By Alan Jeffery
QUESTION: Diane and Greg are playing in a tournament. On the 12th hole Diane’s ball rests on the green. Greg accidentally steps on and damages Diane’s line of putt. She asks Greg to restore the line of putt the best he can. Greg says because he is her opponent, he is not allowed to make the repair. He says she is the only one allowed to restore the damages to the line of putt. Is Greg correct?
ANSWER: The Rules of Equity allow anyone to restore the line of putt to its original condition. Greg therefore is incorrect. He is allowed to conduct the repair. If the repair is too difficult to repair, Dianne can request the Committee to grant relief by declaring the area to be ground under repair. See USGA Decisions on the Rules of Golf, 2014-2015, 16-1a/13.
Golf clinics continue on Saturday mornings, with the exception of the 20th of September. However, on other Saturdays, I will continue to work on individual concerns. Private lessons can also be arranged by calling GMNGC (422-GOLF). Remember, the swing’s the thing and continuous improvement is what it’s all about.
