The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.
I’ve got a question that has caused a heated debate at my club. If a tee shot on hole No. 1 crosses the out-of-bounds mark, crosses the adjacent street, then enters through the out-of-bounds mark on hole #10 and comes to rest in its fairway, is the ball OB or no? —Mario Polit, via email
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Rules Guy isn’t being philosophical or mealy-mouthed; there’s a Model Local Rule (A-5) that would treat a ball that crosses a boundary as out of bounds even if it comes to rest on another part of the course.
Without the Model Local Rule, then if the ball comes to rest somewhere that’s on the course (i.e., in-bounds) it doesn’t matter whether it crossed completely over a boundary or not — the ball is on the course. Which means Rules Guy gets to ask you a question: Does your course have said Model Local Rule in effect?
Rules Guy: An OB stake is hindering my swing. Can I move it without penalty?
For more OB-related guidance from our guru, read on …
You hit a ball, and it breaks into two parts. One part lands on the green, the other part out of bounds. What is the rule as to how to proceed? — J. Herring, via email
Did you hit the ball with a golf club or a lawnmower, J? Was this a gutta percha ball or a feathery?
This kind of thing doesn’t happen much anymore, thanks to modern technology, but on the rare occasion it does, Rule 4.2b covers matters — the stroke doesn’t count, and you go back and play again from where you made that last, scything, ill-fated stroke.
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Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.