Q.A and B hit their balls into ground under repair. The balls are approximately 18 inches apart. A's ball is farther from the hole. Both players decide to take relief. Is the order of play for the next shot determined by the relative positions of the balls before relief is taken, or after?
A.The order of play is determined by the relative positions of the balls before relief is taken. A should play before B - see Note to Rules 10-1b and 10-2b.
Q.A and B hit their balls into a lateral water hazard. The balls are approximately 18 inches apart. A's ball is farther from the hole but B's ball last crossed the hazard margin farther from the hole than A's ball. Both players decide to take relief from the hazard. What is the proper procedure?
A.Since A's ball lies farther from the hole, under the Note to Rule 10-1b or 10-2b, A should play before B.
Q.A and B hit their balls into the same general area of a lateral water hazard. Both balls are lost in the hazard and therefore it is not known which ball is farther from the hole. However, B's ball last crossed the hazard margin farther from the hole than A's ball. What is the proper procedure?
A.The ball to be played first should be decided by lot, just as would be the case if the balls were equidistant from the hole - see Rules 10-1b and 10-2b.
Q.In a match between A and B, A hits his approach shot towards an area of trees. As the ball might be lost outside a water hazard, he announces to B that he intends to play a provisional ball. What is the order of play for A's provisional ball?
A.Except when playing a provisional ball from the teeing ground (Rule 10-3), the order of play for a provisional ball is for the player playing the provisional ball to do so immediately. Therefore, A would play his provisional ball before B's next stroke.
If A allows B to play before he (A) states his intention to play a provisional ball, A has abandoned his right to recall B's stroke under Rule 10-1c, but he may still play the provisional ball.
- 10-3/1 Provisional Balls Played Out of Turn from Teeing Ground.
Q.A and B are playing a match on a handicap basis. B has the honor at the 1st hole.
Both players score 5's at the 1st hole but A receives a handicap stroke and therefore has a net 4. Does A take the honor at the 2nd hole?
Q.A dispute arises in a match between A and B, and A lodges a claim. A and B agree to continue the match and get a ruling later. If the claim could have an effect on determining who has the honor at the next hole, how is the honor decided?
A.In equity (Rule 1-4), the honor is decided by lot.
- 11-4a/1 Player With Honor Plays from Outside Teeing Ground; Order of Play if Opponent Requires Player to Cancel Stroke.
Q.In a match, A's ball is on one side of the fairway and B's ball is on the other side. Both balls are about 100 yards from the hole. A plays and B questions whether A played out of turn. Is the referee obliged to pace off the distances to the hole to resolve the question?
A.No. In view of the distances involved, the referee would be justified in resolving the question by eye. If he could not do so, he would be justified in deciding by lot which player should have played first. If it was decided by lot that B should have played first, B would have the option of recalling A's stroke under Rule 10-1c.
- 30/4 Player Who Walks Off Green Under Mistaken Impression Partner Halved Hole Returns and Putts for Half.
- 30-3b/2 Waiving Turn to Putt in Four-Ball Match.
Q.In a match between A and B, A played his tee shot out of turn. B requested A to abandon the ball and play in the correct order. However, after B played, he told A not to bother playing another ball. What is the ruling?
A.A was not obliged to comply with B's instruction to continue with the original ball. B incurred no penalty for giving the instruction.
Whether A continued with his original ball or played another ball in correct order as was his right, the result of the hole should stand as played.
Q.In match play, A's ball is on B's line of putt. B requests A to lift his ball under Rule 22-2. Instead of complying with the request, A putts out of turn. Does A lose the hole for a breach of Rule 22-2 or does Rule 10-1c apply, in which case there would be no penalty but B would have the right to require A to replay the stroke in correct order?
A.Rule 10-1c governs.
Q.In match play, it is A's turn to play but he realizes that he has accidentally left a club on the previous hole. He decides to return to retrieve the club, and suggests that his opponent B play first to save time. If B then plays out of turn as suggested, have the players agreed to waive the Rules in breach of Rule 1-3?
A.No. When done solely for the purpose of saving time, a player whose turn it is to play may invite his opponent to play first. The opponent is under no obligation to accept the offer to play first, but if he does so, the player has waived his right under Rule 10-1c to recall the stroke played out of turn. (Revised - Formerly 10-1a/3)
- 6-7/1 Player Returns to Tee to Retrieve Forgotten Club.
- 10-2c/2 Competitors in Stroke Play Agree to Play Out of Turn But Not for Purpose of Giving One of Them an Advantage.
Q.In a stroke-play competition on a handicap basis, the handicap is deducted at the end of the round and not at individual holes. In such a competition, how is the honor determined?
A.According to gross scores.
Q.In stroke play, A's ball is 40 feet from the hole and B's is 30 feet away. A putts and his ball comes to rest four feet from the hole. A prepares to hole out before B putts. B objects and claims that under the Rules (Rule 10-2b) he is entitled to putt before A.
Although putting out of turn in stroke play is generally condoned, should the Committee allow A to putt out of turn in these circumstances?
A.If A had lifted his ball when the objection was lodged, the Committee should rule that A is not entitled to putt out of turn, in view of Rule 10-2b.
If A had not lifted his ball at the time the objection was lodged, the answer depends on whether B would require A to lift his ball under Rule 22 (Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play) before he (B) putts. If so, the Committee should rule that A is entitled to play out of turn, provided he does so without first lifting his ball, i.e., Rule 22-2 permits a competitor in stroke play who is required to lift his ball because of interference to "play first rather than lift."
If B would not require A to lift his ball before he (B) putts, the Committee should rule that A is not entitled to putt out of turn.
Although condoning putting out of turn in stroke play may be questionable in view of the explicit language of Rule 10-2b, there is no penalty for doing so (Rule 10-2c), it is not in conflict with the intent of Rule 10-2b, and it may tend to speed play. Accordingly, it is considered that the practice should not be discouraged.
- 31-4/1 Player Waives Turn to Play; Circumstances Under Which He May Complete Hole.
- 31-4/2 Extent to Which Side May Play in Order It Considers Best.
Q.In stroke play, a competitor played out of turn from the teeing ground and, although he should have continued play with the ball played out of turn without penalty, he abandoned the ball and played another ball in proper order. What is the ruling?
A.When the competitor played another ball from the tee, the original ball was lost and the other ball was in play under penalty of stroke and distance - see Rule 27-1.
- 18-2/1 Player Who Misses Tee Shot Tees Ball Lower Before Making Next Stroke.
- 18-2/2 Ball Falling Off Tee When Stroke Just Touches It Is Picked Up and Re-Teed.
- 18-2/11 Tee Shot Wrongly Thought to Be Out of Bounds Lifted; Competitor Plays Another Ball from Tee.
- 27-2b/10 Provisional Ball Lifted Subsequently Becomes Ball in Play; Competitor Then Plays from Wrong Place.
- 29-1/9 Both Player and Partner Drive at Same Tee in Foursome Play.
Q.In stroke play, A and B agree to play out of turn at the 10th hole to save time. There is no penalty under Rule 10-2c because they did not do so in order to give one of them an advantage. However, are they liable to disqualification under Rule 1-3 for agreeing to exclude the operation of Rule 10-2a or 10-2b as the case may be?
A.No. Rule 10-2c specifically governs and permits the procedure in stroke play. Accordingly, Rule 1-3 does not apply. As to match play, see Decision 10-1c/3.
Q.In match play, A has the honor and plays from the teeing ground,followed by his opponent, B. B, believing that his original ball may be out of bounds, plays a provisional ball while A stands by silently.
After B has played his provisional ball, A decides that, as his ball may be out of bounds or lost outside a water hazard, he will also play a provisional ball.
In view of the provisions in Rule 10-3, may A require B to cancel and replay his provisional ball?
A.No. When B played his provisional ball, he did not know that A would do so as well. A may play a provisional ball under these circumstances; however, he abandoned his right to recall B's stroke when he allowed B to play his provisional ball first.
- 10/4 Order of Play for Provisional Ball Other Than from Teeing Ground.
- 11-4a/1 Player With Honor Plays from Outside Teeing Ground; Order of Play if Opponent Requires Player to Cancel Stroke.