(Model Local Rules 8E-1, 8E-5, R18.3a, R14.6a)

Facts

Playing the 11th hole at OEI is like knocking the ball off the top of a skyscraper. The first calculation the player has to make is how much distance to take off the shot due to the dramatic elevation change. Regular players at OEI suggest discounting 30 yards when playing this hole from a teeing distance of 175-180 yards.

Reader JH measured the distance perfectly. He failed to compensate for a cross wind, however, and watched as his ball soared pin-high, before wobbling and dropping into the edge of a dense green-side bush. He expressed his sincere hope that he might find his ball, so that he would have a play down the embankment from the landscaping to the green.

As the players descended from the teeing area towards the putting green, JH stopped at a “Drop Zone” located atop a final precipice some 50-yards short of the green. He announced he would be playing a “provisional” ball in case he didn’t find his original ball.

He dropped his “provisional” lying two (utilizing R17.1), muffed his next shot, and then pitched up next to the hole for a gimmee five (still having not arrived in the area of the green to begin his search for his original ball). He then found his original ball under the bush, and was able to poke it down near the green where he again got up and down, this time for a bogie 4 earning a critical point for the team in the Mens’ Point Quota game.

Foremost reluctantly advised JH that his score of 5 with the provisional ball would have to count. JH disagreed. The rest of the team disagreed.

Issue

May a player play a “provisional ball” from a drop zone established for a ball which may be “lost” outside a Penalty Area?

Ruling

A Committee May designate a “Drop Zone” for a variety of reasons, including pace of play involving Penalty Areas, Abnormal Course Course Conditions, or even for a ball which might be lost outside a Penalty Area as an alternative to the stroke and distance penalty. (See, Model Rule 8E-1). OEI has, in fact, designated the Drop Zone on Hole #11 for this latter purpose, as there are no Penalty Areas designated on the hole.

In practice, however, F finds that the Local Rule is being applied incorrectly. Players play the Local Rule as if the Drop Zone is for a Penalty Area, taking a one-stroke Penalty, wherein, as the Drop Zone is actually for a ball “lost” outside a Penalty Area, they should be assessed a 2-stroke penalty for using the Drop Zone. (See, MLR 8E-5, which is referenced by MLR 8E-1). A Local Rule can’t change or waive a penalty. MLR 8L.

F recognizes, of course, that OEI is mindful of the pace of play issue, and desires to assess only a 1-stroke penalty. By declaring the entire wooded and landscaped area bordering #11 as a Penalty Area (Committees now have this broad authority since Penalty Areas no longer have to involve water), this designated Drop Zone with the 1-stroke Penalty would be appropriate.

Adding some complexity to this case, in addition, is that the designated Drop Zone is some 50-yards short of the green complex, which defeats the purpose of the 2-stroke penalty assessment, as a Drop Zone for a “lost” ball is designed as a replacement for stroke and distance. Obviously, the player isn’t getting the “distance” benefit, as he is required to drop 50 yards short of the hole (and OEI doesn’t want to change the location of the Drop Zone as it’s current location on the precipice is a convenient and accessible spot adjacent to the descending cart path). This location, in and of itself, argues for designating it as a Drop Zone for a Penalty Area.

F, however, must deal with the Local Rule and the facts as presented, not as he envisions them. He finds that the applicable Rules of Golf relating to “provisional balls” require playing a provisional ball from its original spot, and not from a “Drop Zone” (See, R18.3a and 14.6a). JH, who stated that he was playing a provisional for reasons of pace of play (because he needed to get home and do some gardening, and because he didn’t want to be lambasted for slow play as Bryson DeChambeau), did not have have the authority to declare a provisional ball when play of a provisional ball was not expressly sanctioned by the Rules. His “provisional” ball played from the Drop Zone thus became his “ball in play” and he made a 5 on the hole….no points in the point quota game.

A final note is order. MLR 8E-5 states that a Drop Zone for stroke and distance might be appropriate for casual, general play as opposed to play in competitions by highly-skilled players where this option should not be applied. The MLR recommends that the Committee inform the players beforehand whether the general play, casual rule applies, or whether the strict rule for competitions applies.

F finds that even though many of the gentlemen in the Men’s Competition at OEI are “highly skilled”, this competition is played under the General Play Rules (allowing use of the Drop Zone. Even so, under the Rules a ball played from a Drop Zone is a “ball in play”, as the use of a Drop Zone is an alternative to a play of a provisional incorporating stroke and distance.

F admits that he had some highly placed help on this result, although he fleshed out the details on his own, and he takes full responsibility for any errors!

As usual, all comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F

On this note, F acknowledges an error in his recent Ruling “A Plea From the Hamptons”. F incorrectly cited Committee Rule 6C (10) stating that the player might ask the Committee to reverse and cancel a match decided by an incorrect ruling. F was right about the incorrect ruling— the Committee should not have reversed itself when the opponent failed to object to the play of two balls and the players had teed off on the next hole. However, the incorrect Committee decision was final. R6-C(10) applies only to stroke play.