From: bhoughto@hopi.intel.com (Blair P. Houghton)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
Subject: Re: Slow play by the pros
Date: 17 Apr 92 16:38:00 GMT
Organization: Intel Corp, Chandler, AZ

In article <fragante.703277760@chilko.ucs.ubc.ca> fragante@unixg.ubc.ca (Gv Fragante) writes:
>Well, I would think it would be a penalty outright the fact that he stroked the
>other ball with his club. It's like saying that he took a practice *shot* (and
>not just a swing) whether intentionally or not. My Dad lost a tournament this

He pulled the ball out, then hit it back in with the *back*
of his club.  Neither of these even remotely resembles an
actual stroke.  What your dad did was entirely different,
since he wasn't just noodling a ball around with the end of
his club; what your dad did was also perfectly legal, as
far as I can infer from the rules as they are written
(which may not be the same thing as the rules as they
*were* written :-)).

>way when, after making his last and winning putt on the 18th hole, he went to
>the fringe of the green to practice a few more putts while waiting for his 
>challenger to finish his own last putt. And while my Dad won the tournament by a stroke, the
>challenger threw the rule book at him for that practice stroke which was
>considered a penalty.
>
>Is this ruling correct or wrong ?	

I think your dad was robbed, and you should take this case to the
USGA, if only to get a decision on it.

See Rule 7-2.

He was either (a) practicing during the round legally on or
near the putting green of the hole just finished, and so long
as he wasn't delaying others he was not breaking the rules;
or, (b) practicing after the final round, which is not
regulated, and certainly not prohibited.  These assume the
Committee did not beforehand decide to prohibit practice at
the greens.

The decision would be needed in instance (a) if the fact
that his fellow-competitor had not holed out meant that
your dad was practicing *during* play of the hole.  It
would be needed in instance (b) if the period between his
holing out at the final hole and the closing of competition
is considered "during the round" but not "between holes";
it's this sense of "during the round" that isn't defined.

Since there wasn't a round following this one, I won't get
into the digression of whether the fact that his fellow-
competitor hadn't holed out meant that the round had not
yet ended.

Here's the poop, in its entirety (a bit longer than I thought...):

    Rule 7.  Practice

    7-1.  Before or Between Rounds

	a.  Match Play
	On any day of a match play competition, a player may
    practice on the competition _course_ before a round.

	b.  Stroke Play
	On any day of a stroke competition or play-off, a
    competitor shall not practice on the competition _course_
    or test the surface of any putting green on the course
    before a round or play-off.  When two or more rounds of a
    stroke competition are to be played over consecutive days,
    practice between those rounds on any competition course
    remaining to be played is prohibited

	Exception:  Practice putting or chipping on or near the
    first _teeing_ground_ before starting a round or play-off is
    permitted.

	  Penalty for Breach of Rule 7-1b:  Disqualification.

	Note:  The Committee may in the conditions of a
    competition (Rule 33-1) prohibit practice on the
    competition course on any day of a match play competition
    or permit practice on the competition course or part of the
    course (Rule 33-2c) on any day of or between rounds of a
    stroke competition.

    7-2.  During Round

	A player shall not play a practice _stroke_ either
    during play of a hole or between the play of two holes
    except that, between the play of two holes, the player may
    practice putting or chipping on or near the _putting_green_
    of the hole last played, any practice putting green or the
    _teeing_ground_ of the next hole to be played in the round,
    provided such practice stroke is not played from a hazard
    and does not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7).

	Exception:  When play has been suspended by the
    Committee, a player may, prior to the resumption of play,
    practice (a) as provided in this rule, (b) anywhere other
    than on the competition course and (c) as otherwise
    permitted by the Committee.

		Penalty for Breach of Rule 7-2:
      Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - two strokes.

	In the event of a breach between the play of two holes,
    the penalty applies to the next hole

	Note 1:  A practice swing is not a practice _stroke_
    and may be taken at any place, provided the player does
    not breach the Rules.
	Note 2:  The committee may prohibit practice on or
    near the _putting_green_ of the hole last played.

    (From the Rules of Golf for 1992, Copyright 1991 By The
    United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient
    Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland (Rule 34, q.v. :-)).)

				--Blair
				  "Membership has its privileges."