Free reshot from an Interruption

[kfowler]

I was playing with some family and friends over the 4th. I'm the only serious golfer while my brother-in-law (BIL) is semi-serious meaning he's plays pretty close to the rules. My other two partners play infrequently. BIL and I were in a friendly stroke play against each other.

My BIL was teeing off and right during his back swing, our friend, starts talking really loudly. Totally oblivious to my BIL's swing. MY BIL proceeds to banana slice it into OB. He's has to hit a provisional but I tell him to go ahead and just a take a free re-hit from the tee box and not count it as a stroke.

I searched the rules and I didn't see any kind of provision that addresses interruptions during your swing. Besides being really bad etiquette, how do you handle this? I recall several years back a kid brought an air horn to the Master's and set it off during someone's back swing. I don't recall if they gave the golfer a free re-hit or not.

My gut feeling is technically you'd get no relief.

[BallStriker]

There is no rule that allows for a mulligan, it is just very poor etiquette and bad luck...that said, in a casual game, I have no problem giving your BIL a mulligan....sometimes we have to not take this game so seriously as to undermine the ultimate goal for 99.9% of us....fun...

[zeg]

Yep, no relief. Unless breaking your driver over the offender's skull is "relief" to you.

[kfowler]

Yep, no relief. Unless breaking your driver over the offender's skull is "relief" to you.

Bad thing was he did the same thing to me on the last hole. He'll definitely not be one of my regular golfing buddies.

[Koth]

This happened to my brother-in-law too while were playing with my mother's boyfriend - Bob. Bob's cell phone went off while my brother-in-law was in his backswing. His shot subsequently landed in the lake. I told him to just take another shot, and joked that we should add a penalty stroke to Bob for not having his cell phone on vibrate during a round.

[adamgoodman]

I figure us amateurs should just do whatever it takes for golf to be enjoyable.

[Slammin' Sam]

There is no rule that allows for a mulligan, it is just very poor etiquette and bad luck...that said, in a casual game, I have no problem giving your BIL a mulligan....sometimes we have to not take this game so seriously as to undermine the ultimate goal for 99.9% of us....fun...

Couldn't have said it better...except to say that the BIL might be entitled to a free shot upside the friend's head! LOL

[Dartguy]

Exactly. Take a mulligan if it bothered you.

[2bGood]

In a tournament one time, I was about to hit my drive with marshal waiting by the tee. I my back swing his walkie talkie goes off super load. I hook my drive OB. If looks could kill!

[zeg]

Sure sucks... I've had people honking on the road passing by the tee box, but fortunately never when I've been playing.

And even at the highest level it comes up... I've seen pros (including Tiger) screw up tee shots when a camera goes off or someone shouts "get in the hole" before the swing is through. At least for us a couple extra strokes don't cost us $10,000...

[WUTiger]

I was in the rough and had just started my takeaway with a 6-iron when the beverage cart came whipping out of the trees on a hairpin turn and almost ran me over.

My ball ended up 30 yds. to the left of the green. Fortunately, that area was wide open.

I know, if I had just put my drive in the fairway...

[AceDunk]

Worst one I've ever had is the blaring horn of a passing locomotive (course right next to tracks) in my backswing. It was definitely intentional. Silly train pilot.

[Ignorant]

I was playing with some family and friends over the 4th. I'm the only serious golfer while my brother-in-law (BIL) is semi-serious meaning he's plays pretty close to the rules. My other two partners play infrequently. BIL and I were in a friendly stroke play against each other.

U already got the right answer but here's some reinforcement:

1-4/1 Player Distracted by Ball Dropped by Another Player Mis-Hits Ball Q. As A was making his backswing, B accidentally dropped a ball, which rolled within six inches of A's ball. The appearance of the dropped ball startled A, causing him to top his shot. In equity, should A be permitted to replay his stroke? A. No. Distractions are a common occurrence which players must accept.

[zeg]

Worst one I've ever had is the blaring horn of a passing locomotive (course right next to tracks) in my backswing. It was definitely intentional. Silly train pilot.

But that's at least novel. If I put a tee shot OB because of a guy in a pickup truck, I'd be pissed. If it were a locomotive, I think I'd be laughing about it for the rest of the round. That is, if I didn't die of a heart attack on the spot...

[cougar978]

A course where I normally play (The Hamptons in Hampton, VA) is right in the approach path of the main runway at Langley AFB - so you usually have F-22's, DC-10 and B767 troop transports, C-130's, C-17's, the occasional C-5, and various other planes flying directly overhead when you're trying to line up a putt or hit a shot. When I practice putting there, I play through the planes flying over just to condition myself to deal with the distraction.

[CarlSpackler]

I heard stories of a transvestite hanging out just outside the fence of my golf course and putting on a "show". I can tune out most distractions, but one day, there she, err he, was. The group ahead of me had pulled their carts over to the fence and were watching. I was so creep'd out, I bladed my second over the green, chunked 2 pitches, picked up my ball and went on. Skulled my next tee shot and just grabbed my ball and walked in. Some distractions are just too much.

[alf174]

Doesn't John Daly have a lawsuit going against someone (or the course) where there was a camera shutter cycled during his swing and he injured himself?

That's the real danger, getting injured because of an interruption during your swing.

[DavidFehertysBike]

With a friendly game, thats fine by me. We're not touring pros or anything. In a sanctioned tournament though, there is obviously nothing you can do.