At the Waste Management Tournament in Scottsdale, Hoffman was very upset because of a ruling.
Here are the facts:
On hole # 13, he hits his ball in a penalty area. He finds his point of entry, drops a ball and the ball goes back in the water. He drops again with the same result, without any additional penalty. After a second drop a player is allowed to replace the ball at the spot where the ball touched the ground. He did just that and after the ball was at rest, he went to his bag to pick up a club. Then……. the ball decided to go back in the water…
We all remember in 2018, the same thig happened to Rickie Fowler at the same tournament.
THE RULE
When a ball is dropped and the ball ends up outside the relief area, the player must redrop again without penalty. After the second drop he must place the ball. When the ball is at rest, if it is moved my natural forces, the player must accept the result and he must play the ball where it lies. In that case he had to take again another penalty stroke for a ball in the penalty area.
WHY WAS HOFFMAN SO UPSET?
In 2019, the governing bodies (USGA and R&A) changed that rule for a ball that is at rest on a green after a player had marked the ball and put back in play. Hoffman was certain that they had also included a ball lying on the edge of a penalty area. But this is not the case. On a green the ball is replaced without penalty
Also, Hoffman complained because the red line was very close to the water and the 2 club lengths from the red line was still on a steep slope.
MY COMMENTS
When I train the referees, I always teach them to make sure a player as a lie as level as possible when he must drop a ball. In that case I suggest putting the red line high enough and not to close to the water. I understand Hoffman’s frustration. He already got a one stroke penalty for his ball in the water, and he got another penalty stroke for the ball that went back in the water.
As for the Rule, I think it would be a good idea to make the change. This is so unfair for players.