Think that’s the rarest of blunders? Think again. The potential for having an extra club in your bag is real, whether you’re a tour pro or an average golfer.
It might occur to you that aeration holes should be treated as ground under repair, meaning you can move your ball if it gets stuck in one. Sorry. Not so.
Rule 10.1d notes that, “A player must not make a stroke at a moving ball.” However, there are a few exception also listed. Exception 3 states, “When a ball is moving in temporary water or in water in a penalty area, the player may make a stroke.”
In honour of this last dance in Texas, it seems appropriate to explore one of the more intriguing – and awkward – rules situations that can occur in matchplay.
Setting aside the utter frustration and annoyance you might feel over a slow player, if you’re wondering if the Rules of Golf has anything to say about how long it should take to play a shot – it does.
To put it simply, if your ball is in a giant pool of water that isn’t in a penalty area, you take free relief at the nearest point of complete relief (a dry area) no closer to the hole.
Australian Golf Digest
