Rules Question 12-10-2022

A player’s ball lies in a tire rut in the fairway, but the player is unsure if he will get relief for ground under repair. Without a member of the Committee present to make a ruling, the player decides to play two balls and request a ruling from the Committee in the scoring area after the round to see if that area was to be treated as ground under repair. The player does not announce which ball he wants to count and plays the ball from the tire rut first and then the ball dropped as if the area were to be treated as ground under repair. The player scores with both balls and records a 5 for the ball played from the tire rut and 7 for the ball dropped as if it were ground under repair. What is the player’s score for the hole if the Committee declares that area ground under repair?

A. 5

B. 6

C. 7

D. The player is disqualified.

The playing of 2 balls when a player is uncertain in how to proceed often happens in tournament play when an official is not nearby. When doing so the player has taken the necessary steps to ensure that they will have a ball to score with preventing a disqualification penalty for proceeding incorrectly under a rule. When the decision has been made to play 2 balls due to rules uncertainty, Rule 20.1C guides us in how the player must proceed. 

But beware as this rule is a bit tricky as a player must make his intentions known, like playing a provisional ball in Rule 18.3, prior to making another stroke. Failure to announce your choice of which ball to count can result in an undesirable outcome, just as failing to announce a provisional ball being put into play.

For Review 20.1c(3)

20.1c Resolving Rules Issues During Round (Stroke Play)

(3) Playing Two Balls When Uncertain What to Do. A player who is uncertain about the right procedure while playing a hole may complete the hole with two balls without penalty:

• The player must decide to play two balls after the uncertain situation arises and before making a stroke
• The player should choose which ball will count if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball, by announcing that choice to his or her or to another player before making a stroke.
• If the player does not choose in time, the ball played first is treated as the ball chosen by default.
• The player must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning the scorecard, even if the player scores the same with both balls. The player is disqualified if he or she fails to do so.
• If the player made a stroke before deciding to play a second ball:
• This Rule does not apply at all and the score that counts is the score with the ball played before the player decided to play the second ball.
• But the player gets no penalty for playing the second ball.

A second ball played under this Rule is not the same as a provisional ball under Rules 18.3

In reading this week’s question we can determine that in playing 2 balls the players intentions were for the score with the second ball to be the one they wished to count. But during the process of playing these 2 balls the player failed to announce, as required by rule, to his marker or another player the ball to count. In failing to make this announcement the ball played first is the ball chosen to count by default.

Based upon this information this week’s correct answer is A, as the player has scored a 5.

If you find yourself in this situation on the course, please remember your obligations.

1. You must announce your intentions of playing 2 balls before making a stroke.

Do you have a rules question that you have often wondered about? If so, please send it to dmiller@mvgolf.org for an answer and who knows it could very well be our next “Rules Question of the Week”.