What's the worst rules cock-up you've seen?

[HomerJSimpson]

Wimbledon Common had a nice three hole loop (one, two and halfway down 18) and as a junior I went out in the morning and just knocked it round these for something to do waiting for my partners. Went out and played great. Got a nasty shock to be DQ'd and have never done it since. Lesson harshly learned

 

[Foxholer]

Is it right that the late partner could join in the match at the start of the next hole?

Yes.

 

[rosecott]

30-3. Best-Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

a. Representation of Side

A side may be represented by one partner for all or any part of a match; all partners need not be present. An absent partner may join a match between holes, but not during play of a hole.

 

[londonlewis]

I was waiting to tee off in an open competition many years ago when there was delay on the first tee of at least 10-15 mins.
After a while, the starter heard a noise/chattering coming from the 18th green. He went to have a look and found 6 or 7 bored competitors doing some chipping and putting onto the green to pass away the time. Needless to say they were a bit miffed when they were told they were all DQ'd.

Still, they'll never do it again

could you be accused of testing the greens before play - which I am pretty sure is an official rule break!?!

 

[londonlewis]

3 handicapper, club championship, ball in rough, takes practice swing beside ball and clips it 4 feet forward.

Replaces it and declares "it's ok, no penalty as it was a practice swing and not trying to hit the ball"

sickening.

There was a thread on here a while back where people were talking about things that had happened to them on the course. I remember someone saying that a low handicap player said he has won a hole against his FC because the FC used their shoe to smooth over spike marks in a bunker after they hit their shot.

Someone else said that a single figure handicapper teed off with a distance ball, then swapped it for a performance ball to hit into the green - said this was not a breech of rules.

Beggars belief!

 

[bladeplayer]

Middle of last year , Player with 43pts on 18th tee , cant find his drive on 18, makes way back to hit "provisional" while the others are looking within the 5 mins search time .. hits "provisional" and while walking down one of his PP finds the original .. he is told by the "rules guru" of the group that as he found his first within the 5 min , it is in play and he cant play his provisional ..
happy with this he plays the first ball and pars hole , signs and submits for 46 pts .. sure winner ..

On telling his story in the clubhouse he was informed of rule re you cant go back to play a provisional , he realises he should have played the second ball and the fact he has signed for and submitted the 46 he is DQ ..

In fairness to the guy he didnt know the rule , he rang and informed the Comp sec of what happened himself ..

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Middle of last year , Player with 43pts on 18th tee , cant find his drive on 18, makes way back to hit "provisional" while the others are looking within the 5 mins search time .. hits "provisional" and while walking down one of his PP finds the original .. he is told by the "rules guru" of the group that as he found his first within the 5 min , it is in play and he cant play his provisional ..
happy with this he plays the first ball and pars hole , signs and submits for 46 pts .. sure winner ..

On telling his story in the clubhouse he was informed of rule re you cant go back to play a provisional , he realises he should have played the second ball and the fact he has signed for and submitted the 46 he is DQ ..

In fairness to the guy he didnt know the rule , he rang and informed the Comp sec of what happened himself ..

I'm confused ?

He hit a provisional in case the ball was lost ? Then they found his original so he then picked up the provisional and finished the hole with his original ball ?

That appears to be ok unless I have missed something ?

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I'm confused ?

He hit a provisional in case the ball was lost ? Then they found his original so he then picked up the provisional and finished the hole with his original ball ?

That appears to be ok unless I have missed something ?

He went back to the tee. You can only hit a provisional while on the tee, once he has left, by heading back to the tee to hit another, that becomes the ball in play, I believe?

 

[cookelad]

Middle of last year , Player with 43pts on 18th tee , cant find his drive on 18, makes way back to hit "provisional" while the others are looking within the 5 mins search time .. hits "provisional" and while walking down one of his PP finds the original .. he is told by the "rules guru" of the group that as he found his first within the 5 min , it is in play and he cant play his provisional ..
happy with this he plays the first ball and pars hole , signs and submits for 46 pts .. sure winner ..

On telling his story in the clubhouse he was informed of rule re you cant go back to play a provisional , he realises he should have played the second ball and the fact he has signed for and submitted the 46 he is DQ ..

In fairness to the guy he didnt know the rule , he rang and informed the Comp sec of what happened himself ..

I'm confused ?

He hit a provisional in case the ball was lost ? Then they found his original so he then picked up the provisional and finished the hole with his original ball ?

That appears to be ok unless I have missed something ?

Key bit in bold!

Think this is probably one of the more commonly broken rules!

 

[bladeplayer]

I'm confused ?

He hit a provisional in case the ball was lost ? Then they found his original so he then picked up the provisional and finished the hole with his original ball ?

That appears to be ok unless I have missed something ?

He went back to play his original , you cant go back to the tee and play a provo ..

they have made a small amendment this year "I Think" that you have so many yards allowed to go back

 

[Deleted member 15344]

He went back to the tee. You can only hit a provisional while on the tee, once he has left, by heading back to the tee to hit another, that becomes the ball in play, I believe?

Have never heard that rule before ?

 

[CMAC]

He went back to play his original , you cant go back to the tee and play a provo ..

they have made a small amendment this year "I Think" that you have so many yards allowed to go back

seriously? got a link? who measures out the yardage? seems a really daft new rule if its real

 

[Deleted member 15344]

He went back to play his original , you cant go back to the tee and play a provo ..

they have made a small amendment this year "I Think" that you have so many yards allowed to go back

Well that's something new learned today - seems a stupid rule tbh ?

 

[Slab]

He went back to the tee. You can only hit a provisional while on the tee, once he has left, by heading back to the tee to hit another, that becomes the ball in play, I believe?

Although I believe a recent amend means a player can go forward a 'wee bit' and still have the option go back & play a provisional (i.e blind tee shots etc)

edit: too slow, others posted this

 

[bladeplayer]

seriously? got a link? who measures out the yardage? seems a really daft new rule if its real

I dont mate Sorry , (even if i had i wouldnt know how to post it ha) but some of the rules gurus might know , but im fair sure there is an amendment to it ..

 

[Slab]

Well that's something new learned today - seems a stupid rule tbh ?

As I understand there is only one function of a provisional ball, to save time

And if player has already legged it 200 yrds down the fairway before deciding to return, where is the time saving coming from?

 

[bladeplayer]

Well that's something new learned today - seems a stupid rule tbh ?

Think how learning it after signing for 46 points feels ,

 

[Twire]

He went back to play his original , you cant go back to the tee and play a provo ..

they have made a small amendment this year "I Think" that you have so many yards allowed to go back

seriously? got a link? who measures out the yardage? seems a really daft new rule if its real

This might be what your after...


27-2a/1.5
Meaning of "Goes Forward to Search"

Q.Under Rule 27-2a, when is a player considered to have gone forward to search for the original ball such that a provisional ball cannot be played?

A.A player will be considered to have gone forward to search when he has proceeded more than a short distance towards the place where his original ball is likely to be. As the purpose of Rule 27-2a is to save time, the player is permitted to go forward a short distance before determining that it would save time to return promptly to play a provisional ball. As a guideline, a player should be considered to have proceeded more than a short distance, and therefore to have gone forward to search, if he has proceeded more than approximately 50 yards. However, this guideline does not preclude a player from playing a provisional ball when he has proceeded more than a short distance for another specific purpose, such as to retrieve a ball or a different club to play a provisional ball, or to confer with a referee. (Revised)

 

[chrisd]

seriously? got a link? who measures out the yardage? seems a really daft new rule if its real

It's not an exact yardage but circumstances are the issue. We have a tee set back in the wooded area, so everyone leaves their trolleys/bags about 60 yards up the side of the fairway. So, if a player hits his tee shot and wants to play a provisional he would be allowed to walk up and get another ball (if he was daft enough not to carry one) under the amendment, whereas before, once he left the teeing area he couldnt

 

[woody69]

Well that's something new learned today - seems a stupid rule tbh ?

It can be a little harsh. I remember an incident during a comp where my friend hit his drive and we saw it land and roll towards the light rough. As we got down some (un)helpful chap said he had seen it land and pointed us to where he thought it was. Well we looked and looked and couldn't find it. It was like it had vanished into thin air. My friend ran back to the tee to hit another that landed in the middle of the fairway. On the way back the other competitor in the group found his original about 20 yards further on from where we had been looking, still within the 5 mins searching time. My friend promptly picked up his "provisional" and went over to play his original. It was at that point I pointed out to him that as soon as he had gone back to the tee and hit another, that was now the ball in play and he had played the incorrect ball. He NR'd that hole.