Justin Thomas' Illegal Drop in the Honda.

[NEhomer]

I've been waiting for something to surface all week and am surprised that it hasn't.

Late in Friday's round....I saved it on my phone but I don't recall the hole.....Justin hit the ball to the right of the green into a hazard.

He measured off his two club lengths and placed a tee. He then held the ball out over the severely sloped bank and dropped the ball. It immediately rolled down into the hazard and his caddy caught it there and handed it back to Justin to re-drop.

On the re-drop, the ball rolled toward the hazard again but this time it stopped abruptly on the bank. There was some confusion as the caddy had his hand down where he expected the ball to roll as it had on the first drop.

The ball did not reach the hazard and was not closer to the hole. IMO, he was required to play the ball as it lied.

Thomas motioned for the caddy to give him the ball to place. He did so and then holed out to save par!

 

[redseat]

Did the caddy touch the ball?

But yes I thought you would have to play it as it lied after a drop, assuming it didn't roll back into a hazard OR unplayable.

Was there a rules official there?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I've been waiting for something to surface all week and am surprised that it hasn't.

Late in Friday's round....I saved it on my phone but I don't recall the hole.....Justin hit the ball to the right of the green into a hazard.

He measured off his two club lengths and placed a tee. He then held the ball out over the severely sloped bank and dropped the ball. It immediately rolled down into the hazard and his caddy caught it there and handed it back to Justin to re-drop.

On the re-drop, the ball rolled toward the hazard again but this time it stopped abruptly on the bank. There was some confusion as the caddy had his hand down where he expected the ball to roll as it had on the first drop.

The ball did not reach the hazard and was not closer to the hole. IMO, he was required to play the ball as it lied.

Thomas motioned for the caddy to give him the ball to place. He did so and then holed out to save par!

I didn't see it, but it sounds like the player thought the 2nd drop was somehow out of order, allowing him to place it. If it didn't roll nearer the hole...you're right, it should have been in play on the 2nd drop.

 

[NEhomer]

Didn't see an official right there but on TV it was clear as day. The player and caddy were both a little stunned as they expected it to do the same as the first drop.

The only thing I can think of that I'll have to look into is the complete relief rule.

If you take free relief from casual water or a cart path, you are required to take full relief. ie one foot cannot be still on the cart path.

Perhaps something to the same effect applies to hazards though I've never heard of it. Playing the ball as it layed with a normal stance would likely have required him to place one foot into the hazard.

Because free relief uses one club length while relief that costs a stroke is measured with 2 club lengths, I didn't think that applied.

Just surprised that it wasn't explained 'cause it looked fishy. ESP since the dude holed the shot and likely would not have hold it from the lie I believe he should have played from.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Didn't see an official right there but on TV it was clear as day. The player and caddy were both a little stunned as they expected it to do the same as the first drop.

The only thing I can think of that I'll have to look into is the complete relief rule.

If you take free relief from casual water or a cart path, you are required to take full relief. ie one foot cannot be still on the cart path.

Perhaps something to the same effect applies to hazards though I've never heard of it. Playing the ball as it layed with a normal stance would likely have required him to place one foot into the hazard.

Because free relief uses one club length while relief that costs a stroke is measured with 2 club lengths, I didn't think that applied.

Just surprised that it wasn't explained 'cause it looked fishy. ESP since the dude holed the shot and likely would not have hold it from the lie I believe he should have played from.

The only "complete relief" situation I'm aware of is the cart path.

I learned something else watching PGAT and applied it right away...just last weekend..in a drop area situation...when dropped, the ball doesn't have to stay in the defined drop area....we had a guy take a drop and it rolled out of the defined drop circle that was closely mown, and into some deep grass...he picked it up and re-dropped. He was thought he was entitled to another drop...as long as the ball doesn't roll nearer the hole once it rolls out of the drop circle...it's in play.

 

[NEhomer]

Wow, I would have assumed as he did that it must stay in the drop circle.

Golf rules are really difficult. I consider myself rather knowledgeable but sometimes I get killed on golf rules quizzes.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The only way I knew...I happened to see it on a PGAT event the week prior.