Golf Rule Stumpers - Stump the Forum!

GolfLivesMatter

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Golf has so many rules it's almost impossible to follow. Anyone want to challenge us to "what's the ruling?".

Here's one:

Can you place a water bottle on a green before putting?
 
Golf has so many rules it's almost impossible to follow. Anyone want to challenge us to "what's the ruling?".

Here's one:

Can you place a water bottle on a green before putting?

Falls under 14-3 Artificial Devices and Unusual Equipment. As long as you don't use it as a leveling device (looking at the water to see if the green is level) it's fine. It's just classified as equipment just like a towel or other "equipment" you may have. You wouldn't be in breach of the rule if you use the equipment in a traditionally accepted manner (you know, to drink water from)

I'm just taking a stab at it, may be totally wrong.
 
Oooh this could be fun.
 
Are we allowed to google?
 
Place it where and for what purpose ???

My guess is ...
Anywhere near your line and no way.
For the purpose of testing the surface (e.g. seeing the level or checking how firm it is then No)

Can you put it on the green, I don't see why not.

If I saw my opponent putting a water bottle on every green i would be questioning it.
Could be a good matchplay tactic if it is legal ... Would really distract and confuse your opponent


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Falls under 14-3 Artificial Devices and Unusual Equipment. As long as you don't use it as a leveling device (looking at the water to see if the green is level) it's fine. It's just classified as equipment just like a towel or other "equipment" you may have. You wouldn't be in breach of the rule if you use the equipment in a traditionally accepted manner (you know, to drink water from)

I'm just taking a stab at it, may be totally wrong.

You nailed it! For practice I played with a guy who brought a dinner dish and set it over the cups. He’d put a ball on the dish to find the cup’s low point.


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May I throw one out? Ok.

Your approach shot hits the green and comes to rest on a slope or some undulation in the green. You mark and pick up your ball. You go to place the ball and it will not rest where it was. Every time you line it up and put it down, it rotates a half turn in some direction. What do you do?
 
May I throw one out? Ok.

Your approach shot hits the green and comes to rest on a slope or some undulation in the green. You mark and pick up your ball. You go to place the ball and it will not rest where it was. Every time you line it up and put it down, it rotates a half turn in some direction. What do you do?

No Googling answer: I say after several attempts you play where the ball finally rests.
 
May I throw one out? Ok.

Your approach shot hits the green and comes to rest on a slope or some undulation in the green. You mark and pick up your ball. You go to place the ball and it will not rest where it was. Every time you line it up and put it down, it rotates a half turn in some direction. What do you do?

I'd set it 1/2 turn away from where it should rest once I'd determined it was rolling exactly 1/2 turn each time.
 
May I throw one out? Ok.

Your approach shot hits the green and comes to rest on a slope or some undulation in the green. You mark and pick up your ball. You go to place the ball and it will not rest where it was. Every time you line it up and put it down, it rotates a half turn in some direction. What do you do?

I would say to place it as close as you can, no closer to the hole. You might have to get off the slope and onto a flat maybe?
 
You’ve played one of your favorite balls with a “1” on it and hit it into a greenside bunker. Your playing partner hits his ball to almost the identical spot, and when you get there, you discovered he was playing the same ball with a “1” as well.

Neither one of you put an identifying mark on the ball. What to do?
 
No Googling answer: I say after several attempts you play where the ball finally rests.

I would say to place it as close as you can, no closer to the hole. You might have to get off the slope and onto a flat maybe?
Some seemingly conflicted information on this.

Rule
Ball in Play Moved by Wind or Gravity
Q. A player replaces his ball on the putting green and the ball is at rest. Without addressing the ball the player steps away to read his putt.

The ball moves either due to the wind or the slope of the putting green. How should the player proceed?

A. The player must play his ball from the new position without penalty.

If the ball was moved into the hole then the player is deemed to have holed out with his previous stroke (Decision 20-3d/1).

Note: It is not relevant whether the player had removed his ball-marker before the ball was moved by the wind or gravity as the player's ball was in play when it was replaced (Rule 20-4).



d. Ball Fails to Come to Rest on Spot
If a ball when placed fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it still fails to come to rest on that spot:

(i)

except in a hazard, it must be placed at the nearest spot where it can be placed at rest that is not nearer the hole and not in a hazard;

(ii)

in a hazard, it must be placed in the hazard at the nearest spot where it can be placed at rest that is not nearer the hole.

If a ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed, and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.


So here is the answer:

If the ball immediately moves upon placement, it must be replaced, if it still immediately moves, it must be placed as close as possible not nearer to the hole where it no longer immediately moves.
HOWEVER, if the ball comes to rest and THEN moves (wind, etc), it is part of the previous stroke and you play it when it comes to rest again.

The key is at rest vs not at rest
 
You’ve played one of your favorite balls with a “1” on it and hit it into a greenside bunker. Your playing partner hits his ball to almost the identical spot, and when you get there, you discovered he was playing the same ball with a “1” as well.

Neither one of you put an identifying mark on the ball. What to do?

Pretty sure both balls are considered "lost" and you both have to retee with the penalty for a lost ball
 
Pretty sure both balls are considered "lost" and you both have to retee with the penalty for a lost ball

Precisely, it is the responsibility of the player to play the proper ball. Stroke and distance penalty.

The only way out of this would be if a spectator was able to identify who each ball belongs to.
 
Golf has so many rules it's almost impossible to follow. Anyone want to challenge us to "what's the ruling?".

Here's one:

Can you place a water bottle on a green before putting?

What about leaving a Smirnoff Ice on the green so one of your buddies in the next group has to chug it when he sees it? Just asking for a friend.
 
Precisely, it is the responsibility of the player to play the proper ball. Stroke and distance penalty.

The only way out of this would be if a spectator was able to identify who each ball belongs to.

This is a rule that is fine for a competition, but makes no sense when playing a casual round. In a competition (tournament or whatever) everyone marks their ball so no worries. But if you meet your friends for a round on Saturday and we both end up playing the same ball and they are in the same spot and we can't tell who's is who's, we're just going to pick one and play it. No big deal.
 
Golf Rule Stumpers - Stump the Forum!

What about leaving a Smirnoff Ice on the green so one of your buddies in the next group has to chug it when he sees it? Just asking for a friend.

Smirnoff Ice? Loss of hole in match play, stroke play two strokes penalty for leaving an improper beverage with an additional two strokes if it was left in such a way as to interfere with normal play
 
Smirnoff Ice? Loss of hole in match play, stroke play two strokes penalty for leaving an improper beverage with an additional two strokes if it was left in such a way as to interfere with normal play

We just play 'two shot' penalty....player spins around really fast then immediately hits lol
 
Scenario:

In a foursomes match, an opponent and I each had three-footers left for par. "Good-good?" I offered. He said, "Okay," but before he picked up his partner said, "No, putt them." He missed, I made for the win…at which point they argued that the offer accepted by the player putting was binding and the hole had been halved. So, can a player overrule his partner in this scenario or not?
 
Scenario:

In a foursomes match, an opponent and I each had three-footers left for par. "Good-good?" I offered. He said, "Okay," but before he picked up his partner said, "No, putt them." He missed, I made for the win…at which point they argued that the offer accepted by the player putting was binding and the hole had been halved. So, can a player overrule his partner in this scenario or not?
I'm guessing here but if this was match play a ball given is a ball given and counted that way regardless as to whether or not the ball is putted or not

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Scenario:

In a foursomes match, an opponent and I each had three-footers left for par. "Good-good?" I offered. He said, "Okay," but before he picked up his partner said, "No, putt them." He missed, I made for the win…at which point they argued that the offer accepted by the player putting was binding and the hole had been halved. So, can a player overrule his partner in this scenario or not?

A concession, once given, cannot be withdrawn.
 
d. Ball Fails to Come to Rest on Spot
If a ball when placed fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it still fails to come to rest on that spot:

(i)

except in a hazard, it must be placed at the nearest spot where it can be placed at rest that is not nearer the hole and not in a hazard;

Let's go with no wind or anything like that. I think the above quote is it. Find the place nearest to the spot, but not nearer to the hole, where the ball will rest. Seems like I read something before where you can try to the left of it, maybe try the right side, behind it, and find a spot closest to that spot where it will rest. This seemingly could be way back somewhere if the green were a huge slope.
 
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