokes made in continuing play of a hole, the result of which has already been decided, are not practice strokes)

 

[bobmac]

Pros shouldn't be expected to know all the rules.
Even European tour referees carry a rule book with them..just in case and to show anyone questioning their decision.
Havining said that, if the pro doesn't know the answer to a rules question, he should say so.
"I'm not sure, I'll find out and let you know" should be his reply.

 

[Ethan]

I think the question may have been badly asked to get that answer. I agree it is an eagle, but strongly disagree that DQ for practising is correct. Any player can play a provisional ball, however known or unknown the location of the original ball is, and so long as you do not play on with the provisional after you know that the original ball is in play, no penalty.

In fact, more that that, if there is a dispute about something on the course such as a drop, you can play two balls, one with either option, and then have the Committee determine which one was the proper procedure afterwards.