Written by: Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
The Florida High School Championships are currently going on at Mission Resort + Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, and we had a ruling in the Girls 1A tournament earlier this week. The first group off of the front nine only had two players, and as imagined, they played their first nine holes very quickly. This lead to a long wait at the turn, as the final groups off the back nine still had to tee off on the 10th hole. A coach of one of the players asked member of the Rules Committee if the players could practice while they waited. The Official informed the coach that the players could practice putting or chipping on or around the last green they completed (hole 9) or on, or around, any practice green. He also informed the coach they must not practice out of any bunkers.
While the players were waiting for the 10th tee to be clear, one of the players went back into the 9th fairway and hit three full shots into the 9th green. Rule 5.5b states that any practice strokes made during a round must be putts or chips, so the player was in breach of the Rule. The penalty for breaching Rule 5.5b is the general penalty, which is a loss of hole in match play, or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play. The High School Championships is stroke play, so the girl had to add a two-stroke penalty on her 10th hole.
The Rules Committee discussed whether the player should receive one two-stroke penalty or three two-stroke penalties since she made three practice strokes that breached the Rule. The Committee confirmed that practice strokes are not intervening events so the player should only receive one two-stroke penalty.
To summarize, practice strokes made during a round must be:
- Between the play of two holes
- Putts or chips
- On or around the last putting green completed, any practice green, or near the player’s next teeing area
- And not from a bunker
- All while not unreasonably delaying play
Please note that the Committee in charge of a competition could put a Local Rule into effect that prohibits practice during a round. The PGA Tour and most professional tours have this Local Rule in effect; however, the FSGA and most amateur golf associations do not.
Practice makes perfect!
