Evening star., 1935-01-22
Praised By Victorious Jadick L. g. A. Herpeb Tricky Golf Rules
PRACTICE SHOTS
CAN'T TOUCH TURF
No Penalty Is Incurred if
Sphere Moves on Green
When Addressed.

IF YOUR ball Is on the putting
green 10 yards from the pin and
your oponent'S ball is in a trap,
but only yards from the pin,
who is away and who has to play
first?
The man whose ball is in the trap,
according to the United States Golf
Association, is not away and even
though the opponents ball is on the
green, he is away and must play first.
This is one of a series of decisions
announced today by the national golf
governing body to clarity certain por-
tionS Of the rules not generally known
by most golfers. In other words, your
ball may be on the green and your
opponent may be in an unplayable lie
In bunker and yet you may have to
play your stroke before he plays.
You may not take a flock of prac-
tice strokes through the fairway with
out penalty, if you touch the grass, but
If you do not touch the grass or
ground, you make take a practice
stroke.
The first decision came up in New
York, where three golfers put their
balls on green, while the fourth
member of the match put his ball of
the green but closer than the other
balls. The question involved is which
man is to play the next shot first, the
man off the green but nearest to the
pin, or any of the men on the green
who are farther from the pn?"
How U. S. G. A. Sees It.
THE U. S. G. A. answered in this
way: THE putting green is not,
under the rules Of golf, the sur
face specially prepared for putting but
is all ground, except hazards, within
20 yards Of the hole being played. The
ball farthest from the hole must al
ways be played first, whether it lie on
the putting green, the fairWay, the
rough or in hazard"
The second question came from Des
MoineS, Iowa, and asks whether a
player has the right to take any num-
Der of practice shots within a club
length Of the ball on the tee, through
the fairWay, in the rough or on the
putting green. In each instance the
player placed his club behind the ball
and then stepped back far enough to
swing the club without actually strik-
ing the ball, and through the fairway
took turf and in the rough disturbed
and cut the grass. The answer, the
.. S. @. A. ruled, lies in rule IS, which
provides that before striking at ball
IN play, a player shall not improve
the position Of his ball by moving,
bending or breaking anything fixed or
growing, except so far as is necessary
to enable him fairly to take his stance
in addressing the ball and in making
his backward or forward swing. The
club may only be grounded lightly and
not pressed on the ground"
Penalty in match play-loss Of hole,
Penalty in stroke play-two strokes.
This rule is violated and the penalties
prescribed in match play and in stroke
play are incurred if the player moves,
bends or breaks something fixed or
growing. the association ruled. In
the opinion Of the rules of golf COM
nittee a practice swing taken more
than a clubs length from the ball
could not possibly improve the posi-
ton Of the ball and, accordingly, could
not violate the rule. Within that dis
tance 1t is possible for a player to
violate the rule by practice swings
which cut down high grass, woods
or other distractions behind or near
the ball. Such instances are a direct
violation Of the rule.