A personal Rules of Golf story

[ntnBO]

With all this talk on The Rules of Golf I thought I would share what I think is an interesting story that took place in a mini-tour event at Roy Kizer GC in Austin, TX.

Drivable par 4, lateral hazard behind the green that winds its way right and back toward the tee. I hit driver trying to reach the green and hit it right to right and into this hazard a good 60 yards right and short of the green. Only logical option is to drop two club-lengths from point of entry which puts me in nothing but hard mud underneath a tree limb. In other words no good.

Now it should be noted that there are three drop circles behind the green for balls that enter that part of the hazard. Why they used drop circles in this instance I don't know. The rules sheet stated, "Drop circles behind the green may be used for any ball finding the hazard" Now, the intent of the rule is obvious, if your ball goes over the green and into the hazard then you have the option of using the drop circles. However read what the rules sheet stated, it said drop circles may be used for ANY BALL finding the hazard.

Since no rules officials were in sight I informed my playing competitors I was playing two balls. One from the mud under the tree, the second from a drop circle behind the green. The drop circle behind the green was a simple up and down not to mention 60 yards closer to the hole! My competitors went nuts and said there was no way I could do that. I showed them the rules sheet and knew it was my right to play two balls in this instance, which I did. Made 6 from the mud. Lipped out my chip from the drop circle and made 4.

After the round I snagged an official and we went out to that hole where I explained the situation and then showed him the rules sheet. He looked back and forth from the rules sheet to my face and shook his head in amazement. He then ruled, and I quote, "You SOB. I have to give it to you, the rule was poorly written. But PLEASE don't hit it in this hazard tomorrow."

Knowledge and application of The Rules of Golf is extremely important and it's fun when you can use them to your advantage.

BO

[Butcho22]

So you played two balls, and you putted them both out, and you took the best score of the two?

What?

[rjoefish]

I thought you could only ever play a second ball as provisional. Didn't know you could just take 2 drops out of a hazard and finish up with the best score. Thanks for the tip!!!

[ntnBO]

[ QUOTE ]
So you played two balls, and you putted them both out, and you took the best score of the two?

What?

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah, sorry. Left out one small part.

Naturally when playing two balls you have to declare which one you want to count. I stated that I wanted to play the ball from the drop circle. So if the ruling goes in my favor, my score from the drop circle counts no matter what. If I don't get the ruling, my score from the mud counts no matter what.

And yes, I have played two balls before getting the ruling, and had to count a higher score after having the ruling go in my favor! So to speak.

BO

[black knight]

You did what you were allowed. IMHO, far too few (uhh, nearly NO) players know the rules and it's only their own doom...if you know the rules, it's only to your advantage.

nihan.

[ArcticKnight]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So you played two balls, and you putted them both out, and you took the best score of the two?

What?

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah, sorry. Left out one small part.

Naturally when playing two balls you have to declare which one you want to count. I stated that I wanted to play the ball from the drop circle. So if the ruling goes in my favor, my score from the drop circle counts no matter what. If I don't get the ruling, my score from the mud counts no matter what.

And yes, I have played two balls before getting the ruling, and had to count a higher score after having the ruling go in my favor! So to speak.

BO

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I don't think you left out that part. There is really no question as to which ball you wanted to play. You advocated to your partners that your ball in the drop zone was the one you wanted to play according to the rule sheet, but that you are also going to play in the muck in case the ruling does not go in your favour.

BTW, I have also played two balls when a rule was in question, only I putted a "wrong" ball when I was on the green?? That's right, I had two balls on the green and still putted a wrong ball.

The hardest part about that was I wasn't sure which of my two balls the penalty whould be applied to. Not both, obviously, as I could only have been attempting to hit one of them. Anyway, I think I got a 6 with both balls....it was a long time ago.

[J_V]

Reminds me of a tournament round where I played 2 balls, one was a 10, the other a 4. Pretty brutal having to wait all wrong to know which I would have to take.

[JavaNut]

[ QUOTE ]
"You SOB. I have to give it to you, the rule was poorly written. But PLEASE don't hit it in this hazard tomorrow."

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't remember if a situation like this is in the decisions, but if it is, it should actually include the explicative in the ruling, something like this:

A) The local rule is formulated very poorly and should be replaced. But as the player is fully allowed to take advantage of poorly formulated local rules the ruling is as follows: "You SOB. You are allowed to drop in the drop zone.".

(Well my decisions-speak is not up to scratch anymore).

[JTrout]

I've had a couple of times where I played two balls, and scored higher with the one I wanted.

There was an outstanding rules official on the Hooters Tour years ago (usually they were bottom-of-the-barrel), Larry Startzel.
I learned quite a bit from him.

On playing two balls, he stressed that he didn't want to know the outcome, only the situation.
I had a ball off the side of the green, in a (shallow) tire track.
Played two, and made par with the one in the track. Bogeyed the free drop.
He gave me the drop. Riding back to the clubhouse, I told him that his ruling had hurt me a shot, and that his advise about not giving any information as to the outcome may have worked against me in this situation.
His reply was something like,
"Well there's nothing that kept you from speaking ill of my mother or otherwise upsetting me on the way out to the spot!"

The second time was less friendly.
On the last hole of a one day mini, on a poorly conditioned course that we played the ball "up" one clublength through the green.
I came to the 18th 4 under and in very good shape.
I hit my second in a dry ditch that was not marked.
I felt like it was a hazard, but I informed my partners that I would play two, in case it wasn't a hazard and I could move it one clublength.
I made par from the ditch, bogey from the one clublength better lie.

With Larry's advise in mind, I rode out to the spot with the club pro in silence.
Informed him of the circumstances, he ruled that it indeed was a hazard, and that I should not get one clublength.
Sweet! Par!

As we rode back to the club, he asked how I played.
And I screwed up.
I said, "68 since it is a hazard. I actually made worse with the second ball."
And then it happened.
"Well," he says. "I think I'm right about the hazard. But I need to check when I get back to the club and make sure."

What!!!
I'd already got my ruling!

Unfortunately for me, his dad had shot 69, and after 20 minutes or so of him closing himself in his office, he comes out and reverses his ruling.
Sick.
4 way playoff at 69. His dad and I both tie for second.
Cost me a few hundred.
Basterd.

[Clarkmeister]

Wow. I'd go totally apeshit.