Dear Linda,
Players A, B & C have been grouped together to play in a
stroke play competition. Player A makes a stroke and his ball gets
deflected by the caddie of Player B.
Please clarify---
a. Can player A replay the ball as nearly as possible
at the spot from which the original ball was last played?
OR
b. Can player A play the ball as it lies after being
deflected?
OR
c. Can player A exercise either of the above two options?
Does Player B incur a penalty as his caddie deflected player
A's ball? If so, how many strokes penalty?
Thanks,
Lou from Pune, India
Dear Lou,
In stroke play, the caddie of a fellow competitor is an
outside agency [Definition of “Outside Agency”]. A look at Rule 19-1 will tell
you that when a ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency,
there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. This is known as a
rub of the green.
The answers to your questions are as follows:
a. Player A may not replay his shot.
b. Player A must play the ball as it lies after it
was deflected.
c. Player A has no choice in the matter.
d. There is no penalty to anyone.
The answer changes dramatically if the format is match play.
In match play, your opponent’s caddie is not an outside agency. If a
player’s ball is stopped or deflected by his opponent or his opponent’s caddie,
the player has two choices [Rule 19-3]:
1. cancel the stroke and replay the shot; or
2. play the ball as it lies.
There is no penalty to anyone.
Don’t forget that if the ball is accidentally deflected or
stopped by the player himself, his own caddie, his partner, his partner’s caddie, his own
equipment, or his partner’s equipment, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty
and he must play the ball as it lies [Rule 19-2].
All of these Rules have exceptions that are outside the
parameters of your question. Please take a few minutes and read Rule 19: Ball in
Motion Deflected or Stopped, in its entirety.
Linda
Copyright © 2017 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
