Rules Corner - Replacing and Wrong Ball

Following a recent Brisbane Vets game, a member approaches Rules Corner to clarify which of certain rulings discussed and made during a round were correct.

The first, dealt with a situation where player A's ball was known to be at rest in the general area where it was struck and moved by a ball payed by B. The general opinion was, that it could be replaced with no penalty, but what would be the situation if the ball had come to rest in a bunker or penalty area and what would be the situation as far as B was concerned.

In the second situation A, (who, wasn't having a good golf day) hit a drive, long and straight, down the fairway and considered he knew exactly where it had come to rest. Arriving at the spot a ball was exactly where he believed his ball had come to rest and continued to play it to the green. On holing the putt he discovered it was not his ball. The ball he had played was a ball considered lost by a previous player who had completed the hole with a provisional ball.

There was now some conflict of opinion in the group as to what should be the correct ruling, some considered a two stroke penalty for playing the wrong ball and count the score with the wrong ball, some considered it necessary to count the two stroke penalty and return and complete the hole with his original ball and a third opinion was , as the ball he played was 'out of play' there was no penalty. What was the correct ruling?

ANSWERS:

In the first situation, as the ball was known to be at rest when struck by B's ball, A's ball must be replaced on the original spot where is was moved from and B's ball must be played from where it came to rest and there is no penalty to either player.

If A's ball came to rest in a penalty area or bunker, or any other place the same conditions would apply.

In the second situation, A has played the wrong ball and incurs a two stroke penalty and must return to and continue to play with the original ball. If the ball is lost or unplayable A incurs the appropriate penalty in addition to the two strokes for playing the wrong ball.

As for the ball that A played in error being treated as 'out of play' see Definitions, "In Play', Page 140 of Players Rule Book at bottom of page.