How do the rules apply in these situations?

[Sean]

1. I go looking for my ball (Srixon Trispeed) and can't find it. I walk by a tree and see a Callaway ball and a guy picking up his bag. I ask if he's playing a Callaway and he says yeah, he just hit it. "So this isn;t yours?" Oops, guy hit my ball instead.

I just dropped a ball where he hit and didn't take any penalties rather than chase my ball 200 yds down the other fairway.

Technically, I suppose I get a penalty for changing balls but is there an exception here? Or another penalty?? (BTW, I hit it in to the trees se[perating two fairways, for clarity)

2. Cpouldn't find my ball and was about to just drop one around where I lost it when my playing partner found it... in the bottom of a 6" wide cup surrounding a sprinkler head, about 4 inches under ground. Apparently the plastic cover broke, leaving the plastic cup open.

Again I took a drop with no penalty (you guys seeing a pattern? )

3. Some jackass rode his dirt bike on a green and did a donut, leaving some deep scars in the green. I chipped a ball in to one.

I placed the ball just over the lip of the deep groove, with no penalty (amazing! )

I realize I musta been forced to take pentalties on at least one of those, but can you tell me how each should have actually been worked out, by the rules?

[Sean]

Would #2 (The cup syurrounding sprinkler head) fall under this rule?

- If your ball or your stance is in casual water, ground under repair or a burrowing animal hole, you may either play the ball as it lies or find the nearest place not nearer the hole which gives you relief, and drop the ball within one club-length of that place.

[fore142]

you get free relief in #2. I am sure of that.

In number one, you are supposed to actually go get your ball i believe, but i dont think anyone will call you on it if it wasnt a tournament.

in case three, you should go around or over the marks, no closer to the hole, free relief

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Sean

1. I go looking for my ball (Srixon Trispeed) and can't find it. I walk by a tree and see a Callaway ball and a guy picking up his bag. I ask if he's playing a Callaway and he says yeah, he just hit it. "So this isn;t yours?" Oops, guy hit my ball instead.

I just dropped a ball where he hit and didn't take any penalties rather than chase my ball 200 yds down the other fairway.

Technically, I suppose I get a penalty for changing balls but is there an exception here? Or another penalty?? (BTW, I hit it in to the trees se[perating two fairways, for clarity)

2. Cpouldn't find my ball and was about to just drop one around where I lost it when my playing partner found it... in the bottom of a 6" wide cup surrounding a sprinkler head, about 4 inches under ground. Apparently the plastic cover broke, leaving the plastic cup open.

Again I took a drop with no penalty (you guys seeing a pattern? )

3. Some jackass rode his dirt bike on a green and did a donut, leaving some deep scars in the green. I chipped a ball in to one.

I placed the ball just over the lip of the deep groove, with no penalty (amazing! )

I realize I musta been forced to take pentalties on at least one of those, but can you tell me how each should have actually been worked out, by the rules?

#1. Ball moved by outside agency. Ball must be replaced, or if the precise spot is not determinable, dropped as closely as possible to that spot. No penalty, and if the original ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball can be substituted. Rule 18-1

#2. Ball rests in an immovable obstruction which interferes with either stance or swing. Locate nearest point of relief not nearer to the hole, ball must be dropped within one clublength of that point. No penalty. Rule 24-2

#3. Abnormal ground conditions on the putting green. Even though not marked as ground under repair, relief should be allowed under Rule 25-1a (clause iii). If there is any doubt as to whether the GUR ruling would be allowed, you can also play the original as it lies ball under Rule 3-3 and finish the hole with 2 balls. Select the 2nd ball as the one you prefer to score with if the committee decides in your favor. Otherwise, the score with the original ball will count, but you have not made any rules breaches with that ball, so no fear of penalty. Be certain that you follow the procedure in Rule 3-3 carefully, and be certain that you do select the second ball as your preferred scoring ball. Otherwise the score with the original ball counts. Unfortunately, if you select the 2nd ball and it is allowed, the score with the original does not count, even if you happened to hole out from the damaged area.

In any event, if you followed the procedures laid down in the Rules of Golf, all 3 situations would not incur any penalty. If you take relief improperly, or otherwise proceed incorrectly, there are several penalties that could come into play. My advice... get a rulebook and carry it in your bag.

[warbirdlover]

Who let someone on a golf course with a dirt bike to chew up a green? Seems to me the culprit needs to be castrated!!

[fore142]

thanks four-putt, you just went further in depth on my ideas, i knew what was right but wasnt quite sure how to word it.