Rule of the week #19 – Requirements before lifting your ball

Posted on June 5, 2019 by GWGA Web Administrator

Hi Ladies,

When a player has good reason to mark and lift a ball to identify it, check for damage or see if it lies in a condition where relief is allowed (such as to see whether it is embedded), the player is NO LONGER required first to announce to another player or his or her marker (one who keeps your score) the intent to do so or give that person an opportunity to observe the process.

Many of you have probably needed to at one time or another identify your ball, especially in the rough, and have lifted the ball to see if it was yours. If you clearly mark your ball on both sides of the ball and push the grass away from your ball, you  most likely will not need to pick your ball up. Before lifting your ball, mark the ball with a ball-marker or tee right behind or right next to the ball. You may also hold a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball. You may not clean the ball and you must replace it  in it’s original spot. Rule 14.1a

Sue
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Rule of he week #18 – Playing out of turn

Posted on May 30, 2019 by GWGA Web Administrator

Hi Ladies,

Under the old rule, it was implied that playing out of turn in stroke play was wrong or not allowed even though there was no penalty for doing so.

Now, playing “ready golf” is encouraged when it can be done in a safe and responsible way, such as when:

*  Two or more players agree to do so for the convenience or to save time,

*  A player’s ball comes to rest a very short distance from the hole and the player wishes to hole out, or

*  An individual player is ready and able to play before another player whose turn it is to play under the normal order of play, so long as in playing out of turn the player does not endanger, distract or interfere with any other player. It would be a good idea to communicate your intentions to the player who’s turn it is before playing your ball. A player should not play out of turn to gain an advantage over other players.

Sue

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Rule of the week #17 – Time allowed for a ball search

Posted on May 22, 2019 by GWGA Web Administrator

Hi Ladies,

Last season or 2, the League decided to limit the search for a lost ball to 3 minutes instead of the USGA’s rule of 5 minutes to help with the pace of play. This year, the USGA got on board!  Your 3 minutes begins when you get to the area you think your ball came to rest. After 3 minutes of searching, your ball is declared lost. If you hit a provisional ball (10 stars for you!!), that ball will now be in play. If you did not hit a provisional ball (minus 10 stars), you must return to the spot you last played the ball and rehit.

Contrary to what many of you believe to be ok, you MAY NOT play your ball if somebody finds it AFTER your 3 minutes is up and you are returning to the spot to rehit it or before you have hit your provisional ball.

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Rule of the week #16 – Damaged clubs

Posted on May 18, 2019 by GWGA Web Administrator

Hi Ladies,

For those of you who have wrapped a club around a tree or bent your putter over your knee, I would suggest taking an anger management class! The good news is that you are now allowed to keep using the club no matter the nature or cause of the damage. Last year, a player could still use the club only if it was damaged in the “normal course of play”.

Also, a player may not replace a damaged club, unless the player was not responsible for the damage (i.e. your cart partner runs over your club).       :))

Sue

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