1. In his first round of the year, Robert takes relief from a paved cart path by dropping the ball from shoulder height. Before playing the ball, he realized that he had dropped under the pre-2019 Rules, so he lifts the ball and drops from knee height in the right place and plays it. What is the penalty?
A: No penalty.
B: One penalty stroke.
C: Loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.
Answer: a
2. Mallory’s ball is in a bunker. Before playing, she removes a leaf that was in the bunker near her ball. What is the penalty?
A: No penalty.
B: One penalty stroke.
C: Loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.
Answer: a
3. While playing the fifth hole in a stroke-play competition, Eric hits his tee shot onto the fringe of the seventh putting green. When he goes to play the ball, he realizes that his stance would be on the seventh putting green. What is the ruling?
A: He must play the ball as it lies.
B: He must take free relief so that his area of intended stance (as well as the lie of the ball and area of intended stance) is not on the seventh putting green.
Answer: b
4. In individual stroke play, on the sixth hole it is Amy’s turn to play from the fairway, with Jayne’s ball slightly closer to the hole. Before Amy plays, to help with Jayne’s club selection, Jayne asks Amy what club Amy is going to use. Amy replies that she is not allowed to provide that information and plays. Jayne then plays. What is the ruling?
A: No penalty to either player.
B: Jayne gets two penalty strokes; Amy gets no penalty.
C: Both players get two penalty strokes.
Answer: b
5. When taking relief from a cart path during a stroke-play competition, Kate determines the nearest point of complete relief and drops a ball within the relief area of one club-length. The ball lands inside the relief area but rolls backward and comes to rest just behind the relief area (i.e., just more than one club-length from the nearest point of complete relief). She plays the ball. What is the ruling?
A: There is no penalty.
B: There is a one-stroke penalty.
C: There is a two-stroke penalty.
D: There is a two-stroke penalty and Kate must correct the mistake of playing from a wrong place before starting the next hole or be disqualified.
Answer: c
John Morrissett is Competitions Director at Erin Hills and former Director of Rules of Golf for the USGA.
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