Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Ask Linda #490-Practice shots in bunker


Linda
A golf question:
Player is in a hazard close to the green. He plays his shot and then putts out for a bogey. After all players complete the hole, he goes back to the hazard and practices that shot, dropping two or three balls in the bunker and hitting them out.

My belief is that this okay as the hole is dead – finished – he can do what he likes after the hole is completed. My partner said this guy continues to incur penalty strokes after the hole is complete. He has already putted out. Surely this is incorrect?

Thanks
Lou

Dear Lou,

The rule regarding practice between holes (Rule 7-2) has two restrictions:

1. You may not practice if it would delay anyone’s play, including yours.
2. You may not play a practice stroke from a hazard.

The penalty for either violation is two strokes (loss of hole in match play). Since the violation has occurred between the play of two holes, the penalty is applied to the next hole.

A player is only permitted to practice putting or chipping on or near the green that he last played or the teeing ground of the hole he is about to play.

Linda
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