So why pretend?
This is the end
You'll have to find out for yourself
Go on ask somebody else
Why can't you just get it through your head?
It's over, it's over now
Yes, you heard me clearly now, I said
It's over, it's over now
-Boz Scaggs
This last question was a doozy. I took it straight from the USGA Rules Quiz ADVANCED version so don’t feel bad if you got it wrong. And it also ruined the last remaining perfect score…oh darn.
Let’s break it down.
Question #10. In stroke play, a player accidentally kicks their ball in play that was visible in the general area. OOPS! You just got a one stroke penalty for moving the ball from Rule 9.4b Penalty for…Causing it to Move. Rule 7.4 isn't applicable since the ball was visible and you weren't searching for it.
The ball's exact original location is not known. No problem, Rule 9.4a allows you to estimate the location to replace your original ball back into play IAW Rule 14.2 Replacing Ball on Spot.
The player drops (no, no, you’ve got to replace it!)
another ball within one club-length of, but not nearer the hole than where it lay Uh-Oh. You’ve done screwed the pooch now. No attempt was made to estimate the original spot and replace it there.
and makes their next stroke. The dropped ball does not come to rest on its original spot. You’ve now played from a wrong place and Rule 14.7a Playing from Wrong Place states you get the general penalty, and since it’s stroke play, that’s two strokes.
So, ball accidentally moved by player in general area = one penalty stroke, and playing from the wrong place = two penalty strokes.
My math says 1+2 = 3
USGA math says 1+2 = 2
There is this USGA “Math” Rule 1.3c(4) Applying Penalties to Multiple Breaches of the Rules which basically says you only get the higher penalty since there wasn’t an intervening event, like making a stroke, between the two infractions.
The correct ruling is that the player:
A. has no penalty
B. gets one penalty stroke
C. gets two penalty strokes
D. gets three penalty strokes
E. is Disqualified
“C” is the correct answer.
I’ll announce our contest results later today.
Tom McKernan
Rules & Handicaps
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