Anyone care to discuss the MGA Rules Quiz? The official answers will be published in March, so we've got two or three weeks to discuss the questions.

Let's start with question #1:

1) A and B are partners in a four-ball match. B's ball lies just off the green, in front of A’s ball and on A’s line of play. Without the authorization of A, B marks and lifts A's ball so that he has enough room to swing his club back and play a bump-and-run. What is the ruling?
a. B incurs a penalty stroke.
b. A incurs a penalty stroke.
c. Both A and B incur a penalty stroke.
d. Neither A nor B incurs a penalty.

I don't believe a player's partner needs to be specifically authorized to mark a ball. Any other person, including the caddy, does. The correct answer is D.

D 20-1/3 ?

I think 20-1 is the only rule in play here....

"A ball to be lifted under the Rules may be lifted by the player, his partner or another person authorized by the player."

According to 22-2 though, player B is not allowed to lift player's A ball in this case. There is no authorization from A to do so. I think the correct answer is that player A gets a penalty according to 18-2a because the player's ball was lifted against the rules (without permission!) by his partner. I'ld say the correct answer is B (how unfair is that eh? Just make sure you pick a trustworthy partner in four-ball matchplay!).

Any other viewpoints?

Looks like no penalty, at least under USGA rules.

Rule 22-2 allows for the ball to be lifted if it interferes with play.

Rule 20-1 defines who can lift the ball.

Since they are partners, and the partner is one of the people authorized to lift and mark the ball, there is no penalty.

No penalty for playing out of order, either, as 30-3 allows for the team to determine who plays first.

mjaber wrote:

Rule 22-2 allows for the ball to be lifted if it interferes with play.

We'll see, I guess not.

Okay, question #2 is easy:

2) A and B are opponents in a club tournament. After seven holes, the match is all square. The 8th hole is 180 yards and requires a carry of about 165 yards over a lake. A hits his tee shot into the lake. B, fearing he’ll do the same, suggests calling the hole halved. A agrees and they move along to the 9th tee. What is the correct ruling?
a. A and B are all square.
b. Both players are disqualified.
c. A is one up.
d. B is one up.

jev wrote:

mjaber wrote: Rule 22-2 allows for the ball to be lifted if it interferes with play. We'll see, I guess not. Okay, question #2 is easy: 2) A and B are opponents in a club tournament. After seven holes, the match is all square. The 8th hole is 180 yards and requires a carry of about 165 yards over a lake. A hits his tee shot into the lake. B, fearing he’ll do the same, suggests calling the hole halved. A agrees and they move along to the 9th tee. What is the correct ruling? a. A and B are all square. b. Both players are disqualified. c. A is one up. d. B is one up.

B. Both players are disqualified. Since B has yet to make a stroke on the hole, both players are guilty of making an agreement to allow B to avoid playing the stipulated round. Had B made his tee shot, then they would be all square.

NOTE: This is, of course, all predicated on the idea that both players are aware of the rule. If neither player is aware of the rule, and they proceed due to ignorance rather than collusion, then the answer would be C: A is one up becasue B needs to take a stroke on the hole in order to be considered to having played the hole.

You fell for that eh? Check out the answer to decision 2-1/1.5:
"An agreement to halve a hole being played does not of itself constitute an agreement to waive the Rules.
However, if the players agree to consider a hole halved without either player making a stroke, they should be disqualified under Rule 1-3 for agreeing to exclude the operation of Rule 2-1 by failing to play the stipulated round."

Based on that, I say the answer should be a. A and B are all square.

Question 3:
3) A competitor has doubt as to whether his tee shot has gone out of bounds. He announces and plays a provisional ball from the tee. When he finds his original ball, he remains unsure whether it is in play or out of bounds. Announcing that he will play a second ball under Rule 3-3, he picks up the ball played provisionally, returns to the tee and plays his next stroke. He holes out both his original ball and the third ball in three more strokes. After he reports the facts to the Committee, it is determined that his original ball was out of bounds. His score for the hole is:
a. 6.
b. 7.
c. 8.
d. 9.

jev wrote:

You fell for that eh? Check out the answer to decision 2-1/1.5: "An agreement to halve a hole being played does not of itself constitute an agreement to waive the Rules. However, if the players agree to consider a hole halved without either player making a stroke, they should be disqualified under Rule 1-3 for agreeing to exclude the operation of Rule 2-1 by failing to play the stipulated round." Based on that, I say the answer should be a. A and B are all square.

I don't think that this question is specifically covered in the rules, to be honest. My interpretation of of this decision is that a player has to have made a stroke on a hole in order to have played the stipulated round. I personally don't think that player B should be allowed to halve the hole without taking a stroke first.

Quote:

Question 3: 3) A competitor has doubt as to whether his tee shot has gone out of bounds. He announces and plays a provisional ball from the tee. When he finds his original ball, he remains unsure whether it is in play or out of bounds. Announcing that he will play a second ball under Rule 3-3, he picks up the ball played provisionally, returns to the tee and plays his next stroke. He holes out both his original ball and the third ball in three more strokes. After he reports the facts to the Committee, it is determined that his original ball was out of bounds. His score for the hole is: a. 6. b. 7. c. 8. d. 9.

I think that the answer is A. The player played the hole correctly. If he found his original ball, he's technically not allowed to play his provisional.

Bryan K wrote:

I think that the answer is A. The player played the hole correctly. If he found his original ball, he's technically not allowed to play his provisional.

Why is that? A provisional can be played in case you think the ball may be lost (and not in a WH) or out of bounds. Thus, since the original was OOB, the provisional has become the ball in play and he should've played that.

Now, the caveat is that the question doesn't state which ball he wants to count after announcing he wants to continue under 3-3. If indeed he didn't, that (provisional) ball is not finished in accordance with the rules and thus the other ball counts. I think he hits this for 4 of the tee:
1. original ball -> ob
2. 1 stroke penalty
3. bring provisional in play, becomes ball in play since original was ob
4. invokes 3-3, play continues from tee
5, 6 and 7 (three more strokes)
Thus I say he scores b) 7.

Note: decision 3-3/1 tells us what he should've done. He should have considered the provisional to be his second ball. The term "should" does not, according to the rulebook, indicate a breach of rule if he doesn't.

Next!
4) It is a calm day with no wind. A competitor’s ball lies on an incline next to a deep bunker. He addresses his ball and then steps away. As he begins to take his stance the ball rolls into the bunker. The competitor asserts he did nothing to cause the ball to move and suggests gravity was the reason. He plays his next shot from the bunker. What is the ruling?
a. The competitor incurs a one-stroke penalty.
b. The competitor incurs a two-stroke penalty.
c. The competitor committed a serious breach of playing from a wrong place, incurs a two-stroke penalty and must correct his error.
d. The competitor proceeded correctly.

"Gravity" is not an outside agency and in the absence of another explanation (i.e. wind - but the day is calm), he would be considered the cause of the ball moving, having addressed it once already. So he should have proceeded with replacing the ball (with a 2 stroke penalty). Playing from the bunker is the "wrong place" and he needs to correct that before starting the next hole or he gets DQ'd.

I answered this on the fly. If this had really happened I would dig out the Rules and/or if it was my ball, play a 2nd ball to keep things moving and figure out the right process later.

jev wrote:

Now, the caveat is that the question doesn't state which ball he wants to count after announcing he wants to continue under 3-3. If indeed he didn't, that (provisional) ball is not finished in accordance with the rules and thus the other ball counts. I think he hits this for 4 of the tee: 1. original ball -> ob 2. 1 stroke penalty 3. bring provisional in play, becomes ball in play since original was ob 4. invokes 3-3, play continues from tee 5, 6 and 7 (three more strokes) Thus I say he scores b) 7.

I'm needing some time to parse this. How could he be hitting four off the tee if the provisional (his third stroke) is sitting out on the fairway?

Quote:

Next! 4) It is a calm day with no wind. A competitor’s ball lies on an incline next to a deep bunker. He addresses his ball and then steps away. As he begins to take his stance the ball rolls into the bunker. The competitor asserts he did nothing to cause the ball to move and suggests gravity was the reason. He plays his next shot from the bunker. What is the ruling? a. The competitor incurs a one-stroke penalty. b. The competitor incurs a two-stroke penalty. c. The competitor committed a serious breach of playing from a wrong place, incurs a two-stroke penalty and must correct his error. d. The competitor proceeded correctly.

I think this one is easy, but I consulted the rules just to be sure. Rule 18-2b specifically addresses this with an exception that reads: "If it is known or virtually certain that the player did not cause his ball to move, Rule 18-2b does not apply." From the wording of the question, it is known or virtually certain that he did nothing to cause the ball to move. So the correct answer would be D.

[quote="Bryan K"]

jev wrote:

Now, the caveat is that the question doesn't state which ball he wants to count after announcing he wants to continue under 3-3. If indeed he didn't, that (provisional) ball is not finished in accordance with the rules and thus the other ball counts. I think he hits this for 4 of the tee: 1. original ball -> ob 2. 1 stroke penalty 3. bring provisional in play, becomes ball in play since original was ob 4. invokes 3-3, play continues from tee 5, 6 and 7 (three more strokes) Thus I say he scores b) 7.

I'm needing some time to parse this. How could he be hitting four off the tee if the provisional (his third stroke) is sitting out on the fairway?
[quote]

After brushing myself up with the decisions you mentioned, I think that you have the stroke number correct. You just worded it a bit bafflingly. You said he'd be hitting four of the tee. He'd be hitting five off the tee because failure to play the provisional would constitute a one-stroke penalty.

Bryan K wrote:

Quote: Next! 4) It is a calm day with no wind. A competitor’s ball lies on an incline next to a deep bunker. He addresses his ball and then steps away. As he begins to take his stance the ball rolls into the bunker. The competitor asserts he did nothing to cause the ball to move and suggests gravity was the reason. He plays his next shot from the bunker. What is the ruling? a. The competitor incurs a one-stroke penalty. b. The competitor incurs a two-stroke penalty. c. The competitor committed a serious breach of playing from a wrong place, incurs a two-stroke penalty and must correct his error. d. The competitor proceeded correctly. I think this one is easy, but I consulted the rules just to be sure. Rule 18-2b specifically addresses this with an exception that reads: "If it is known or virtually certain that the player did not cause his ball to move, Rule 18-2b does not apply." From the wording of the question, it is known or virtually certain that he did nothing to cause the ball to move. So the correct answer would be D.

Have you considered Decision 18-2b/11?

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-18/#18-2b/11