Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
The men’s Super-Senior Championship concluded this past Wednesday at The Palencia Club in St. Augustine. Two-time defending champion, David Anthony, entered the final round two strokes behind Terry Werner. Anthony shot a 73 in the very windy final round tying Werner at 219 for the championship. The duo went into a hole-by-hole playoff to determine the champion.
On the first playoff hole, Anthony’s tee shot came to rest on the cart path about 20 yards short of a bridge that goes over a lake which is a red penalty area. A Rules Official was following the playoff and came over to assist Anthony with his free relief drop. He placed a tee near his ball without lifting it (ball is still in play) and started measuring his one club-length relief area. While he was measuring, a gust of wind blew his ball and it started rolling down the path towards the bridge and red penalty area. The ball hit the side of the bridge that deflected the ball away from the water and back into the rough (general area). The Rules Official informed Anthony that he must play the ball from its new position.
Anthony and Werner tied the hole with pars and on the third playoff hole, Anthony secured his third Super-Senior title in a row.
But, what if…?
If Anthony would have stopped his ball while it was rolling down the cart path he would have been penalized two strokes under Rule 11.2b and be required to drop a ball in the area where it would have likely ended up.
If Anthony would have picked up the ball by the bridge, returned it the cart path, and taken relief, he would have played from a wrong place and added a two-stroke penalty.
Except for some unique situations, you should never stop or deflect a ball that is in motion.
