Hi Linda,
I have been asked an interesting question ... it was put to
me like this:
A player’s ball is resting near or on a large loose
impediment. (There are plenty of these just off many fairways on the Whyalla
Golf Club course in South Australia.) So as not to move the ball while removing
the loose impediment, can a player place a small loose impediment next to his
ball and then remove the large loose impediment (the ball does not move and is
not touched)?
Regards,
Lou from South Australia
Dear Lou,
No.
A player is not permitted to purposely touch his ball in play [Rule 18-2a]. Regardless of
whether he touches the ball with his hand or a pine cone, touching is touching,
and the penalty is one stroke [Decision 18-2a/32].
If the player accidentally
touches his ball while removing loose impediments, and the ball does not move, there is no penalty
[Decision 18-2a/31].
Linda
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