Hi Linda,
I can't count
the number of times I have seen someone on the tee place their driver behind
the ball press down raise their club place it above the ball then proceed to
swing away. Is this considered a violation?
Lou from Florida
Dear Lou,
The action you describe is not a violation of the Rules. Unlike on the rest of the golf course,
a player is permitted to press down to smooth out any bumps on the teeing ground [Rule 13-2, fourth
bullet after “However”]. If you press down to eliminate irregularities on the
surface anywhere else on the course, you will be penalized two strokes (loss of
hole in match play) for improving the area of your intended swing [Rule 13-2].
This is not the same as scraping the ground behind your ball
to create a mark as an alignment aid, an action that is prohibited by Rule 8-2a
[Ask Linda #842].
Linda
Copyright © 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
