Rules Quiz: Is This Allowed?
Illustration by Tim Bower
Answer yes or no to the following:
1. Your opponent's ball is just off the green but 10 yards closer to the putting surface than your ball, and it's on your chipping line. He voluntarily marks his ball to allow you to chip without interference. (see below for answers)
Yes
No
2. Your playing partner hits his ball in the woods. The ball is lost, so he drops a ball next to the point where the ball entered the woods, takes a penalty stroke, and plays on.
Yes
No
3. Your opponent marks her ball next to the hole after three shots. When she replaces it, a wind gust blows it in. She writes 3 on her scorecard.
Yes
No
4. Your opponent uses a bottle cap as a tee.
Yes
No
5. Your playing partner hits his ball into a water hazard. Rather than play it, he takes a penalty drop, and his ball rolls into a bunker. He then hits the shot.
Yes
No
6. Your opponent's ball is under some leaves, but he can't see it at address or move the leaves without moving the ball. He claims he's entitled to a free drop because he says he should be able to see the ball to hit it. So he takes relief and hits his next shot.
Yes
No
7. After you sink your putt, you concede your opponent's one-footer for par to halve the hole, but she taps in anyway.
Yes
No
8. Your partner's ball is on the green. He wants to clean it, so he puts his hat down to mark the ball's position. He picks the ball up and cleans it.
Yes
No
9. You're about to putt out for a bogey on a par 4, and you ask your match-play opponent how many strokes he has taken. He says "five," and he waits until you make the putt, then says, "No, I meant four," which is what he lies.
Yes
No
10. Your opponent has an unplayable lie next to the green. She puts her wedge back in the bag and grabs her driver to determine the two club-lengths of relief.
Yes
No
ANSWERS:
1.) No. The ball was lifted without a request from you. It's a one-stroke penalty for your opponent, and the ball must be replaced (18-3b).
2.) No. He should have taken a one-stroke penalty and played from the spot where he took his last shot (20-5 and 27-1).
3.) Yes. Provided the ball was not addressed for the fourth shot, it's considered holed by the wind (18-1/12).
4.) Yes. A bottle cap is OK as long as it doesn't indicate the line of play or influence the ball's flight (Definitions).
5.) Yes. It's permissible to take a drop even if the ball rolls into another water hazard or bunker (26-1/2).
6.) No. He's not necessarily entitled to see the ball when making a stroke, except in a hazard (12-1).
7.) Yes. In match play, this type of practice is OK (7-2).
8.) Yes. You can use anything to mark the position of a ball (20-1/16).
9.) No. He cannot give wrong information about his score. He loses the hole (9-2b).
10.) Yes. Any club can be used to determine the drop area (20/1 or 20/2).