Re: A rules wager :-(


"Paul Schmitz-Josten" <alossola@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:g6k5oo$tp3$02$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello everybody,

this is a recent rules wager:

Question:
On the putting green, may a competitor stand directly behind the player
while he is performing his putt? Obviously, he will get an advantage to
determine his own line of putt.

Answer A: "It is illegal for anybody to stand behind the player or on the
opposite side of the hole. I usually encourage fellow competitors to move
away threatening them with a penalty, though I have no personal objection
(disturbance)."

Answer B: "While it is illegal for the partner and the own and the
partner's caddies to stand behind a player during a putt (RoG 8-2 b) there
is no restriction for a fellow competitor or opponent to stand behind the
player during his stroke."

While I could point to RoG 8-2 for my opinion (B), I could not disprove
the
other. OTOH, My opponent didn't find any proof for his opinion.
I assume that A is an over-interpretation of RoG 8-2.

Which one is correct, if any?

This is the second time that I engaged in a rules wager. Both ended in no
good way. While in the first case the "rules specialists" bent the meaning
of RoG 11-2 beyond recognition to prove me wrong against their club mate,
we now didn't find a positive result.

Instead of a beer each I only earned uncomfortable situations.

I'll never do so again - promised!

Ciao,

Paul

Paul,

This is the one Sam Torrance got wrong at Wentworth in September 2005

B is a correct statement but it is not Rule 8-2b. Rule 8-2 is about
indicating the line of play:
"8-2b On the Putting Green
When the player's ball is on the putting green, the player, his partner or
either of their caddies may, before but not during the stroke, point out a
line for putting, but in so doing the putting green must not be touched. A
mark must not be placed anywhere to indicate a line for putting."


Turn to Rule 14-2b (Assistance): "Allow his caddie, his partner or his
partner's caddie to position himself on or close to an extension of the line
of play or the line of putt behind the ball."

A bit of A is partly right also, see Rule 8-2a:
"Other Than on Putting Green
Except on the putting green, a player may have the line of play indicated to
him by anyone, but no one may be positioned by the player on or close to the
line or an extension of the line beyond the hole while the stroke is being
made. Any mark placed by the player or with his knowledge to indicate the
line must be removed before the stroke is made.



Note that "no one may be positioned by the player on or close to the line or
an extension of the line beyond the hole " applies only when a player is
playing from other than the putting green. He could position someone on an
extension of the line of putt beyond the hole.



You are probably even more confused now - positioning a player on an
extension of the line of play behind the player is illegal anywhere (14-2b):

positioning a player on an extension of the line of play beyond the hole is
only illegal if playing from other than the putting green (8-2a).



Regards,

Malcolm


.

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