Silly but Straightforward

[sensfan63]

There are some players at my club who absolutely swear that it is a violation of the Rules to take your ball out of the hole while the ball is still in motion. I have NEVER EVER heard of this.

So, must you wait until the ball comes to rest to retrieve it from the hole?

Thanks...

[gbower]

I hope this will settle it for you.

-----------------------

16/5.5 Player Holes Short Putt and Allegedly Removes Ball from Hole Before It Is at Rest

Q. A player strikes a short putt into the hole and removes the ball from the hole. His opponent or a fellow-competitor claims he heard the ball bouncing in the bottom of the hole-liner at the time the player was removing the ball from the hole, and therefore the ball cannot be considered holed in view of the Definition of "Holed" which states: "A ball is holed when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole...." What is the ruling?

A. The ball is holed. The words "at rest" are in the Definition of "Holed" to make it clear that if a ball falls below the lip and thereafter bounces out, it is not holed.

[sensfan63]

I hope this will settle it for you.

-----------------------

16/5.5 Player Holes Short Putt and Allegedly Removes Ball from Hole Before It Is at Rest

Q. A player strikes a short putt into the hole and removes the ball from the hole. His opponent or a fellow-competitor claims he heard the ball bouncing in the bottom of the hole-liner at the time the player was removing the ball from the hole, and therefore the ball cannot be considered holed in view of the Definition of "Holed" which states: "A ball is holed when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole...." What is the ruling?

A. The ball is holed. The words "at rest" are in the Definition of "Holed" to make it clear that if a ball falls below the lip and thereafter bounces out, it is not holed.

I'm confused.

[gbower]

I don't know what you're confused about as it seems very straight forward in the wording of the decision to me. I guess I'll go back into hiding if this confuse you.

[sensfan63]

I don't know what you're confused about as it seems very straight forward in the wording of the decision to me. I guess I'll go back into hiding if this confuse you.

The wording of the decision makes it seem like:

a) the ball must come to rest; however,

b) if the ball doesn't bounce back out of the hole, then it doesn't really have to come to rest.

Add to that the use of the word "allegedly." Either it happened, or it didn't.

All of that adds to my confusion. Perhaps a simple "yes" or "no" answer to satisfy my elementary mind?

EDIT - I just re-read what you originally posted. Now it becomes clearer. The only reason the Rule states "at rest" is to clarify a situation where the ball has bounced out of the hole. Otherwise, if the ball is in the hole when you take it out, it's holed. Thanks.

[nokids]

i dont think it's possible for any putt to fall into the hole and bounce out. has this ever happened?

[gbower]

I've seen it happen a few times and watched on tv during the final round of the PGA q-school about 10 years ago when it happened to a player and he missed his card by one stroke.

[goochy]

I've seen it happen a few times and watched on tv during the final round of the PGA q-school about 10 years ago when it happened to a player and he missed his card by one stroke.

I remember seeing that on a Golf Channel show (top 10?). It was really amazing..it looked like a small animal literally threw it out the hole after it had gone in.

To have that happen to you at Q school and miss your card by 1 stroke....it is just not meant to be

PS...quick bit of research...it was 2002 and the unfortunate player was called Joe Daley. He has yet to get his PGA card