Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2024 - 9

RULES PRIMER
Rules Quiz
Do you know the correct procedure when your golf ball is
moved? Not every situation requires the same action.
T
he following Rules quiz demonstrates how slightly different circumstances can
affect the appropriate procedure for replacing a moved golf ball. (For each situation,
assume that if the exact spot of a ball to be replaced is not known, it should
be estimated.) The correct procedure and relevant Rules are listed below each situation.
Good luck!
1. Alice is searching for her ball, and she
accidentally kicks and moves her ball.
A. No penalty; Alice must replace the ball.
B. One penalty stroke; Alice must
replace the ball.
C. No penalty; Alice must drop the ball
as near as possible to where it was.
Answer A: Rule 9.4b says that if a player
causes their ball to move, they get one
penalty stroke, but in this case Rule 9.4b
Exception 2 applies because the ball was
moved during a search, so no penalty.
Rule 14.2b says who may replace a ball,
and it is the player (owner of ball) or the
person who caused the ball to move.
A. No penalty; Alice must replace the ball.
B. No penalty; either Alice or Carol
must replace the ball.
C. One penalty stroke to Carol; either
Alice or Carol must replace the ball.
Answer C: Rule 9.5b says that
opponent moves
the player's ball
if the
in
match play, the opponent gets one penalty
stroke. Rule 14.2b also applies.
4. Alice is playing a stroke play event with
Carol, and while walking down the fairway
Carol kicks Alice's ball.
A. No penalty; Alice must replace the ball.
B. No penalty; either Alice or Carol
must replace the ball.
2. Alice is walking down the fairway and
accidentally kicks and moves her ball.
A. No penalty; Alice must replace the ball.
B. One penalty stroke; Alice must
replace the ball.
C. No penalty; Alice must drop the ball
as near as possible to where it was.
Answer B: See Rule 9.4b and Rule
14.2b above.
3. Alice is playing a match against Carol, and
while walking down the fairway Carol kicks
Alice's ball.
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5. Al and Bob are playing Chuck and Dan in
a Four-Ball match. While walking down the
fairway, Al kicks Bob's ball.
A. One penalty stroke to Al; either Al or
Bob must replace the ball.
B. One penalty stroke to both Al and
Summer 2024 MINNESOTAGOLFER 9
C. One penalty stroke to Carol; either
Alice or Carol must replace the ball.
Answer B: Rule 9.6 says that if a ball is
moved by an outside influence (including
another player in stroke play), no
penalty. Rule 14.2b also applies.
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Bob; either Al or Bob must replace
the ball.
C. One penalty stroke to Bob; either Al
or Bob must replace the ball.
Answer C: Rule 23.5a says in FourBall
the player may take any actions concerning
a partner's ball that the partner
may take (if the player can replace the
ball, so can the partner). Rule 23.5b says
in Four-Ball, any action taken by the
player concerning the partner's ball or
equipment is
treated as having been
taken by the partner, so the player whose
ball was moved by his partner gets one
penalty stroke. Rule 9.4b and Rule 14.2b
also apply.
6. Al and Bob are playing Chuck and Dan in
a Four-Ball match. While walking down the
fairway Al and Bob's caddie (who is carrying
both their bags) kicks Chuck's ball.
A. No penalty; any of the four players
or the caddie must replace the ball.
B. Both Al and Bob get one penalty
stroke; either the caddie, Chuck or
Dan must replace the ball.
C. One penalty stroke to either Al or
Bob depending on whose ball the
caddie was walking toward; either
Chuck or Dan must replace the ball.
Answer B: Rule 10.3a(2) says,
in part,
" If none of the players sharing a caddie
specifically directed the caddie's actions,
and none of those players' balls were
involved, all players sharing the caddie
get the penalty. "
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Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2024

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