So I thought we'd have a little fun, and start a thread on rules quizes. I'll post a question, we can do some answering, then I or someone else can post another one...Should lead us to some good discussions perhaps on why the rule is what it is.

1) In the rain, a player holds an umbrella over his head with one hand while holing a short putt with his putter held in the other hand; there is no penalty.

True or False?

True. Rule 14-2 prohibits a player, while making a stroke, from accepting protection
from the elements from someone other than himself. However, it does not prohibit
him from protecting himself.

Okay, try this one;
A player's ball lies against a board at the base of an out of bounds fence. He swings
a club from the out of bounds side of the fence against the board, i.e., swings at the
ball with the board intervening between the club and the ball. The stroke moves the
board which causes the ball to move away from the fence. Is such a stroke permissible?

No, that is not allowed. I can't quote the excact rule, but I know there's at least one issue: You are using an outside agency to strike the ball.

Here's one:
you hit the ball into the bunker, it plugs into the sand, and you can't see the ball. What do you do?

You are allowed to remove such as much of the sand as makes the ball visible and identifiable.

Drop a ball outside the bunker when no one is looking, and yell out, "OH, THERE it is!" Goes well with the foot wedge.

DocT. I think you're starting to get the hang of this game. I can see your handicap going down as I type.

It's always handy to use a pencil with an eraser on the course too.

DocT, I love those courses that give you erasers...

Aimee, I think Fred's right, but in those situations I usually shout a few expletives as well.

You have another option, which if the ball is really buried may be useful...you can call an unplayable lie and take a drop inside the bunker. At least the ball wouldn't be buried.

Amiee, I like this rule; Rule 28, Ball Unplayable, and it's as straightforward as can be.

Here's a new one for you guys.

You hit your tee shot up and over a small hill, and don't see where your ball lands. You walk toward your ball, and find a dead body, face up in the fairway, with your ball resting in the depression of the belly button. What do you do?

1: You play the ball as it lies, being careful not to take too big of a divot.

2: You take a free drop, inside 2 clubs lenghts, not closer to the green.

or

3: You call your local CSI, hoping Marg Hellgenburger shows up, and wait for a ruling.

Hmmm.., that's a tough one Don. iT's a toss up between 1 and 3.

Since the body has to be considered a temporary, moveable obstruction, I'd vote for moving it and placing the ball back on the fairway. See how long it takes for the useless course rangers to show up and call it in!

I would go for option #2, since, well, is the body man made? god-made? Hmmm, this is getting a little spiritual so maybe I better stop. Ok, I'd go this route:

1) take another ball and drop it as if the body was a man made obstruction, no closer to the green. Play that ball out.

2) I'd also play the original ball (hey, he's dead right? open casket is one this but know one ever does open shirt viewings) as it lay.

Then let the club house decide IF they could believe me.

A worm which is half on top of the surface of the ground and half below is considered solidly embedded and is not a loose impediment.


True or False?

Amy is correct. It is a temporary movable obstruction.

However, if you have no intention of notifying the pro shop and no one will be removing the body, it now can be considered a pile of fertilizer and you may play it as ground under repair.....drop within 2 club lenghths, no nearer the hole.

False

Another one:

A player is not permitted to back into a branch of a tree causing it to move out of the way even if that is the only way that he can take his stance.
True or False

I think that's false. You can "bend" the branch, as long as you don't "break it".

Don is correct, as long as you aren't breaking branches to improve your stance or lie, it is OK.

OK. A player hits a ball into a lateral water hazard, the current carries the ball downstream and out of bounds.
Do you play your next shot as a lateral water hazard, or as an OB?

UNLESS the person was murdered.............It then becomes a temporary immovable obstruction as we can't move the body and alter the crime scene.

I believe it's where your ball ends up, not where it went into the hazard, so you should play it as OB.

Correcto

When Jack Nicklaus was playing in a tournament, if his ball moved after he addressed it, what was the penalty?

none. didn't he say he hovered his club off the tee for that reason?

Rule 11-3. Ball Falling off Tee

If a ball, when not in play, falls off a tee or is knocked off a tee by the player
in addressing it, it may be re-teed, without penalty. However, if a stroke is
made at the ball in these circumstances, whether the ball is moving or not,
the stroke counts, but there is no penalty.

Not necessarily a tee shot. Let's say he's in the middle of the fairway hitting a 5 iron. What is the penalty?

Okay, Rule 18-2. Ball at rest moved

If a player's ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke),
the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of one stroke. The ball must be
replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the
backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Therefore, if Jack got too close at address, and touched the ball
causing it to move, then he gives up a penalty stroke. Sorry Jack.

Jack and Arnie should be exempt from all penalty rules...sort of a grandfather rule...

But I agree with Bo, once addressed, if the ball moves, it's a penalty.

Now, if it has moved and your due a 1 stroke penalty anyway, shouldn't you just keep your motion and whack it anyway? Or is that another stroke penalty?

Hi Scott, if Jack's was so blunderous (is that a word?) that he bumped the ball at addresss,
he'll have to replace the ball (with penalty) and try and maintain his composure for the shot.

Because it was Jack, and the whole golf world was watching him, he'd not have a chance to
give it a quick whack without anybody seeing it. Now if you were you and me, it would fall
under the same rule as "use of the leather wedge"

I think the point Bill is looking for here is what it takes to "address" the ball. I believe you have to ground your club behind the ball to be considered to have "Addressed" your ball. Since Jack didn't believe in grounding his club, "He never really "addressed" the ball according to the rules. So no penality can be awarded.

Don, you are correct again.

Let's put Don on the Rules Committee for GGR.

Depends on whether the ball moved before or after start of the backswing.

hey, I said it first!

Don, you have been deleted..........Aimee was first.

Aimee: I agree, you did say it first, you judt didn't get any credit for you post. Could be a guy thing. You know how that can happen. You should get full credit for your answer. The reason I knew about Jack hovering his club is that when I did it with my driver in front of my old instructor, he told me only Jack Nickalaus hovered his driver off the ground, and "I wasn't good enough to do the same as Jack did". Don't you just hate a smart alec?

I knew it was because I've been into levitation for quite some time now.

BTW, Don, I have a display in the Denver Golf Exhibit Feb. 6 to 7. Be there, or be square. I'm giving away a new driver each day. You might win.

The plan is to be there Friday morning and might go back again on Saturday with Lynn if she wants to go with me. The expo runs 3 days, are you only going to be there for 2 days? Let me know the name of your display so I can be sure to find you. The expo hall is pretty big, so it could be hard to find you if I don't know the name and where you will be setup. Be lookng forward to seeing you again, and I'm pretty sure Lynn will go when I tell her you'll be there. See you in a week or so.

Don,

THE WYOMING CLUB

Funny thing about club hovering...I always do that with my driver but found it works well for my on my long irons, too.
Not so good with the putter...that was a penalty I had to call on myself last summer in my local tournament when I hit my ball by mistake.

Another benefit form not grounding the club. The backswing is always the same, with no resistance. If any of you have ever had your club catch turf or a rock on your take away, you know it usually throws tempo off.

Hovering seems to make me to tense. Feeling like I have to steady the club above the ground in stead of resting it on the ground makes my arms more tense. I guess I'm more a Palmer guy than a Jack guy...

Bill; That's exactly the reason I hover my clubs, so there is no resistance going back. No inconsistant resistance means a much smoother take away, which should translate into a smoother swing, which should translate into better shots.

As for the expo, do you have plans for your time in Denver? Would be great to see you again. Maybe dinner or what ever fits into you schedule. When are you getting into town? Need any help at the expo?

Scott, the secret to hovering without the added tension, is to relax when the club is on the ground, lift it up a little, then tell yourself to relax again. That should solve the add tension problem, and make it feel more comfortable.

Don, you forget who you're writing to. You and I both know you're unstable and can't get grounded in anything.

I'll call you on Monday when I know my schedule.

Keep in mind, even if you raise the club, once you set it on the ground you have addressed the ball. If it moves you incur a penalty.

If I'm on the computer, I'll try to remember to turn on my cell phone incase you call. Talk to you Monday.

Thanks Don. But I'll stick to my current setup with the club on the ground. It just feels more natural to me. And hey, if it works for the 819th player on the tour, it's got to be good for me too, right?