You are part of a team of 5 rule officials that will be called upon at different times during a tournament.  You must be able to make your decisions quickly and correctly. You must research the rules for gold via the links on the Resources page and solve 4 specific problems, as well as answer some general questions for your assignment. 

THE PROCESS

            Listed below are the four different rules situations along with specific instructions and additional information that is necessary to solve the problem. 

• Ruling #1 
                  Player A and Player B are on the 14th hole tee box.  Player A hits first.  His shot is long and rests in the middle of the fairway.  Player B hits next.  His shot is also long, but is moving further left than its intended flight path.  The ball strikes the concrete cart path and bounces into the very high grass on a knoll.  Player A begins the walk toward the balls while Player B stops to get a drink of water.
                  You are watching the entire process.  Player A and his caddy walk by their ball in the fairway and begin looking for Player B’s ball in the tall grass.  At that moment, another rules official begins timing the search for the lost ball.  Two minutes later, Player B and his caddy arrive and begin searching.  You immediately begin timing the search.  After four minutes of searching (according to your timer), Player A finds Player B’s ball.  The other rules official emerges and announces that the five minute time limit to search for a lost ball has ended and Player A must take a penalty and re-hit.  What is your ruling?  
  

• Ruling #2 
                   Player A and Player B have hit their tee shots from the 7th hole tee box.  Both balls have landed very close to one another in the fairway.  Player B will hit first.  Player A’s ball rests approximately 6 inches in front of Player B’s ball.  Player B asks Player A to lift and mark his ball because he may accidentally hit Player A’s ball during his swing.  Player A marks his ball and tosses the ball to his caddy.  While Player B is making his shot, Player B’s caddy notices that Player A’s caddy is cleaning the ball with a towel.  Player A’s caddy informs him of the events and Player A notifies Player B.  Player A and Player B do not know if this is legal.  You have been called to rectify the situation.  What is your ruling?

• Ruling #3 
                    Player A and Player B are on the putting green.  Player B putts for his 3rd shot and his putt hangs on the lip of the cup but does not fall inside the cup.  Player B falls to his knees not believing what just happened.  Player A has yet to putt.  Player B then walks off the green, looking away from the green still perplexed as to why his putt did not fall.  After at least 15-30 seconds, Player B walks to his ball and as he does the ball drops into the cup.  Player A feels that Player B took too much time in getting to his ball.  Player B disagrees.  You have been called to rectify the disagreement.  What is your ruling? 
  

• Ruling #4 
                  Player A and Player B have hit their tee shots from the 18th tee box into a creek.  The creek is in front of the green and marked with yellow stakes.  Since the creek is marked as a lateral water hazard, the players have the options of playing the ball from the creek without penalty.  It is mid-summer, and the creek has just a small stream of water running.  Both balls lie very close but are playable.  
                  Player A will hit first.  He hits a clean shot from the creek and his ball sails toward the green.  The ball hits just before the hole and rolls in the cup.  Player B is ready to hit and realizes that the ball he is to hit is Player A’s ball.  After discussion, Player A and Player B come to the conclusion that Player A played Player B’s ball from the creek.  You have been called to rectify the situation.  What is your ruling? 

   

  RESOURCES

  
  Golf Rules in Brief 
  The Leith Society::Rules of Golf
  PGA.Com Rules of Golf
  US Golf Association::Rules of Golf

   

  You should now have a better understanding of the rules of golf. Watch a game, or even participate in one and see if you can put your knowledge to good use!
   

Submit your completed Golf Rules Official Handout here