Wrong ball played - rule?

[Sid Rixon IV]

Yesterday I played in a closed vet's comp.
Elsewhere on the course was an inter County Juniors comp.
Halfway down a fairway my partner played his ball and walked on.
As I played mine a junior came through the trees across from opposite fairway and said "He's just played my ball".
He'd shouted to my partner who is elderly, quite hard of hearing (and doesn't have great eyesight) and who was now down by the green.
I pointed out a ball about ten yards back in the tree line between the fairways but which he claimed was not his.
I volunteered to run down to my partner who lifted his ball and claimed it was his.
I ran back to the junior, who was discussing the situation with the three others, and informed him.
He then ran down to my partner and they discovered he had indeed played the wrong ball.
What should happen?

 

[Foxholer]

Junior collects his ball from Senior and drops where Senior played it from (assuming exact position can't be determined - placed if it cn) and continues as if nothing had happened. Senior returns to find his ball - probably the one you pointed out - and continues from there. Penalty of 2 shots but the shots he played with the wrong ball are not counted in his score in Strokeplay. Loss/Out of hole in Matchplay

Simples really!

 

[williamalex1]

Yesterday I played in a closed vet's comp.
Elsewhere on the course was an inter County Juniors comp.
Halfway down a fairway my partner played his ball and walked on.
As I played mine a junior came through the trees across from opposite fairway and said "He's just played my ball".
He'd shouted to my partner who is elderly, quite hard of hearing (and doesn't have great eyesight) and who was now down by the green.
I pointed out a ball about ten yards back in the tree line between the fairways but which he claimed was not his.
I volunteered to run down to my partner who lifted his ball and claimed it was his.
I ran back to the junior, who was discussing the situation with the three others, and informed him.
He then ran down to my partner and they discovered he had indeed played the wrong ball.
What should happen?

Take the old guy straight to Specsavers.:lol:

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Thanks for the replies:
Ok, there's a bit more to it.
The junior insisted to me that my partner must bring the ball back and replace it.
I said "Listen, he's 78 and doing well to get around today as he's complaining of vertigo/dizziness. You can't call him all the way back up here (uphill). Can I replace it for him (I could gauge the spot as well as the two players)?"
He agreed so I jogged down and then back to inform him my partner still thought it was the correct ball.
The lad then jogged down, ID'd the ball and made my partner walk all the way back up the hill to place it.
I suppose it was just an unfortunate incident in an important match and the lad was bound by the rules.
I was drawn against that partner and another who was 83 and I was quite respectful of the fact they still played albeit not in the best of shape. When my partner returned he was rather distressed and flustered.
It wasn't helped by the junior's mother (following in a buggy) striding into the debate saying "What's he done then - walked off in a huff?".
It was just a genuine misunderstanding.

So, did my partner have to come back and place the ball himself?

 

[palindromicbob]

So, did my partner have to come back and place the ball himself?

The junior was wrong but probably because he was applying the rules of a ball at rest moved rather than wrong ball played. Even then it was not a requirement for your partner to place it.

A ball at rest that is moved must be replaced. This can be done by the person that moved it, the player or thier partner.

But this wasn't a "simple" ball at rest moved. It was a wrong ball played so Rule 15-3 applies not 18-4(ball at rest)

Extract from 15-3 with the important part in bold.

If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

The placing part then kicks in rule 20-3
A ball to be placed under the Rules must be placed by the player or his partner....

If the ball is placed or replaced by any other person and the error is not corrected as provided in Rule 20-6, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

He could have asked your partner to help determine the exact spot and original lie though. That would have been a fair request.

As it stands, your partner lost the hole in match play/2 strokes in stroke play. The junior should of had a 1 stroke penatly.

 

[Foxholer]

So, did my partner have to come back and place the ball himself?

No! Only to play his own ball - Medal Strokeplay only. In Stableford he could have simply blobbed the hole. In 4BBB he was out of the hole anyway.

Th placing/dropping is as per my original post, even with the new info. The Junior was probably being over-protective of his situation. I hope he has been (or will be) made aware of the Rule - and provided with a Rule Book!

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Thanks for the replies.
Out on the course a Marshall came over to apologise to us as four juniors crossed over fairways in front of us as we were stood ready to tee off. He said he would speak to them after the match.
After the game my partners went on their way and I had a beer in the spikes bar waiting for my lift.
The junior's mum was sat there and I said hello and asked how they'd got on.
I apologised for the mix up explaining about his vision and hearing.
She replied "Well he shouldn't be out there"
I politely replied that I hoped her lad and myself were still enjoying golf at his age.

 

[palindromicbob]

Thanks for the replies.
Out on the course a Marshall came over to apologise to us as four juniors crossed over fairways in front of us as we were stood ready to tee off. He said he would speak to them after the match.
After the game my partners went on their way and I had a beer in the spikes bar waiting for my lift.
The junior's mum was sat there and I said hello and asked how they'd got on.
I apologised for the mix up explaining about his vision and hearing.
She replied "Well he shouldn't be out there"
I politely replied that I hoped her lad and myself were still enjoying golf at his age.

I don't think I'd have been polite.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I don't think I'd have been polite.

Pushy Mum syndrome :blah:

 

[Foxholer]

Pushy Mum syndrome :blah:

Indeed. I'd have added 'At least he was on the correct hole!' and walked away.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Indeed. I'd have added 'At least he was on the correct hole!' and walked away.

That's made me chuckle.
My partner's tenuous defence as we walked away was "He shouldn't be on this bleddy fairway anyway!"

 

[Birchy]

I don't think I'd have been polite.

Id have been struggling to be polite too

Nothing worse than parents who think their kids are never ever in the wrong.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Id have been struggling to be polite too

Nothing worse than parents who think their kids are never ever in the wrong.

That's their problem Birchy.
What I despise is disrespect for active club members aged 78 and 83.
The guy in question has been a club member for 65 years.
As we walked off he said "Right I have to dash - would you kindly key my card as I won't be able to see it properly?"
I said "Certainly, are you sure I can't offer you a drink?"
Reply: "Ooh, well, if you're offering I'll have a pint of bitter shandy please".
So I keyed his card as he enjoyed my hospitality.
They were slow getting around and I had to "manage" them a little but I really enjoyed their company and I admired their stamina and ability to still knock that ball around.

 

[Foxholer]

I've had the immense pleasure of playing with a few elderly folk, both Male and Female, some of whom are only out for 9 to 'stay active'. An 86 yo Lady was great fun to play with - and hear about her adventures in Africa and elsewhere - once I assured her she wasn't playing too slow for me.

Played in a Match a few years ago where the guy in front, off 18, had a swing to die for. When I asked my hosts how long he'd been playing they pointed to the the club boards where he was Club Champion for about 15 years or more in the 50s or 60s. He was something like 83 at the time!

Juniors have generally been very respectful especially if out with a parent. But the times when there is a parent following can be a bit iffy - though not normally from the player! I can certainly understand why some comps ban parents acting as Caddies!

 

[North Mimms]

Since Junior's mother had a buggy, why didn't she collect Senior from the green?

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Since Junior's mother had a buggy, why didn't she collect Senior from the green?

Tree lined divide between the fairways and she had come scuttling across on foot to get "involved".
Fair point though as she could have gone down her fairway and arrived at the green but, to be honest, with her attitude, just as well she didn't.