What is the ruling on this one?

[Break68]

This from golfwrx.com, what is the ruling on this scenario, see the the attached drawing illustrating the situation.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/...1#entry3184351

I was playing at my local golf course today when I saw the strangest, most insane, most ridiculous "what are the odds" event I have ever witnessed on a golf course, or anywhere for that matter. (I made a drawing and scanned it in, to help describe what happened... I'll refer to the people by the drawing)

THE SETTING
We were standing on the second tee box, waiting for the group(s) ahead of us to finish play. While we were bored and waiting, we looked back at the #1 green to watch a twosome finish the hole.

Of the twosome, one was in their cart, while his partner was just short of the water hazard, trying to hit onto the green. The guy in the cart was watching his buddy and not paying attention behind them. Guy #2 begins setting up to the ball and getting ready to hit it.

Meanwhile, Guy #1 tees off on the #1 tee box, unbeknownst to anyone. In his defense, he couldn't see Guy #2, so he figured he was clear.

As Guy #2 begins his swing, I see the tee ball of Guy #1 rolling towards him, down the fairway. As Guy #2 starts his downswing, the ball of Guy #1 rolls directly into his hitting area, and at the precise moment of impact (full wedge shot), Guy #2 hits BOTH balls simultaneously. His ball was stationary, and Guy #1's ball never stopped rolling. Nobody saw the tee ball of Guy #1 coming, they were all looking the other direction.

Guy #1's ball ends up on the green, next to the hole. The stationary ball of Guy #2 ends up barely clearing the water. In what can only be described as "it's your lucky day, pal", Guy #2 chips in from about 20 yards.



Aside from the staggeringly impossible odds that such a feat ever occurred, what is the ruling on this?!?
wtf.jpg

[Ruskie]

Hmm... I would guess Guy #1 gets to replace his ball since it was moved by an outside agency. Guy #2 gets to keep his as is. Treat it the same way as you would your ball colliding with another ball on the green. Correct?

[AAA]

Guy #1 simply carries on. No wrong ball situation. He hit the ball he intended to hit. Decision 15/2
Guy#2 plays his ball as it lies. Rule 19-1

[Ruskie]

Guy #1 simply carries on. No wrong ball situation. He hit the ball he intended to hit. Decision 15/2

Even though his ball was then hit by Guy #2? What if it ended up in the pond? 15/2 doesn't seem to fit the situation either...

[gbower]

If the ball ended up in the pond it's just plain bad luck. Decision 19-1/2 has a similar but not exact same situation.
---------
19-1/2 Player's Ball Deflected by Stroke of Player in Another Group

Q. A hit his ball over onto another fairway where, before it came to rest, it was struck by X in the course of striking his own ball. X's ball went 20 yards. A's ball could not be found. What is the ruling?

A. Each player was an outside agency in relation to the other.

Under Rule 19-1, A would have been obliged to play his ball as it lay, without penalty, if it had been found. Since it was not found, A must proceed under Rule 27-1, incurring a penalty of stroke and distance.

X must play his ball as it lies, without penalty.

[Ruskie]

Ouch, just reading through rule 19 gave me a headache, nvm the decisions...

So, in general, if a moving ball is deflected, it's rub of the green, but when a stationary ball is moved by an outside agency, it's replaced, right?

Thanks for the info.

[gbower]

Ruskie, generally you're correct but some other situations could give you a bigger headache. ie if the ball being played is on the putting green. Rule 19 is a tough one and lots of different senarios can come into play.

[Ruskie]

Yes, it does seem complicated. Here's my favorite passage:

b. If a player's ball in motion after a stroke on the putting green is deflected or stopped by, or comes to rest in or on, any moving or animate outside agency, except a worm, insect or the like, the stroke is canceled. The ball must be replaced and replayed.

I guess that's why I carry USGA rule book in my phone now

Thanks again for the info.

[goochy]

Didn't something similar happen the last time there was an ace on a par 4 on the PGA tour. Andrew McGee's teeshot hit the putter of a player on the green and deflected into the hole for the ace

[gbower]

goochy I remember that one and a video of that was used in my last rules course. He got one of the lucky breaks.