Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2013 - 16

(rules primer
)
Making the Correct Address
Knowing the Rules when addressing your next shot
can help you avoid trouble.
By Joseph Oberle
P
eople often approach the game of golf in their own
unique way. They have stances, swings and pre-shot
routines all their own. (Touring pro Keegan Bradley's
herky-jerky two-step behind the ball is uniquely his.) But when
addressing the ball, it's important to know the relevant
Rules, decisions and defi nitions so you don't
make a misstep.
MGA member Roger Solz came across a unique
pre-shot routine, and the unfolding situation
raised the question of when the ball is legally addressed.
He was playing a doubles match
when one of his opponents, in the process
of aligning his putt, stood behind
the ball and grounded his putter behind
the ball. In the process of further
alignment, the opponent inadvertently
touched and moved the ball before
taking his normal putting stance.
Solz thought there should be a penalty
and consulted the club offi cial,
who ruled no penalty should be assessed
since the opponent's " fi nal putting
position had yet to be addressed. "
Unconvinced, Solz asked the MGA
the following question: " Isn't grounding
the putter behind the ball an act of
taking the fi nal position? "
The MGA recommended to fi rst consult
the defi nition for addressing the ball:
Addressing the Ball
A player has addressed the ball when he has grounded
his club immediately in front of or immediately behind
the ball, whether or not he has taken his stance.
The defi nition appears pretty clear and defi nitely informs this
situation. Solz's opponent addressed the ball when he grounded
his club. From that point on, if the ball moves (which is defi ned
as " moved if it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other
place " ), then a procedure must be followed in order to continue
playing by The Rules. In this case, Rule 18-2b covers the situation.
By defi nition, a player
has addressed the ball
when she has grounded
her club immediately
in front of or behind
her ball.
Rule 18-2b. Ball Moving after Address
If a player's ball in play moves after he addressed it
(other than as a result of the stroke), the player is
deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty
of one stroke.
In addition to the penalty stroke, the ball must
be replaced before proceeding. If it is not, then
a total of two strokes are assessed in
the stroke play, and the penalty of loss
of hole in match play-which was the
case in this scenario.
The bottom line for the style of play
in question is to go ahead and line
your putt up from the opposite end
of the green if you want (please be
mindful of pace of play in doing so),
but don't ground your putter in front
of or behind your ball-once you
have, your putt has been addressed.
The best procedure may be the one
employed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus,
who didn't ground his putter
during address on windy days, just
to avoid the unintentional movement
of his golf ball. In 2012, an exception
to Rule 18-2b was added that spares
Nicklaus that concern: " If it is known or virtually certain the
player did not cause the ball to move, Rule 18-2b does not apply. "
That means golfers are not penalized if their ball is blown from
its position after their club is grounded and the ball addressed-
they are, however, penalized only if the golfer caused that movement.
Therefore, if Solz's opponent, who caused the ball to move,
didn't replace it and assess a stroke, he was in breach of the Rules.
If a player is not deemed to
have moved his ball after
address, Rule 18-2b does
not apply.
14
MINNESOTAGOLFER Summer 2013
www.mngolf.org
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Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2013

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