Greendale Women's Golf Association, Alexandria, Va

Hi All

The old rules stated that if your ball was moved by a player or an outside agency after it had already been lifted and replaced on the green, you would have needed to return and place your ball on its original spot.

An outside agency  includes an animal, natural or artificial object, a referee, a marker (scorer), an observer and a forecaddie.  Neither wind nor water is an outside agency. (Now called “outside influence”)

The new rule states that  if your ball moves from it’s spot after lifting and replacing it,  even if it was blown by the wind or moved for no clear reason,  the ball must  be replaced on its original spot.

If your ball has not been lifted and replaced and it moves from it’s original spot, the ball must be played from its new position.

Hi Ladies,

The old rule stated that you were only allowed relief when your ball was embedded in it’s own pitch-mark in “areas cut to fairway height or less”.

Now you may take relief by dropping your ball within one club length of the spot in the relief area without penalty for an embedded ball anywhere in the “general area” which is the new term for “through the green”. The general area is the whole area of the course with the exception of the tee box, putting green and all of the penalty areas. “If your ball is embedded on the green, you may mark the spot of your ball, lift and clean it, repair the damage, and replace your ball on it’s original spot”. Page 100 and 101 in your USGA rules book covers this  with pictures!

Sue

Hi All,

With a few exceptions,  the old rule stated that you had to use your original ball when you took free relief.

Now, you may use either the original ball or another when taking relief. It’s always a good idea to tell your playing partners what make of ball you are using if you  do change.

Sue

Hi Ladies,

When taking relief, you must drop the ball straight down from knee height (the height of the player’s knee when in a standing position).  The ball must fall without you throwing, spinning or rolling it or using any other motion that might affect where your ball will come to rest. The ball must not touch any part of your body or equipment before it hits the ground. The ball must be dropped in the relief area. If you fail to do any of the above, you must re-drop again the right way and there is no limit to the number of times you can drop the ball.

Watch this short video for dropping procedures 101!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_7BumkAQt4