Rules Question 12-17-2022

In stroke play, a ball at rest on the putting green is marked by the player and then lifted to be cleaned. He puts that ball in his pocket, which is then mixed in with two other golf balls that he has in his pocket. He grabs a different ball from his pocket, replaces that ball back on the original spot and then holes that putt. Before the player tees off on the next hole, he realizes his mistake. What is the ruling?

A. The player is penalized two strokes because he has played a wrong ball and must correct that mistake before teeing off on the next hole or he will be disqualified.

B. The player has proceeded correctly and is not penalized.

C. The player is penalized two strokes for playing an incorrectly substituted ball and the hole is complete.

D. The player is disqualified for playing a wrong ball.

The Purpose Statement in Rule 6.3 explains the core fundamental in playing a hole in golf. A hole is played as a progression of strokes made from the teeing area to the putting green and into the hole. After teeing off, the player is normally required to play the same ball until the hole is completed. The player gets a penalty for making a stroke at a wrong ball or a substituted ball when substitution is not allowed by the Rules.

In this week’s question our player has substituted a ball when not allowed by replacing the original ball with another ball. Rules 6.3b(2), 6.3b(3), and 14.4 provides the clarity in properly applying the rules in this instance. Rule 14.4 Is important as it clearly defines when a ball is back in play after being lifted.

6.3b. Substitution of Another Ball While Playing Hole

6.3b(2) Substituted Ball Becomes Ball in Play. When a player substitutes another ball as the ball in play (see Rule 14.4):

• The original ball is no longer in play, even if it is at rest on the course.
• This is true even if the player:

• Substituted another ball for the original ball when not allowed by the Rules (whether or not the player realized that they were substituting another ball), or

• Replaced, dropped or placed the substituted ball (1) in a wrong way, (2) in a wrong place or (3) by using a procedure that does not apply.

• For how to correct any error before playing the substituted ball, see Rule 14.5.

If the player’s original ball has not been found and the player put another ball in play to take stroke-and-distance relief (see Rules 17.1d, 18.1, 18.2b and 19.2a) or as allowed under a Rule that applies when it is known or virtually certain what happened to the ball (see Rules 6.3c, 9.6, 11.2c, 15.2b, 16.1e and 17.1c):

• The player must continue playing with the substituted ball, and
• The player must not play the original ball even if it is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 18.2a(1)).

(3) Making Stroke at Incorrectly Substituted Ball.

 If a player makes a stroke at an incorrectly substituted ball,

·         the player gets the General Penalty 

·         In stroke play, the player must then play out the hole with the incorrectly substituted ball.

14.4 When Player’s Ball Is Back in Play After Original Ball Was Out of Play

When a player’s ball in play is lifted from the course or is lost or out of bounds, the ball is no longer in play.

The player has a ball in play again only when:

• The player plays the original ball or another ball from the teeing area, or
• The original ball or another ball is replaced, dropped or placed on the course with the intent for that ball to be in play.

If a ball is returned to the course in any way with the intent for it to be in play, the ball is in play even if it was:

• Substituted for the original ball when not allowed under the Rules, or
• Replaced, dropped or placed (1) in a wrong place, (2) in a wrong way or (3) by using a procedure that did not apply.

A replaced ball is in play even if the ball-markermarking its spot has not been removed.

Understanding all of this we can now determine that C is the correct answer for this week’s question as the player has played an incorrectly substituted ball incurring a 2 stroke penalty. 

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”.