The GolfRules Questions Podcast

Episode 123 of the GolfRules Questions podcast is all about the first stage Asian Tour Q School held last week at Mt Derrimut Golf Club where Stuart and Blakey were both a part of the Rules Committee. From setting up the course, to rabbit holes, and stone walls deemed integral objects. It was an adventurous week, as was the recording of this episode, during a long car ride home, you can actually hear Blakey pause to multi-task as he checked the rearview mirror. So please enjoy the audio-only episode, then like and subscribe, but more importantly, get in those clubland stories so we can bring them to life.

As Andrea's provisional ball never became the ball in play, there was no penalty for accidentally causing it to move. Andrea was not allowed to declare her original ball lost, that is why it stayed as the ball in play when found within the three minute search time.

GRQOTW123 Question

Marvin hit his ball into a creek and then waited 3 minutes while the stream took his ball closer to the hole. Andy the Average Golfer wasn't very happy about this and so called in a referee to help them with the situation.

CLUBLAND STORIES September: Matt Fitz damaged driver, Advice given in the Creator Classic playoff, Sahith's bunker issue, Call 'Fore' if a ball is hurtling towards someone - THE GRQ PODCAST EP122

GRQOTW121 Answer:

Andy is lying five after hitting his ball that was Out Of Bounds. He has to go back to where he played his second shot from.

GRQOTW122 Question:

Episode 121 of the GolfRules Questions podcast is back to the OG of Rules Questions - ClubLand Stories

Today’s episode features a greensomes question about using the partner’s club, whether strokes are given in a match play playoff, what is the area underneath a bridge, hitting a ball into the hole with your hand, and playing from a No Play Zone, we also have the GRQOTW for 121 that you can try wrap your head around.

GRQOTW120:

Andy the Average Golfer is playing a stroke round at Wombat Hills.  On the 9th hole, he hits his 2nd shot way left towards the driving range. 

Among all of the other golf balls, he finds his ball and plays his 3rd stroke towards the green.  After 1 chip and 3 putts, he holes out.

As he is waiting at the back of the 9th green, waiting for others to finish the hole, a staff member walks down and advises Andy that the driving range is OOB. 

Andy asks the staff member what that means.  Neither know, so they approach you as a member of the Committee for assistance.  What is Andy the Average Golfer's score for the 9th hole?

In episode 120, Stuart chats with Graeme Scott who has extensive experience in professional golf, including at the highest levels, refereeing at 15 majors and at tournaments all around the world. 
Scotty regales many of his experiences with players at various tournaments, and talks about what it takes to be a good Referee.
Stuart then finishes the podcast with the latest GRQOTW.

GRQOTW120:
Andy the Average Golfer is playing a stroke round at Wombat Hills.  On the 17th hole, Andy plays his tee shot way left and after a brief search, he finds his ball, however it is right next to stone carved Wombat statue, which the Committee has deemed an integral object.
The statue interferes with his area of intended swing, so after advising Danni the D Grade Golfer, his marker, that he will take free relief, he identifies the NPCR and drops another ball into a 1 club length relief area.
Stuart walks over and tells Andy that the statue is an integral object and there is no free relief, so he must correct the mistake. Accordingly, Andy properly identifies a two club length relief area from the original ball, which has not been moved, in order to take unplayable ball relief.  He realises the dropped ball is within the unplayable ball relief area.  He then plays the dropped ball which lands on the green.  He takes three putts to hole out, and reports a score of 6 to Danni (5 strokes and 1 penalty stroke for the unplayable).
Before submitting his scorecard, Andy the Average Golfer asks you, as a member of the Committee, to confirm his score for the 17th hole.  What is his score for the 17th hole?

In episode 119, Stuart chats with former touring professional and now commentator and media personality, Mark Allen. 
Mark answers some rapid fire questions about his playing career.  
Mark has some funny and entertaining stories with the Rules, with Referees and provides his biggest tip to aspiring Referees on how to deal with players.

This situation comes down to whether Stuart's ball is lost or whether it is known or virtually certain that his ball was moved by an outside influence.From the sounds of it, when the question said " but knowing that he really doesn't know for sure that someone else took his ball" would suggest that there was no serious consideration to whether Stuart thought his ball was moved by an outside influence.  It was them thinking it was just unfair and just put another ball into play.IF the Committee decided that it was KVC that Stuart's ball was moved by an outside influence, then he was permitted to replace a ball back on the estimated spot and resume play of the hole with no penalty.  However, Rule 9.6 requires a ball to be replaced on the spot and not dropped.  Stuart dropping the ball would incur the GP for playing from a wrong place.  
Normally, a penalty must not be added or corrected after a stroke-play competition has closed.  If Stuart did not know about the GP, he is not disqualified for the lower score as did not know about the penalty strokes before the competition closed.   In this case, the competition results would stand.  
IF the Committee decided there was NOT KVC for an outside influence moving the ball, then Stuart's ball was lost and his only option was to proceed under stroke and distance and return to the teeing area.  He has put another into play in the middle of the fairway, however he has made a stroke from the wrong place and that would be considered a serious breach due to the significant advantage he would have gained.  The SB needs to be corrected before making a stroke to begin the 10th hole, otherwise Stuart is DQed. 
However, let's turn to Rule 20.2e(2) is Disqualifying Players After the Result of Competition Is Final.  A player must be disqualified even after the competition is closed if they:

The Committee would need to decide that Stuart knew that he couldn't just drop a ball in the middle of the fairway for a lost ball.  Blakey's comments in the bar afterwards would also suggest that he knew that wasn't the correct procedure.  They may ask the players to confirm their understanding of the Rule. 
On this basis, The Committee would DQ both Stuart and Blakey.   Jeff, who finished 3rd, would be awarded the Winter Cup. 
You could also turn to Rule 1.3b - Applying the Rules.   Players are responsible for applying the Rules to themselves.  
If a player knows they have breached a Rule that involves a penalty and deliberately fails to apply the penalty, the player is disqualified.  If two or more players agree to ignore any Rule or penalty they know applies and any of those players have started the round, they are disqualified. 
If I was on the Committee, I would strongly push to DQ both Blakey and Stuart for failing to follow the correct procedure for Stuart's lost ball. 

Blakey and Stuart are playing a match in the Koala Cup at Wombat Hills.
Blakey makes a putt on the 18th to win the match.  Blakey and Stuart shake hands and Stuart says, "Congratulations!"As they stand beside the 18th green attending to their clubs, a spectator walks briskly from the Clubhouse and tells Stuart that Blakey forgot to replace his ball marker in the correct spot, after he moved it on the putting green.  Blakey and Stuart cannot remember but they agree to play extra holes to determine the winner.   Stuart wins the 20th hole. 
What is the official result of the match and why?

GUEST: Karen Lunn, current CEO of the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and former touring professional, chats about her playing days, and her view of the Rules, and referees - THE GRQ PODCAST EP118

GUEST: Nick O'Hern, former touring pro with a career high ranking of 16, speaks with Stuart about his golfing career, and how best to approach players who ask for a ruling - THE GRQ PODCAST EP117

In episode 117, Stuart chats with former touring professional, Nick O'Hern, who reached a world golf ranking of 16.  
Nick briefly chats about his two victories against Tiger Woods in individual match play, and then Stuart throws some rapid fire questions at him about his golfing career.  
Nick talks about his experiences with the Rules, with Referees and provides his biggest tip to aspiring Referees on how to deal with players. 
Stuart then finishes with the latest GRQOTW.

We hope you enjoy this episode of the Golf Rules Questions podcast, as well as the weekly rules newsletter, and make sure you subscribe to the GolfRules Questions YouTube channel for more educational videos.

We also have merchandise that you can purchase so that you are representing the best Golf Rules podcast in the world. Grab a t-shirt, a hat, or even a hoodie featuring the Rules Roo, or the Wombat caddie.

GRQOTW117
Andy the Average Golfer is playing a stroke play event at Wombat Hills.  On the 12th hole, Andy hits his tee shot into the left rough.  The group searches for 2 minutes and finds a ball in a bad lie. Andy identifies his ball and decides it is unplayable, so he drops it under Rule 19.2b, and plays it towards the putting green. When Andy arrives, he realises that it isn’t his ball, so he returns to the area to find his original ball and finds it within 30 seconds in a playable lie. Andy plays that ball towards the putting green and holes out in four more strokes.  Before signing and submitting his scorecard, Andy asks you for help with his score on the 12th hole.  What is his score?

Welcome to the 4th best golf rules podcast in the world, this is episode 116 of the GolfRules Questions podcast.

Blakey and Stuart have another iteration of clubland stories, including:

- whether using your putter to mark out your relief area is allowed,

- raking footprints in a bunker before playing your shot,

- causing a ball to move after your ball has been holed,

- how strict are the Rules of Golf when it comes to starting times,

- peeing on your golf ball,

- can opponents who are losing a match suspend play,

- and what happens when your club gets stuck in the sand underneath your golf ball.

We hope you enjoy this episode of the Golf Rules Questions podcast, as well as the weekly rules newsletter, and make sure you subscribe to the GolfRules Questions YouTube channel for more educational videos.

We also have merchandise that you can purchase so that you are representing the best Golf Rules podcast in the world. Grab a t-shirt, a hat, or even a hoodie featuring the Rules Roo, or the Wombat caddie.

Caddie's action breaches a Rule that if the player had taken would have been a breach, so Blakey loses the hole because the caddie gave incorrect information about the score that Blakey had had.

Thinking she is playing stableford and frustrated that she is going to score 0 points on the 1st hole, she turns her putter upside down and knocks the ball into the hole using the grip end of the putter.

Andy the Average Golfer reminds Danny that she is playing stroke and not stableford. With Andy's excellent rules knowledge assisting her, and knowing she has not made a legal stroke, Danni replaces her ball back 5cms from the hole and putts the ball in the hole correctly. She asks Andy to put an 8 for her hole score (7 talent strokes and 1 penalty stroke for causing her ball to move).

Before submitting her scorecard, she asks you if 8 is correct, as she is not sure about the penalty stroke - what is her hole score for the 1st hole?

This is an advanced GRQ Podcast with some recent questions/answers off the Facebook group: