Linda,
A sub joined us for our usual individual stroke game last
week. He was unfamiliar with the course we play regularly. On the first tee (a
par 5 with the green not visible) he asked where to aim. I told him
everyone aims left, toward a large tree, as the fairway slopes strongly to the
right over the hill.
One of the group said we both were subject to 2-stroke
penalties for asking and giving advice. We are still arguing about it. Thanks!
Lou
Dear Lou,
Players cannot incur a penalty for any information shared
prior to the start of a round, so no one in your group is penalized.
Neither would there be a penalty to anyone for asking for or
receiving advice about where to aim if
it had occurred later in the round. Here’s why:
The question here is whether telling a player to aim at a
particular tree is “advice” or “indicating line of play.” A player is only
permitted to give advice to his partner. He may only receive advice from his
partner or either of their caddies [Rule 8-1]. However, except on the putting
green, a player may have the line of play pointed out to him by anyone [Rule
8-2].
The answer is that telling a player where to aim is information
about the line of play, which means there is no penalty. You may tell another
player the distance to the tree, the contour of the fairway in the vicinity of
the tree, and suggest that he aim at the tree. You may not tell him what will
happen to his ball if he hits it slightly left of the tree, directly at the
tree, or right of the tree. That would be advice, which carries a two-stroke
penalty for the questioner and the responder.
Linda
Copyright © 2013 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
