When is a Wrong Green NOT a Wrong Green??

[Dutch Boy]

On a recent trip I played a course that had a double green, two flags for holes 6 and 12. (No demarcation lines to differentiate the two greens) I was playing the 6th and landed way left so that the 12th flag was between me and the hole I was playing. I stated that I had to take complete relief from the wrong green but the locals I was playing with, stated I had to putt and that if the 12th hole was in my line I’d get free relief. The locals could not direct to the rule that allowed this.

It was only a social match but I was perplexed and came home to study the Rules.

The definition of a Wrong Green is:

“Any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole the player is playing.”

and the definition of Ground Under Repair is:

“Any hole made by the Committee or the maintenance staff in:

Setting up the course (such as a hole where a stake has been removed or the hole on a double green being used for the play of another hole)”

And Rule 16.1a states:

When Relief Is Allowed

(1) Meaning of Interference by Abnormal Course Condition. Interference exists when any one of these is true:

The player’s ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
An abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
Only when the ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition (the hole/flag) on or off the putting green intervenes on the line of play.
I’m still confused and would appreciate help from the experts please.

Were the locals correct or should I have taken relief from the Wrong Green?
Cheers

 

[bobmac]

If it was one big green then no relief necessary.
Just like the double greens at The Old Course

D-6
Dividing a Double Green into Two Separate Greens
Purpose. When a course has a green that serves as the putting green for two holes, the Committee may wish to divide the green into two separate greens through a Local Rule. This would require a player who is on the wrong portion of the green to take relief under Rule 13.1f. The method of defining the separation should be specified. This Local Rule may be used in conjunction with Model Local Rule D-3 for cases where the player's ball is on the correct portion of the green but his or her stance is on the other portion of the green.
Model Local Rule D-6

As there was nothing to indicate that the committee had divided it then no relief necessary

 

[backwoodsman]

Where you are going wrong, is that you are thinking of the word "double" in "double green" as meaning two greens. But a double green is not. It's just a single green, shared between two holes and which therefore has two flags. It might help if you think of it as a "double-sized green" instead. See Bobmac's answer for those situations where, for some reason, the committee want to regard it as two separate greens.

So relief as regards "wrong green" was not necessary. But you could have taken relief from GUR if the "other" hole was on your line of putt.

 

[Dutch Boy]

Makes sense now. Helps when you think laterally.
Thank you both.
This is a great forum and I have learnt lots from all the different posts and comments 😀

 

[Swango1980]

Where you are going wrong, is that you are thinking of the word "double" in "double green" as meaning two greens. But a double green is not. It's just a single green, shared between two holes and which therefore has two flags. It might help if you think of it as a "double-sized green" instead. See Bobmac's answer for those situations where, for some reason, the committee want to regard it as two separate greens.

So relief as regards "wrong green" was not necessary. But you could have taken relief from GUR if the "other" hole was on your line of putt.

Or simpler still, think of is as "one green with double holes". After all, the physical size of the green is irrelevant

 

[backwoodsman]

Or simpler still, think of is as "one green with double holes". After all, the physical size of the green is irrelevant

Yep, you could.

My illustration was merely that double green is a commonly used phrase - so in that context, take "double" to mean "big" rather than "two".

 

[Dutch Boy]

I should have read the definition of a Putting Green which states:
If a double green is used for two different holes - the entire prepared area containing both holes is treated as the putting green when playing each hole.
Another lesson I learnt is to check ALL of the relevant definitions 🤪

 

[backwoodsman]

I should have read the definition of a Putting Green which states:
If a double green is used for two different holes - the entire prepared area containing both holes is treated as the putting green when playing each hole.
Another lesson I learnt is to check ALL of the relevant definitions 🤪

Indeed

 

[Colin L]

To be precise, it's not that relief from a double green isn't necessary, it isn't available and if you took relief you would cop a 2 stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place.

Coincidentally, I was refereeing a tournament recently and was called in to help a player who had never seen a double green before. His ball was not only on the "other half" but there was an off-green gully between him and the hole . I explained the situation and held my breath as he swung his wedge but he clipped his ball as neatly as you like off the surface of the green and holed his next putt. There was no more than a slight disturbance of the grass to show where he had played from. Job neatly done.

The difference between us was that I knew the rules and he knew how to play the shot. Call it teamwork