I make it a coverage of not going close to a golf ball till I’m able to hit it. I’ve simply knocked it too many instances within the fairway with a careless waggle and been compelled to tack on a penalty shot. It’s so silly I’m tempted to flog myself with a 7-iron as a punishment.
Nevertheless it’s clearly on a few of your minds if this e-mail is any information:
“What’s the penalty, if any, for grounding your membership behind the ball, earlier than making your shot, both on the golf green or within the tough, and shifting the clubhead forwards and backwards behind the ball while the clubhead is involved with the bottom instantly behind your ball?”
One query however a number of totally different parts to it. What’s the reply? Let’s get caught in…
Grounding golf membership guidelines: What are you allowed to do?
Are you able to floor your golf membership proper behind or in entrance of the ball? Sure, you possibly can. The important thing, although, is that you simply do it ‘flippantly’.
What does flippantly imply? Rule 8.1b (4) spells it out. It’s “permitting the load of the membership to be supported by the grass, soil, sand or different materials on or above the bottom floor”.
It doesn’t imply urgent the membership into the bottom.
Earlier, Rule 8.1a spends various time explaining what you’re not allowed to do and No. 3 is likely to be related to our dialogue.
If the motion is enhancing the circumstances affecting the stroke, you’re not allowed to “alter the floor of the bottom”, together with by “creating or eliminating holes, indentations or uneven surfaces”.
The circumstances affecting the stroke embrace the lie of the participant’s ball at relaxation, their space of supposed stance and swing in addition to their line of play and the aid space the place the participant will drop the ball.
You’d clearly have to see the impression of any such actions earlier than figuring out whether or not there is likely to be a penalty.
However, for instance, let’s say a ball was within the tough and a clubhead was being repeatedly patted down behind it and was flattening the lie and space of supposed swing.
That’s clearly enhancing circumstances affecting the stroke. The sanction is the final penalty – two photographs or lack of gap in match play.
For some conditions, a participant who has improved circumstances can keep away from a penalty by restoring them earlier than their subsequent stroke.
Nonetheless, in the case of altering the floor of the bottom, eradicating or urgent down sand or unfastened soil and eradicating dew, frost or water, there isn’t any escape. A penalty can’t be prevented – irrespective of how a lot you attempt to cowl your tracks.
Bought a query for our knowledgeable?
Regardless of the adjustments to the Guidelines of Golf in 2019 and 2023, there are nonetheless some that depart us scratching our heads. I’ll attempt to assist by that includes the most effective of your queries on this column. Get in contact together with your questions by emailing me at s.carroll@nationalclubgolfer.com
What do you consider these grounding golf membership guidelines? Let me know by leaving a touch upon X.
NOW READ: What occurs when a ball strikes on the inexperienced?
NOW READ: Are you able to wrap a towel spherical your grip to take a shot?
The submit Is there a penalty for grounding your membership behind the ball? appeared first on Nationwide Membership Golfer.
