Thursday, August 10, 2017

Ask Linda #1592-Activities around the green

Hi Linda,
This question has a few parts:
1. If you are off the green: 
     a. Can you move twigs, leaves, stones in your line that are on the green?
     b. Can you move sand on the green?
     c. Can you repair a pitch mark off the green?
     d. Can you repair a pitch mark on the green?
 2. If you are on the green, can you brush sand out of the way?
Thanks,
Lou from Australia

Dear Lou,

1a: Yes. Twigs, leaves, and stones are loose impediments. You are entitled to remove loose impediments except when your ball and the loose impediments lie in the same hazard [Rule 23-1].

1b: Yes. Sand is defined as a loose impediment when it lies on the putting green [Definition of “Loose Impediments”]. If the sand lies off the green, you will incur a two-stroke penalty in stroke play (loss of hole in match play) if you brush away the sand [Rule 13-2]. The only time you may brush away sand that is off the green is when the sand arrived after your ball came to rest. This might happen if your ball lies near a bunker and another player’s shot from the bunker deposits sands on or around your ball. You are entitled to the lie you had when your ball came to rest.

1c: Sometimes. If the pitch mark was there when your ball arrived, you may not repair it. If the pitch mark is made by another player’s ball after your ball comes to rest, you may repair it. You are entitled to the line of play you had when your ball came to rest.

1d: Yes [Rule 16-1c].

2. Yes. Sand is a loose impediment when it is on the green. You may brush it away, regardless of whether your ball lies on or off the green.

Linda
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