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I just lately witnessed one thing unfair at a professional event. A participant’s strategy shot landed and stopped on the center of the inexperienced. His taking part in accomplice wanted a ruling earlier than taking part in his strategy, which took a number of minutes. Throughout this delay, an enormous gust of wind blew throughout the inexperienced, sending the ball off the placing floor. Underneath these uncommon circumstances, can the ball actually not get replaced the place it was? —Mike Keller, through electronic mail
Verily it can not, Mike, although it might appear unfair. If the ball had not already been lifted and changed, then the participant wanted to play the ball because it lies.
It’s no totally different than had the identical factor occurred after a 250-yard strategy and the ball began to roll away whereas the gamers have been strolling towards the inexperienced — the ball was moved by pure forces, so Rule 9.3 says to play it because it lies from the place it rolled to.
We will even notice that the primary participant may have walked forward and marked his ball whereas his accomplice was getting the ruling, which might have spared him a state of affairs that does certainly blow.
For extra wind-related steering from our guru, learn on …
Guidelines Man, Masters version: Revisiting Padraig Harrington’s pricey wind gust
Retired guys with season passes will play in nearly any circumstances. Not too long ago, we have been braving a spherical in a really stiff wind. My tee shot on a par 3 landed a bit quick and, simply as I chipped, the wind blew the flagstick from the opening. My ball hit the susceptible flagstick and adopted alongside the stick into the opening. The flag was correctly positioned after I performed my shot, so I doubt I’m penalized. However do I replay my shot, or is it a birdie with an help from Mom Nature? —Greg Hayward, through electronic mail
Whereas Guidelines Man shouldn’t be fairly as besotted by Caddyshack as some individuals, the incident you describe would have labored properly within the bishop’s “greatest spherical of my life” montage. Does it finish on a happier notice? Sure.
There’s nothing within the guidelines so far as Guidelines Man sees that penalizes you or that will require the stroke to be replayed. You didn’t take away the flagstick whereas the ball was in movement, and the ball hitting the flagstick was an accident. Underneath Rule 13.2, unintended deflections consequence within the ball being performed because it lies with out penalty. Decide your ball from the cup … and, please, don’t get struck by lightning.
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