[Interesting Golf Rules] "What If My Ball Enters Someone Else's House?"

Application of Golf Rule 13-1F 'Incorrect Relief on Green', 2 Penalty Strokes for Violation, Play Resumes After Drop Within One Club Length

If the ball enters a green that is not in use, relief must be taken. Photo by Golf.com

[Asia Economy Reporter Nowrae Noh] "You entered someone else's house."

This is not about 'Doseonsaeng.' It is a metaphor used when a golf ball lands on a green that is not in play during a round. It is slang typically used among comfortable companions. Golf ends when the ball is holed in all 18 holes. You must always aim for the green before holing out. In Korea and Japan, many golf courses use two greens per hole. Most of these are older courses. The 'two green' system is primarily convenient for course maintenance.

The problem arises when you ambitiously aim for a birdie with a 'par on' but the ball flies onto the wrong green. How should this be handled? Refer to Golf Rule 13.1F. It states, "When there is interference by a wrong green, you must not play the ball as it lies." Violating this results in a two-stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of the hole in match play.

Instead, the player may take relief without penalty by dropping the original ball or another ball in a relief area that meets the following conditions. First, establish a reference point: "the nearest point on the course to where the original ball came to rest, in the same area." Play continues within one club-length from the reference point.

It is advantageous to use the longest club in your bag except the putter. Players generally take out their driver to set the relief area. Remember, the ball must not be dropped closer to the hole than the reference point. The player drops the ball from knee height. The ball must land and come to rest within the relief area. If this procedure seems bothersome, the simple solution is to aim for the correct green.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.