[PHOTO: Microgen]
The damage is done and the evidence is clear: the ride-on mower that just went by murdered your golf ball. Even worse, what’s left of the ball appears to have been relocated by the blades, and you’re not sure where it came to rest before getting torn apart. You hit it in the rough and it’s now at the edge of the fairway.
Can you just drop a new ball there and play on? Do you have to replay the shot? Since you started the hole, do you have to substitute the damaged ball with the same brand and model ball? If the damage isn’t horrific, can you play the original ball from where it lies?
There’s a lot to deal with here, so let’s cover what to do when a mower inadvertently clips your ball. First, don’t get mad at the mower. Those guys work hard and can’t possibly see every ball in front of them, especially when they are perched on those high-seat tractors.
If you find that your ball is damaged, and yes, there is a rule that outlines what “damaged” specifically means, you can replace it (Rule 4.2). If a mower “cuts” or “cracks” a ball, you can substitute a new ball (it only has to be the same brand/model if you’re playing in a tournament that is using the “one ball” local rule). If a mower only “scrapes” or “scratches” a ball, perhaps damaging the paint, you must finish the hole with that ball. It cannot be replaced.
It’s also important to note that if you want to inspect your ball for damage, you must mark its location on the ground before lifting it. Also, you can’t clean the ball.
Now, let’s say the mower got the best of your ball, but you’re not sure where it came to rest before being spit into a new location by the blades. This is where Rule 9 comes into play. The key here is that you cannot play from the ball’s current location if evidence exists that the ball was moved. In the hypothetical, you hit a ball in the rough and now it’s resting on the edge of the fairway. You didn’t see it move, but a riding mower just went by and your ball has visible damage from its blades. You don’t have to be Detective Ron Iddles to know what just happened.
When you’re not sure where your ball came to rest, you have to first determine what caused it to move. In this case, a mower is considered an outside influence so Rule 9.6 and 14.2 are used. You must “estimate” the original location. There’s a lot of latitude in doing so, but this is not an excuse to pretend you hit the ball in the fairway.
Sorry to make you jump around the rule book, but you have to review Rule 1.3b(2) to comply with how to estimate a location. In short: your reasonable judgment is accepted if you do all that could be reasonably expected under the circumstances to make a prompt and accurate estimation. This means that your reasonable judgment is upheld even if later shown to be wrong by other information.
Now let’s have a moment of silence for your golf ball.
