6.1 A player makes a stroke from the teeing area. The ball hits a tree and comes back in the same teeing area. The player picks up the ball, puts it on a tee and makes another stroke. Was that his second or third stroke?
ANSWER 6.1: The teeing area is a rectangle that is two club-lengths deep and the side edges are defined by the lines back from the outside points of two tee-markers of the hole being played. When a ball is in play in the teeing area after a stroke, the player is allowed without penalty, to move the ball anywhere within the teeing area. He may also put the ball on a tee. In our question, he would be playing his second stroke.
6.2 In playing a provisional ball, the caddie is standing behind the player. A few minutes later, the original ball is found and played. What is the penalty?
ANSWER 6.2: There is no penalty if the provisional ball does not come the ball in play because the breach is directly related to the play of the provisional.
Examples of penalties that are cancelled if the provisional does not become the ball in play:
– Accidently moving the ball when we were not searching for the ball
– Caddie standing behind the player
– Unplayable ball
– Ball in the penalty zone
– Playing the provisional ball from a wrong place
6.3 A player sends his original ball on the right side of the fairway in a wooden area. He hits a provisional ball in front of the tee. As permitted by the Rules, he makes another shot at the provisional before going to search his original ball. A few minutes later he finds his original ball and plays it. And he finds out that the provisional ball he had played was a wrong ball. What is the decision?
ANSWER 6.3: Under Interpretation 6.3c(1)/1, a penalty for playing a wrong ball is not disregarded in playing a wrong ball for a provisional ball that does not count.
Other situation where the penalty is not waived even if the provisional ball will not be the ball to count:
– Asking or giving an advice
– Having more than 14 clubs in the bag
– Breach of the practise rule
QUESTIONS ON RULE 7
7.1 In order to identify his ball, a player rotates it slightly without marking but the ball did not change position. What is the ruling?
7.2 In searching for his ball, a player accidentally moves his ball covered with leaves. He replaces the ball without replacing the leaves. How many penalty strokes?
7.3 A player sees his ball fall in a bunker. He searches with a rake and find it covered with sand. He replaces the ball without replacing the sand. What is the penalty?
7.4 The player sends his ball on the left side of the fairway. He finds his ball (proper brand and number). His opponent says it may not be his ball because he did not put any special markings on it (dots, lines, etc). What is the decision?
