You’re watching on as a playing partner in a stroke play event stands over a snaking 30-footer. You’re feeling highly fed up having just three-putted for the sixth time during the round.
Standing near the hole you become increasingly irritated as your partner’s putt gets ever closer to the cup. It’s clearly going in. Without thinking and, in a fit of pique, you stick out your foot and prevent the ball going in.
What were you doing? Are you five? Your playing partner looks on in disbelief… Could that really have happened?
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Well, it has happened and aside from feelings of anger, frustration, shame and embarrassment being displayed by both parties, there’s uncertainty on how to proceed.
Well, let’s start with the villain. What is to be done about you?
It’s good news at this point – you’re not going to be disqualified just yet. But that could come later and we’ll come on to that.
Rule 11.2b says that a player gets the general penalty if they deliberately deflect or stop any ball in motion whether it’s their own ball, an opponent’s ball or another player’s ball in a stroke play event such as this.
But – what you’ve done is seriously uncool and it’s highly likely your playing partner will report it to the committee. The committee might decide your actions constitute “serious misconduct.”
Deliberately preventing another player’s ball going in the hole is behaviour that is a long way removed from what is expected in golf, but just how far would be for the committee to decide.
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