Sometimes in golf, it matters what you say or don’t say. For example, if you aren’t sure your tee shot is safe and you want to play a provisional ball, you must actually tell someone in your group what you’re about to do. And the deceleration can’t be retroactive. If you didn’t declare a provisional before hitting a second tee shot, that second ball is now in play (and you just took a stroke-and-distance penalty).
This mandatory verbal declaration doesn’t apply, however, when conceding a stroke in match play. A simple thumb’s up or similar gesture can get the job done without actually having to say “that putt’s good” or “pick it up.”
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But how about when you make a declaration and then decide you’re going to proceed in another manner? For instance, what does the Rules of Golf say about the scenario in this headline? Well, let’s find out.
Say your ball is caked in mud but not embedded. You think there’s no way to play your next shot from that spot without getting your white golf pants (why’d you choose white, anyway?) blasted with filth. You decide the way to go is to take unplayable-lie relief under Rule 19. That relief comes with a stroke penalty, but it gets you out of the mud. Knowing that, you yell across the fairway to your opponent and let him or her know what you’re up to.
However, after you pick up your ball, you look down at the ground and realize you just made a mistake. Your ball was sitting in temporary water in addition to being muddy. Temporary water is one of the four abnormal course conditions that come with free relief (the others are ground under repair, immovable obstructions and animal holes).
Not only did you declare to an opponent you were “taking an unplayable” but you also picked the ball up. Can you now get the free relief you were entitled to?
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Fingers crossed? What’s the ruling?
The answer is yes under Rule 19.2/4. As long as you haven’t put a ball in play, you’re still allowed to take free relief as outlined in Rule 16.1. And it wouldn’t have mattered if the ball was in the temporary water if your stance or intended swing was interfered by it. The same rule would apply.
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Since we’re role-playing here, another scenario you might wonder about is what happens if your ball was in such a terrible lie that you conceded the hole to your opponent rather than play on? Only after the concession do you realize you were entitled to free relief. Do you still get it?
Fingers crossed again? What’s the ruling?
Unfortunately for you, this time the answer is no. A concession cannot be withdrawn.
The lesson is to carefully review your lie before making any determination as to what to do next. You might be in a better situation than you think.
MORE GOLF DIGEST RULES REVIEWS
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I hit a horrible shot. I’m way better off if I don’t find it. Can I just declare it lost?
Does a ball have to be unplayable to declare it unplayable?
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