Outside agency or not?

[LBH]

Hi Gary,

I was playing a skins game contest with some friends over the weekend and there was somewhat of a dispute over a ruling. It didn't affect the outcome of the contest (i.e. number of skins won) but we were simply curious to see if we made the correct ruling.

On the 17th hole at Predator (310 yds par 4 from the gold tees), one guy in our foursome reached the green on his drive. The foursome in front of us was still putting on the green (don't worry, they were friends and the ball rolled gently on the green). His ball landed short of the green, rolled on and hit a club that was put down on the green by one of the guys putting.

We made the ruling (rule 19-1) that the ball must be played as it lies since the club is an outside agency but also because there is no other way of knowing exactly where the ball would have come to rest if it wouldn't have hit the club.

What was confusing if that rule 19-2 states that if the ball is deflected or stopped by equipment then the competitor shall incur a penalty of two strokes. The definition of "equipment" in the rule book states that if is anything used, worn or carried by or for the player except any ball he has played at the hole being played and any small object, such as a coin or a tee, when used to mark the position of a ball or the extent of an area in which a ball is to be dropped. Since the equipment in question here is from another player in another group, rule 19-2 cannot be applied here correct? Only rule 19-1 can be applied, correct?

Thanks

LongBallHitter

[spidey]

LBH says...What was confusing if that rule 19-2 states that if the ball is deflected or stopped by equipment then the competitor shall incur a penalty of two strokes.

I think you are confusing partner or opponent with caddie. Rule 19-2 refers to the player, the player's caddie and the player's equipment. In your case, since you didn't have a caddie, I think it's safe to say all your equipment was on the tee (including your partner's if you had one), so it couldn't have been on the green.

Rule 19-3 refers to opponent, and your opponent would be on the tee with you.

Rule 19-4 refers to a fellow competitor, which is who would have been on the green. In this case, it refers you to Rule 19-1, which is the rule you appeared to have followed.

Sounds like you played the ball from where it came to rest, which is what the rules seem to indicate.

[Gary Hill]

Be very careful when reading the Rules. Every single word in the Rules is significant.

Equipment is defined as being used by THE player not A player.

This means that "equipment" is your equipment.

For example, if you hit your golf cart with a stroke, it is a penalty.
If you hit a any other golf cart on the course with a stroke, there is no penalty.

A club on the ground that belongs to you is part of your equipment.
A club on the ground that does not belong to you is a moveable obstruction.

quote: What was confusing if that rule 19-2 states that if the ball is deflected or stopped by equipment
The Rule actually says: the competitors equipment.

You were correct in applying Rule is 19-1.
It is a "rub of the green", no penalty is incurred and the ball shall be played as it lies.

FYI - quote: "one guy in our foursome" is incorrect unless you were actually playing alternate shot format with partners.
It could be correctly described as "one guy in our group" or "one of my fellow-competitors.