More rules questions...

[cougar978]

1)  I hit a tee shot into a greenside bunker on a par 3 today - the bunker was full of leaves and I could not locate my ball.  I had to dig through the leaves in order to locate and identify my ball.  While identifying my ball, it moved and I replaced it.  If I were in a tournament, would I be subject to a penalty?

2)  I hit an approach shot on a par 4 where the front end of the green and part of the run-up area was frozen.  The ball was sitting in ice and snow off the green so I took relief under the casual water rule - however, there was still ice in my line of sight (the ball was off the green).  I proceeded to putt the ball over the ice after taking relief (my stance and lie at that time was unimpeded by the casual water so I was under the impression I took full relief).  Did I proceed correctly or should I have taken relief to cover the line of the putt as well?

[Jay-Bird]

1.

At the end of Rule 18-2 a.(ii) it says

Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his ball to move in the following circumstances:

· In searching for a ball in a hazard covered by loose impediments or sand, for a ball in an obstruction or abnormal ground condition or for a ball believed to be in water in a water hazard - Rule 12-1 12-1. Searching for Ball; Seeing Ball In searching for his ball anywhere on the course , the player may touch or bend long grass, rushes, bushes, whins, heather or the like, but only to the extent necessary to find and identify it, provided that this does not improve the lie of the ball, the area of his intended stance or swing or his line of play . A player is not necessarily entitled to see his ball when making a stroke . In a hazard , if a ball is believed to be covered by loose impediments or sand, the player may remove by probing or raking with a club or otherwise, as many loose impediments or as much sand as will enable him to see a part of the ball. If an excess is removed, there is no penalty and the ball must be re-covered so that only a part of the ball is visible. If the ball is moved during the removal, there is no penalty; the ball must be replaced and, if necessary, re-covered. As to removal of loose impediments outside a hazard , see Rule 23-1 .

[Ignorant]

Originally Posted by cougar978

1)  I hit a tee shot into a greenside bunker on a par 3 today - the bunker was full of leaves and I could not locate my ball.  I had to dig through the leaves in order to locate and identify my ball.  While identifying my ball, it moved and I replaced it.  If I were in a tournament, would I be subject to a penalty?

2)  I hit an approach shot on a par 4 where the front end of the green and part of the run-up area was frozen.  The ball was sitting in ice and snow off the green so I took relief under the casual water rule - however, there was still ice in my line of sight (the ball was off the green).  I proceeded to putt the ball over the ice after taking relief (my stance and lie at that time was unimpeded by the casual water so I was under the impression I took full relief).  Did I proceed correctly or should I have taken relief to cover the line of the putt as well?

1) You proceeded correctly, see Rule 12-1

2) As your ball was outside the green a line of putt did not exist. Thus the Rules only allowed you to take relief from ice and snow according to R25-1b, which you did. Line of sight is not a term of golf, maybe you meant line of play. However, one is not allowed to take a relief from casual water (such as natural snow or ice) on one’s line of play, only on one’s line of putt. See Def. And R25-1a.