Ball on wrong green

[LBH]

Hi Gary,

Are golfers allowed to hit a golf ball with a club other than the putter on the green when there ball comes to rest on a green that belongs to a hole other than the hole they're playing?

Can we hit a sand wedge from that location? I'm thinking that the course maintenance staff wouldn't particurlarly like if you made a huge divot on a green!!!

In case you're asking, my ball came to rest on the 8th green at Casselview while I was playing #12 (par 5 behind the green of 8) and I sliced my second shot...

Thanks

[spidey]

I'll give it a go....

25-3. Wrong Putting Green

a. Interference

Interference by a wrong putting green occurs when a ball is on the wrong putting green.

Interference to a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

b. Relief

If a player has interference by a wrong putting green, the player must take relief, without penalty, as follows:

The nearest point of relief shall be determined which is not in a hazard or on a putting green. The player shall lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief, on a part of the course which avoids interference (as defined) by the wrong putting green and is not in a hazard or on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when so lifted.


PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play - Loss of hole;
Stroke play - Two strokes.

[spidey]

Gary... follow-up....

...does this apply to areas such as nurseries... ie. looks like a putting green, but it's just for growing grass, and it's not roped off or marked as out of bounds or ground under repair.

My guess is that in a friendly game, one would grant relief, if for no other reason than to save the greenskeeper from fixing/regrowing the grass, but in a stipulated round, there must be a more enforceable rule.

[Gary Hill]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

You are NOT allowed to play from a wrong putting green.

The player MUST take relief as copied from the Rules by spidey.

Unfortunately for the greenkeeper, this usually results in the ball being dropped on the fringe.

FYI - When on the putting green, there is no requirement to use a putter.

[Gary Hill]

spidey -

There is no difference in the Rules between a friendly game and a stipulated round.

In answer to your question:

I suggest you re-read your post containing Rule 25-3 again.

[spidey]

yes, I agree that there's not a difference in the rules... everybody should play by the same rules...

I guess I failed to be clear....

When my ball lies on an area of closely mown grass that looks exactly like a wrong putting green but is not a putting green, (it's an area where the greenskeeper is cultivating grass for the purpose of repairing greens) and the area is not marked off by the committee.... Is there a rule that applies to how I should proceed?

... or are you implying that the definition of a wrong putting green does not differentiate between a nursery and a wrong putting green?

[Gary Hill]

Rule 33-2a. Defining Bounds and Margins

The Committee shall define accurately:
i. the course and out of bounds,
ii. the margins of water hazards and lateral water hazards,
iii. ground under repair, and
iv. obstructions and integral parts of the course.

It is highly unlikely that a course would not mark off a nursery as ground under repair.

However, in the scenerio you have described, the player would have the option of playing the ball as it lies or declaring it unplayable.

I, personally, would invoke Rule 3-3 and play a second ball.