dropping a ball outside a hazard

[sillywilly]

i played a match on sunday and a lot of rules questions came up.

1. I couldnt find my ball in the fairway and because there was a group on the tee behind me i conceeded the hole. I dropped a ball a played the rest of the hole. i took a double for my cap because of the illegal drop. would this be considered practice and what is the penalty in match?

2. FC hit a ball over the green and everything behind the green was red staked. he didnt know the point of entry. where do you drop? We didnt see it go into the staked area but were certain it went in as used and 8i by mistake instead of a PW.

3. FC hit a ball into a red staked area. instead of taking the drop he decided to play the ball. he didnt get the ball out and then dropped a ball at the point of entry. am i correct in thinking that he cant take this drop because he has already played a shot from inside the hazard? the pen. is loss of hole correct?

4. FC hits a ball into red stakes lining the fairway. instead of dropping at point of entry he attempts a shot but doesnt get the ball out. the ball is now a few feet inside of the red stakes. He decided to take un unplayable lie and drop 2 club lengths but not in the hazard. does he lose the hole for dropping outside of the hazard?

5. On the 17th hole im down 2 so FC is dormie. He hits a 25 foot putt and says he as a 4. I am putting for a 4 so at best halve the hole but lose the match 2 and 1 so I pick up my ball. The putt was not given to me but picked up because the match was over. Turns out FC actually had a 5 on the hole and i could have hit the putt to win the hole. He didnt do it intentionally... what are the options? should i have been keeping track of his score? or is asking him enough? does he lose the hole? can i guess where the ball was and putt to try to win the hole? we were already walking to the next hole.

[AAA]

A lot of problems here. I'll get back on them a bit later on but one question.
You seem to suggest it was Matchplay but keep referring to a Fellow Competitor.
In matchplay you have an opponent. In strokeplay a FC is someone playing in the same group as you.
It is important becuse some rules and penalties are different depending on the status of the player.

[AAA]

1. I couldnt find my ball in the fairway and because there was a group on the tee behind me i conceeded the hole. I dropped a ball a played the rest of the hole. i took a double for my cap because of the illegal drop. would this be considered practice and what is the penalty in match?

No penalty

Rule 7-2 says
Strokes made in continuing the play of a hole, the result of which has been decided, are not practice strokes.
7-2/1.7 Explanation of “Strokes Played in Continuing the Play of a Hole”
Q. Rule 7-2 states that strokes played in continuing the play of a hole, the result of which has been decided, are not practice strokes. What is meant by “continuing the play of a hole”?
A. This phrase covers situations in which a player plays the remainder of the hole with one ball in play. Its interpretation is not restricted to continuing the play of the hole in accordance with the Rules and includes, for example, situations where a player plays a ball from a spot close to where his original ball went out of bounds or in the area where it was lost.

[AAA]

2. FC hit a ball over the green and everything behind the green was red staked. he didnt know the point of entry. where do you drop? We didnt see it go into the staked area but were certain it went in as used and 8i by mistake instead of a PW.
.

You make your best estimate of the point of entry. The drop is then made in accordance with Rule 26-1.

[sillywilly]

hi, sorry i didnt know that. oit was match play thanks

[AAA]

3. FC hit a ball into a red staked area. instead of taking the drop he decided to play the ball. he didnt get the ball out and then dropped a ball at the point of entry. am i correct in thinking that he cant take this drop because he has already played a shot from inside the hazard? the pen. is loss of hole correct?

In fact he can take relief from a water hazard after making a stroke at a ball in the hazard.
He must use the original point of entry as the reference point or play from the place where he last played from outside the hazard. With a penalty stroke of course

26-2. Ball Played Within Water Hazard
a. Ball Comes to Rest in Same or Another Water Hazard
If a ball played from within a water hazard comes to rest in the same or another water hazard after the stroke, the player may:
(i) proceed under Rule 26-1a. If, after dropping in the hazard, the player elects not to play the dropped ball, he may:

(a) proceed under Rule 26-1b, or if applicable Rule 26-1c, adding the additional penalty of one stroke prescribed by the Rule and using as the reference point the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of this hazard before it came to rest in this hazard; or
(b) add an additional penalty of one stroke and play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which
the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5); or

(ii) proceed under Rule 26-1b, or if applicable Rule 26-1c; or
(iii) under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5).

[AAA]

4. FC hits a ball into red stakes lining the fairway. instead of dropping at point of entry he attempts a shot but doesnt get the ball out. the ball is now a few feet inside of the red stakes. He decided to take un unplayable lie and drop 2 club lengths but not in the hazard. does he lose the hole for dropping outside of the hazard?

First, he cannot declare a ball unplayable in a WH. However, it may well be that the place he dropped satisfied 26-1c for dropping outside a WH.

If it doesn't, he will lose the hole for playing from a wrong place.

[AAA]

5. On the 17th hole im down 2 so FC is dormie. He hits a 25 foot putt and says he as a 4. I am putting for a 4 so at best halve the hole but lose the match 2 and 1 so I pick up my ball. The putt was not given to me but picked up because the match was over. Turns out FC actually had a 5 on the hole and i could have hit the putt to win the hole. He didnt do it intentionally... what are the options? should i have been keeping track of his score? or is asking him enough? does he lose the hole? can i guess where the ball was and putt to try to win the hole? we were already walking to the next hole.

He lost the hole for giving wrong information.

Part of Rule 9-2 says

A player must not give wrong information to his opponent. If a player gives wrong information, he loses the hole.
A player is deemed to have given wrong information if he:

(ii) gives incorrect information during play of a hole regarding the number of strokes taken and does not correct the mistake before his opponent makes his next stroke;

[sillywilly]

sweet thanks, i was on my phone last night and ddin't get a chance to look these up and can't surf the usgta site from the phone. i really wanted to know right away. thanks

[dhacker1956]

If you are playing match play how can you post score for cap when there are bound to be putts given. Since you didn't putt out there is no score for the hole for cap purposes. If you putt out after the hole is decided then that is practice. If you putt out after the putt is given but before your opponent has finished the hole then you are practicing on a "live" hole. I think that is a no-no! At least that is the way it is explained to me.

[justsomeguy]

If you are playing match play how can you post score for cap when there are bound to be putts given. Since you didn't putt out there is no score for the hole for cap purposes. If you putt out after the hole is decided then that is practice. If you putt out after the putt is given but before your opponent has finished the hole then you are practicing on a "live" hole. I think that is a no-no! At least that is the way it is explained to me.

According to the USGA Handicap Manual, all scores are posted for handicap purposes - including those from match play:

Scores in both match play and stroke play must be posted for handicap purposes. This includes scores made in match play, in multi-ball, or in team competitions in which players have not completed one or more holes or in which players are requested to pick up when out of contention on a hole. (See Decision 5-1c/1 and Section 4.)

The procedure for incomplete holes is:

A player who starts, but does not complete a hole or is conceded a stroke must record for handicap purposes the most likely score. The most likely score may not exceed the player's Equitable Stroke Control limit, defined in Section 4-3. This most likely score should be preceded by an "X." (See Decision 4-1/1.)

BTW you may "practice" putting any time after you have finished the hole, but "putting out" might get you in trouble if you have a partner in the match:

2-4/6 Putting Out After Concession of Stroke
Rule 2-4 does not cover the question of whether a player may putt out after his next stroke has been conceded. A player incurs no penalty for holing out in such circumstances. However, if the act would be of assistance to a partner in a four-ball or best-ball match, the partner is, in equity (Rule 1-4), disqualified for the hole.