In match play, an “outside agency” is any agency other than either the player’s or opponent’s side, any caddie of either side, any ball played by either side at the hole being played or any equipment of either side.
In stroke play, an outside agency is any agency other than the competitor’s side, any caddie of the side, any ball played by the side at the hole being played or any equipment of the side.
An outside agency includes a referee, a marker, an observer and a forecaddie. Neither wind nor water is an outside agency. Other examples are maintenance vehicles, players in other groups, spectators, dogs, cats, geese, etc.
If a player’s ball, at rest, is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. If a player’s ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies.
Also refer to Rule 16-2 Ball Overhanging Hole that states, “When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen into the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with her last stroke and must add a penalty stroke to her score for the hole: otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule.”
When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. If the ball lies entirely on the line with no over-hang and not touching the course side of the margin then it is OB.
However, it is not an automatic penalty because not every instance of ball rolling is considered to be testing the green. See 16-1d/1 that described the casual act of returning the ball to its owner is deemed not to be testing, and Decision 16-1d/2 where it depends on whether or not the player was trying to test the green.
Yes, if you are not standing on the other side of the hole for the purpose of indicating a “line of play” for the player. Refer to Rule 8 Advice; Indicating Line of Play. And you are not disturbing or distracting the player while she putts. Refer to Section I Etiquette.
Preferred lies and winter rules are not automatically in play. The Committee may adopt a specimen local rule for preferred lies and winter rules. The Conditions of Play should be provided to all players before the start of play. Refer to Appendix 1 Specimen Local Rules 4c “Preferred Lies and Winter Rules”.
If the player’s ball lay in a water hazard, she is not entitled to
relief without penalty from a hole made by a burrowing animal.
If the player’s ball is in a bunker the player must lift the ball and
drop it either;
a. Without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole
than the nearest point of relief in the bunker or, if complete
relief is impossible, as near as possible to the spot where the ball lay,
but not nearer the hole, on a part of the course in the bunker that affords
maximum available relief from the condition; or under penalty of one stroke,
outside the bunker, keeping the point where the ball lay directly between
the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how
far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.
13-4b Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions states a player must not touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with her hand or a club.
Note the definition of a “water hazard” is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature on the course. In your case the drained lake should be clearly marked on the course as a water or lateral water hazard.
If the player deems her ball to be unplayable, she must, under penalty of
one stroke:
a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original
ball was last played; or b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay,
keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball
is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped;
or c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay,
buy not nearer the hole.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, as in your case, you may proceed under Clause a, b, or c. If you elect to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.
4 of 6
(b). PS. There was no wind – possibly it was the vibration of walking?
(b) As you proposed in your postscript, there was no wind and it was possible the ball may have moved due to the vibration of walking up to it. If this was the case you would have incurred a penalty of one stroke for causing your ball at rest to have moved and you would have had to replace the ball to its original lie.
However, in this situation it is not likely that you caused the ball to move. It was your good fortune the ball moved onto the green this time. Another time it may move out of bounds.
You may remove the rake (a movable obstruction in a bunker) for your next stroke.
(b) Items such as rakes that are placed on the course for general use are not part of the player’s equipment and remain outside agencies at all times. Refer to Decision 19-2/10
Casual water is any temporary accumulation of water on the course that is not in a water hazard and is visible before or after the player takes her stance. A ball is in casual water when it lies in or any part of it touches the casual water. – Definition of Casual Water.
A player’s knowledge of the Rules of Golf does not necessarily come with a very low handicap. In the future ask the player who is giving you a “ruling” to show you where it s in the Rule Book.
Question: |
| A player reaches across the hole to tap in a short putt (the hole is between the player and the ball). Is this a breach of Rule 16-1e, Standing Astride or on the Line of Putt? |
| Answer: |
| No. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole. There is no penalty for making a stroke in this manner, provided the ball is fairly struck at and not raked into the hole. (Definition of "Line of Putt" and Rule 16-1e). |
| This is copied from the FAQ Rules section on the USGA website.
You do have to make a stroke at the ball. You can't push or pull
it. If a ball is fairly struck at, there is only momentary contact
between the clubhead and the ball. (See Decision 14-1/4) Hope this helps, Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
Question: |
| Our Invitational is coming up and I would like to give cash for prizes. I know I heard somewhere that we, PWGA, weren't supposed to do this. I have been at other PWGA club invitationals that have done this. So, can we or can't we give cash? |
| Answer: |
| You cannot give cash awards as prizes. The answer is actually in your rule book on page 142 under "The Rules of Amateur Status" Rule 3--Prizes. "An amateur golfer must not play golf for prize money or its equivalent in any match, competition, or exhibition." PWGA promotes adherence to USGA Rules of Golf as stated in its By-Laws, Article II, Section 2. The By-Laws are on the PWGA web site under "The Board". You can also learn more about the Rules of Amateur Status on the USGA web site--click on rules and then on amateur status. You will see Frequently Asked Questions and Decisions on amateur status. |
| Question: |
| After my ball in motion struck another ball in motion, I played my ball from its new position. However, the other player picked up her ball and threw it back out into the fairway where she thought it landed. As I read the rule, should we have just left that ball where it lay and the player could have played it from there? |
Answer: |
| Yes, the player should have played it where it ended up. It's called the rub of the green. Since the player did not, she incurred a two stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 19--Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped. By the way, if her ball had ended up out of bounds, the player would have to take a stroke and distance penalty. |
Question: |
| Our course seasonally drys out in the summer -- initially
on the fairways -- leaving spots with patches of grass in a "pimply" fashion
separated by bare dirt. If the drying affects the fairway
only, would it be appropriate to invoke "preferred lies" through
the fairway only, and not "through the green" (which would
include the adjoining rough also)? As such, I would state
the player's options as: 1) play it as it lies; 2) move the ball
6" not nearer to the hole (no penalty); or 3) take an unplayable
lie (e.g. 2 club-length drop not nearer to the hole with a 1-stroke
penalty). Would this be an appropriate local rule? Some members have stated that we should have preferred lies through the green, throughout the year; this would be much simpler, but would not (in my view) be in keeping with the spirit of the game. I am trying to help our membership understand that preferred lies is about protecting the course and minimizing damage to equipment, and not about giving the player a better foundation for a good stroke. I and my Club would appreciate your assessment of our situation. |
Answer: |
The conditions you described on your fairways during the summer do not sound like "abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play." Many courses have similar conditions during the summer and some do not even have grass on the fairways during summer months. Preferred lies should only be used when adverse conditions such as heavy snows, spring thaws, prolonged rains or extreme heat can make fairways unsatisfactory and sometimes prevent use of heavy mowing equipment. If your committee believes preferred lies would promote fair play or help protect the course, you may adopt the local rule on preferred lies as stated on page 482 in the decisions book. Otherwise the player's choice should be play the ball as it lies, or invoke the unplayable lie rule, Rule 28. Preferred lies should not be used to aid the player in finding a more suitable position in which to place their ball. The only thing this rule does is to allow the player to gain the advantage of having a more perfect lie from which to play their ball. The Rules of Golf do cover abnormal ground conditions such as casual water, GUR or hole, cast or runway on the course made by a burrowing animal, reptile of bird. Appendix 1, Part A deals with all sorts of abnormal conditions and gives sample local rules which may be adopted. Also note, that if your committee considers it necessary to modify the rules of golf, authorization from USGA must be obtained. Also, the use of preferred lies under any condition will change and modify a player's handicap giving them handicap which does not reflect their true golfing abilities. |
| Luckii Ludwig Rules Committee |
| Question: |
| The ball is in the bunker and a small stone is at the back of the ball. You move the stone as a safety concern, and the ball moves. The ball was not marked. Penalty? Just put the ball back? |
| Answer: |
| Rule 13-4 deals with prohibited acts in hazards. Your specific situation is addressed in Decision 13-4/15. There were two rule violations: removing a loose impediment from a hazard (Rule 13-4) and causing a ball to move (Rule 18-2a). In equity (Rule 1-4), you will only get one two stroke penalty under Rule 13-4 provided the ball is replaced as required by R. 18-2a because a single act caused both violations. (As long as you put the ball back, violations of Rule 18-2a will cost you just one stroke.) Now if you don't put the ball back before making your next stroke, failure to replace is considered a separate act and the player would get a two stroke penalty (4 strokes in all). Stones in bunkers can be dangerous which is why USGA allows clubs or committees to adopt a local rule treating these as moveable obstructions. Moveable obstructions, like rakes, can be moved anywhere on the course. If removal of a moveable obstruction causes your ball to move, you just replace the ball without penalty. The specific language your club may want to adopt is as follows: "Stones in bunkers are moveable obstructions (Rule 24-1 applies)." You may find this on page 482 in the Decisions book (Appendix I, Part B). |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
Question: |
Could you please give me the ruling on a lost ball in a red
staked hazard. |
Answer: |
Red stakes identify a lateral water hazard. Yellow staked
water hazards identify a regular water hazard. If you have
clear and convincing evidence that the ball entered and remained
in either water hazard and you cannot find it, you may take relief
under the water hazard rule (Rule 26). Options
available if a ball is lost in a lateral water hazard include
(1) playing the ball as nearly as possible from where you played your
last stroke, (2) dropping a ball behind the water hazard along a
line drawn from the hole through where the ball last crossed
the margin of the hazard as far back as you like, or (3) dropping
a ball within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed
the hazard margin, no nearer the hole. The lateral hazard
rule also allows you to drop at a point equidistant from the
hole on the opposite margin of the water hazard. Options
1 and 2 are also available if your ball is lost in a regular
(yellow-staked water hazard), but Option 3 is not. If
you take relief under the water hazard rule, the penalty is one
stroke. Now, if it is known or virtually certain (Rule 26 uses the term "reasonable evidence") your ball is in the hazard and you cannot find the ball, then you must assume your ball is lost outside the hazard. Rule 27--Ball Lost or OB then applies. Penalty is stroke and distance. |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
Question: |
| I wonder if you could clarify Rule18/2a. While making a practice swing on the putting green, the player accidentally moved the ball before addressing it. Can she replace the ball in its original position without penalty? If she does not replace it and makes a stroke from the ball's new position, is there a two stroke penalty under Rule 18/2B? |
Answer: |
| With the exceptions noted below, if a ball in play is accidently moved before address, the player receives a one stroke penalty and must replace the ball (Rule 18-2a). The ball can accidently be moved by a practice swing, by dropping a club or a towel (player's equipment), or simply by tripping over the ball. If you do not replace the ball, there is a two stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 18. There is no penalty if a player accidently causes her ball to move in removing a moveable obstruction; measuring; lifting, placing or replacing a ball under the rules; or removing a loose impediment on the putting green. The complete list of those exceptions is given under 18-2a. Now, if a ball at rest moves by wind or, as on a steep slope by gravity, then you play the ball from its new position. If you were to return the ball to its former position, there would be a one stroke penalty for moving a ball in play and you would have to move it back to the place where the wind or gravity took it. |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
Question: |
| I cannot find a rule that states exactly how to handle a ball when you mark and lift it at another person's request through the green (not on the putting surface). I know you cannot clean it, but would you incur a penalty or lose the hole in match play if you closed your hand around the ball before replacing it? |
Answer: |
| There is no requirement that you hold a ball a certain way when lifting a ball which you are not allowed to clean. The Decisions under Rule 21--Cleaning Ball will give you an idea how careful you must be. Decision 21/2 makes clear that you are not allowed to remove grass adhering to a ball. So if you are lifting a ball covered with wet grass, you better be very careful how you hold the ball. Decision 21/3 describes a situation where a player authorized her caddy to lift a ball interfering with another person's line of play. The caddy tosses the ball to the player who catches it. According to the Decision, it is a question of fact whether the ball has been cleaned. A ball tossed and caught could have cleaned the ball. Any doubt is be resolved against the player. |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
Question: |
| Hello, I play with a Niners club and one rule we seem to be arguing about is an unplayable lie in a sand bunker. Could you please explain to me the options you have in words that we will be able to understand. I think the problem we are having, is trying to figure out what the rule says. We would greatly appreciate it. |
Answer: |
| Rules can be hard to understand, so I empathize with you. Let's see if this helps. If you declare your ball unplayable in the bunker, you have three options, each under penalty of one stroke. |
| Option 1-- Stroke and distance--go back to where you last struck the ball. Most likely that will be from the teeing grounds or the fairway, possibly from a water hazard or even from the bunker in which your ball lies if you were unsuccessful in getting out the first time. Option 1 is the only way under the rules that you may drop a ball outside the bunker where your ball lies. |
| Option 2-- drop the ball behind its position in the bunker as far back as you want in the bunker. The drop must be along a line from the hole through and extending behind the ball. |
| Option 3-- drop within 2 club lengths of the ball. The drop must be in the bunker. |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
| Question: |
| What has the PWGA decided about the use of distance measuring devices
as far as the ladies clubs are concerned? Does it have to be so
stated in individual local rules as allowed or disallowed? Thank
you for any help. |
| Answer: |
| PWGA is allowing the use of distance measuring devices (DMDs) in
its major tournaments and we state that in our local rules for each
tournament. If your club wishes to permit the use of DMDs, you must
adopt a local rule allowing this. Please go to www.usga.org, click
on "Rules", then on FAQs, then scroll down to Rule 14-3, you will
find information about DMDs and a proposed local rule which your
club may adopt. The device may measure distance only--not wind speed
or gradient. If you don't have a local rule, any player using such
a device would be subject to disqualification. I hope this answers your question. |
| Stephanie Trenck PWGA Rules Director |
