I was watching the British Open this morning and observed that some of the holes share the same green (for instance, Hole #6 being on the same green as Hole #10). What would the ruling be for the following scenario:
I am playing #6, and I hit my approach shot to the green. My ball ends up rolling into Hole #10.
Would I be penalized a stoke? Would I be given any relief? If penalized, where would I play my next ball?
Any golf experts got the answer for me?
No
No
You play it as it lies. Long putt (or chip).
It’s considered “Ground under repair” and you can get a free drop.
How can he play it as it lies, if it’s IN a hole?
I imagine there would be a course rule covering this situation.
In the absence of a course rule, you always have the option of declaring your ball unplayable, and taking a stroke-and-distance penalty. That seems inequitable… so there MUST be a local rule covering this eventuality.
Around here during the winter, and on one course, they have two holes on the same green. It’s to keep the greens a bit nicer so you move the flag after you play. Anyway they rule they have, and they also show the ruling, is that if the hole is in your way you are allowed to move the ball one club length to either side of the hole. I believe they consider it a man made obstruction that you can’t move. Don’t really know what you would do if it landed in the wrong hole.
Looks like we might need a UK Doper who is familiar with the course. And that Doper would most likely be at St. Andrews today.
You can’t play the ball as it lies. It’s in a hole. See the decisions under Rule 16.
It will be up to the comittee to decide if holes 6 and 10 share the same green, or if they have two seperate, but adjoining greens.
If they share the same green:
Hole 10 (if the player is playing hole 6) is a “Hole made by a greenskeeper” and is ground under repair (dec 16/7). Rule 25-1-b-iii states that if the ball is in the hole, or the hole is in the line of putt, then the player is entitled to free relief as follows.
(iii) On the Putting Green: If the ball lies on the putting green, the player must lift the ball and place it without penalty at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard, or if complete relief is impossible, at the nearest position to where it lay that affords maximum available relief from the condition, but not nearer the hole and not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief or maximum available relief may be off the putting green.
If Hole 10 is on a different green, then the ball is on a “wrong putting green” 25-3-b decrees the player must proceed as follows:
b. Relief
If a player’s ball lies on a wrong putting green he must not play the ball as it lies. He must take relief, without penalty, as follows:
The player must lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong putting green and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.
(Note, these are USGA rules. R&A rules apply in the “British” Open Championship, but they should be substantially similar)
My mistake. I didn’t realize that he said the ball went in the hole. I thought he meant that the ball was on the “other” green. Shared greens are just that, one single green. I imagine the “immovable obstruction” rule would apply. The ball is placed at the nearest point of relief not in a hazard.
At the Old Course, Hole 6 shares a green with Hole 12. All the greens are shared except for 1 and 18. The two holes that share a green always add up to 18.
This is from the USGA’s decisions on the Rules of Golf. I used the USGA site since the R&A’s Rules are in pdf.
16/7 Two Holes on Each Green of Nine-Hole Course
Q. 1. Is it permissible for a Committee to make two holes on each green of a nine-hole course, one (A) for use in play of the first nine holes and the other (B) for use in play of the second nine?
Q. 2. If so, what is the status of hole B on each green when hole A is in use, and vice versa?
A. 1. Yes.
A. 2. The hole not in use on each green is a hole made by a greenkeeper — see Definition of “Ground Under Repair” — and Rule 25-1 is applicable.
Impossible unless of course there are two hole 9s.
It can take a long time to play hole #9!