Monday, January 16, 2012

Ask Linda #401-Putt deflected by ball in motion


Hi Linda
I enjoy your website and am learning a lot.
My question is: In stroke play, on the putting green, competitor A has a 20-foot putt. As it is his turn to play, he putts, and his shot is deflected by the ball of his fellow competitor, who has played from off the putting green at the same time. “A” is now annoyed, as his ball is still about 18 feet from the hole. He takes his putt and holes out.
Is the fellow competitor's ball an outside agency in stroke play and should Player A have cancelled the stroke and replayed it?
I am a bit confused about outside agencies in stroke play.
Thanks for your help.
Best wishes
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

Player A’s ball is on the putting green, and it is his turn to play. When his ball is deflected by a fellow competitor’s ball in motion, the fellow competitor’s ball is an outside agency. Player A’s stroke is canceled. He gets to replace and replay his ball [Rule 19-1b].

The fellow competitor is not as lucky. He is not permitted to hit his ball while another ball is in motion after a stroke on the putting green [Rule 16-1f]. His penalty is two strokes.

In individual stroke play, an outside agency is any agency that is not the competitor, his caddie, his ball in play, or his equipment.

Linda 
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