Partnership pitfalls
HAL LENOBEL
Contributing Columnist
golf@lbknews.com
Most of us play golf in what I like to call a partnership mode. Team or partnership competition is the most prevalent form of play in which most of us participate. In most cases it is more intense than individual play despite the fact it may be more comfortable knowing we have a partner, yet it is a burden knowing we often strike the ball for two people. Keeping this in mind, you should know a few things about the rules relative to four ball stroke play (the correct title for partnership, better ball).
1. Partners are permitted to give advice to each other. The advice can include putt breaks, strategy, club selection, yardage, etc. However, if your partner touches the green in the process of pointing out the line of putt or improves your line of putt by tamping down spike marks, you are out of the hole (Rule 16). Touching the green to show the line is all right if you are off the green. If your partner chooses to stand behind you when you are putting (“going to school on your putt”) on an extension of your line of putt or insists on holing out to “show you the line” after your opponents have conceded his putt you, again, are out of the hole.
2. Partners may share clubs as long as the total does not exceed 14. If both partners are carrying 14 clubs you cannot share the use of any club even if one partner were to break or lose a club.
3. Your partner can help you search for a lost ball. However, if he or she moves the ball, even accidentally , during the search or improves the area of your intended swing by pressing down grass or breaking a branch, it is you who suffers the penalty (Rule 30-3c).
4. If your partner should fail to appear at the tee in time, you may forfeit the match or start play alone, without penalty. The missing partner may join the match between play of two holes but not during play of a hole (Rule 30-3).
5. Partners can play in any order they wish. Your partner can tap in a short putt despite the fact that you are further from the hole to give you a free run at the hole. However, you cannot unreasonably delay play by having your partner trot 200 yards to the green to putt out before you decide whether to go for the green or play it safe.
6. You and your partner would be disqualified if he declares a higher handicap than he is allowed and it affects the number of strokes given or received (Rule 30-3e).
7. You and your partner would be disqualified if either of you played a non-conforming club or ball or played a stroke with a club whose playing characteristics had been altered other than during the normal course of play.
8. Finally, if your partner breaches a rule and it assists you or adversely affects your opponents, you would incur the applicable penalty for the rule he violated (Rule 30-3f). e.g. You lie 2 in a bunker. Within a foot of your ball, but lying 4, is your partner’s ball. Interfering with both your balls is a small branch. Your partner removes the branch which is in violation of Rule 13-4 and you would be penalized as well because his rule violation assisted you.
Avoid all these problems and pitfalls by knowing the rules. Best advice, give your partner a rules book.
Definition of advice: According to the rules of golf, advice is any counsel or suggestion made by one golfer to another about the choice of club, method of play or making of a shot, which contains no more than 5 errors of fact, contradictory statements or harmful recommendations. Six or more such pieces of misinformation or misinstruction shall constitute a formal golf lesson.
