tree trouble

[brickie]

On Saturday my playing partner said I had knocked a couple of leaves of a bush while I took a practice stroke. I accepted his word on this and added the two penalty strokes to my score.

I have since looked up the rules, and as I interpret them, I did not improve my intended path of swing, there was still loads of other leaves and branches in the way, so should not have had the two shot penalty.

My question is.....(a) Am I right? ..(.b) If so should I have been disqualified for signing for an incorrect score? ...
(c) If I am right, it has cost me the win in the comp which to me is bye the bye but, more important to me, can I have the further handicap reduction invoked retrospectively?

Hope this makes sense

 

[pbrown7582]

You can't alter a returned score and are not d'qd for an incorrect score if you are correct as it is greater.

 

[rulefan]

On Saturday my playing partner said I had knocked a couple of leaves of a bush while I took a practice stroke. I accepted his word on this and added the two penalty strokes to my score.

I have since looked up the rules, and as I interpret them, I did not improve my intended path of swing, there was still loads of other leaves and branches in the way, so should not have had the two shot penalty.

My question is.....(a) Am I right? ..(.b) If so should I have been disqualified for signing for an incorrect score? ...
(c) If I am right, it has cost me the win in the comp which to me is bye the bye but, more important to me, can I have the further handicap reduction invoked retrospectively?

Hope this makes sense

(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) No

 

[brickie]

Hi rulefan,
Thanks for that, pretty much as I thought. Wasn't sure of the rule and its cost me but its difficult to remember the details of every rule..especially when others are adamant they are right. lesson learnt though.

 

[rulefan]

It is one of the most common myths in golf.

See http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-13/#13-2/0.5

The relevant bits are:

Examples of changes that are unlikely to create such a potential advantage are if a player:

• accidentally knocks down several leaves from a tree in his area of intended swing with a practice swing, but there are still so many leaves or branches remaining that the area of intended swing has not been materially affected

Examples of changes that are likely to create such a potential advantage are if a player:

• accidentally knocks down a single leaf from a tree in his area of intended swing with a practice swing, but, as this was one of very few leaves that might either interfere with his swing or fall and thereby distract him, the area of intended swing has been materially affected

 

[Leftie]

In the couple of years that I have been playing golf (is there an "ahem, cough smiley?") I have rarely seen a practice swing that looks remotely like or follows the path of the intended swing. Not only that but the practice swing is almost always a little away from the ball. This "rule" is a non event really.

 

[woody69]

In the couple of years that I have been playing golf (is there an "ahem, cough smiley?") I have rarely seen a practice swing that looks remotely like or follows the path of the intended swing. Not only that but the practice swing is almost always a little away from the ball. This "rule" is a non event really.

It's true isn't it. When you take a practice swing it isn't anywhere near the actual plane of your actual swing otherwise you'd hit the ball!

 

[rulefan]

You only have to hit a weak branch about 1m from your real line of swing and you can easily make a gap.

You will also see players take a swing to check they aren't going to have interference and then breaking the small branch by mistake.

 

[brickie]

It is one of the most common myths in golf.

See http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-13/#13-2/0.5

The relevant bits are:

Examples of changes that are unlikely to create such a potential advantage are if a player:

• accidentally knocks down several leaves from a tree in his area of intended swing with a practice swing, but there are still so many leaves or branches remaining that the area of intended swing has not been materially affected

Examples of changes that are likely to create such a potential advantage are if a player:

• accidentally knocks down a single leaf from a tree in his area of intended swing with a practice swing, but, as this was one of very few leaves that might either interfere with his swing or fall and thereby distract him, the area of intended swing has been materially affected

Hi again rulefan,

The first example you quote describes exactly the situation as it occurred on Saturday so i have indeed done myself out of a comp win and a further handicap reduction.

I did ask the club pro but he made no mention that it may or may not be a penalty, confirming only that it was a 2 shot penalty.

Now have a rule book in my bag

Thanks once again.

 

[rulefan]

Now have a rule book in my bag

Perhaps you should get the pro to look at his Decision Book

 

[chrisd]

Perhaps you should get the pro to look at his Decision Book

Never, never, never ,never ask a club pro about golf rules! In my opinion they are the last ones to have a Scooby doo about rules. Ours completely cocked up our annual Bogey competition last week for telling people wrong information before they went out - for the second year in a row!!!

 

[Foxholer]

Never, never, never ,never ask a club pro about golf rules! In my opinion they are the last ones to have a Scooby doo about rules. Ours completely cocked up our annual Bogey competition last week for telling people wrong information before they went out - for the second year in a row!!!

Absolutely agree with this approach.

Ask them for a copy of the Rule Book and/or The Decisions. They are no better qualified from a Rules point of vie than anyone else.

@Chris. 'Committee' would seem to be slow learners as well if they didn't get the message across after last year! How did he screw it up this time?

 

[chrisd]

@Chris. 'Committee' would seem to be slow learners as well if they didn't get the message across after last year! How did he screw it up this time?

He told everyone that they had to hole out on every hole and record a score for handicap purposes or they would be disqualified. I told him that what he was saying was contrary to the rules of golf and he said that was what he was told to say (by the secretary) and the secretary denies this.