What are Rules there for? | THE GRQ PODCAST EP 38

Episode 38   What are Rules there for?   GRQotW37  Lena’s original ball off the tee looked to have become stuck in a tree. After a small search around the area, Lena headed back to play a provisional ball. The provisional ball was played, after two minutes of searching for the original ball, towards the same area, struck a tree and two balls fell out. The original and the provisional ball. What is the ruling?  ANSWER:  A ball was found where the original ball was suspected to be and this was within the 3 minute search period. It may have taken the player more than the 3 minute search time to get to their ball to identify it, but if it is the original ball, then it is still the ball in play as the important point is that it was found within the 3 minute search time. The original ball was moved by the provisional ball. The provisional ball is an outside influence and thus the original ball needs to be replaced. The provisional ball is a movable obstruction/abandoned ball once the original ball was found within the correct search time. The player needs to estimate where the original ball had come to rest. That was the place it was sitting until it was moved by the provisional ball. This is the difficult part, it may have been 3 metres up the tree, or close to the ground. It would need to be estimated when standing underneath it. Possibly the player couldn’t even get to the spot where the ball is estimated to have been at rest. They would then need to take an unplayable under Rule 19.2, using the spot on the ground directly below the spot of the reference point. If the player could get to the spot where the ball would have come to rest, but it won’t stay at rest and the spot where it will stay at rest, the player can’t reach, they would also need to take an unplayable using the spot on the ground directly below where the ball would have come to rest. However, if the player could get to the spot where the ball was estimated to have been at rest, but it won’t stay at rest, the nearest spot where the ball would stay at rest may be at the base of the tree on the ground and the player would be required to place it there. The player could then play it or take an unplayable.   What are Rules there for?  Let’s first establish why we have such complex Rules and what you can do to increase your knowledge .  The golf course is huge, on average about 150 acres.  There are many different aspects to a golf course including: Teeing areas Fairways and rough Bunkers Putting greens Out of bounds Penalty Areas   The Rules are there to provide consistency for situations that occur.   How to learn the Rules of Golf?  The best way to learn the Rules of Golf - head to the R&A and USGA websites, not only do they have all the Rules and Interpretations and Clarifications, but they also provide test questions and mock exams.    www.golfrulesquestions.com has many tests that you can take to upskill yourself. Fraser Nicol and his huge excel spreadsheet has nearly 3500 questions and answers. So there are definitely plenty of resources out there to learn the Rules.   Moving a Loose Impediment  A loose impediment may be removed anywhere on or off the course. Maybe done so in any way - we’ve talked about moving loose impediments with blowers.  You may receive assistance to move a loose impediment - Tiger’s boulder And you may break a loose impediment into parts when moving it without penalty.   Background Bingo   Rossco - Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links Blakey - Eastern Golf Club   GRQotW38 Is there a penalty and how many, if you search for your ball for 5 minutes and can’t find it?