Force Majeure?

[dsc123]

Is there a force majeure rule?  Do you get to put your ball back to where it originally laid if an earthquake moves it?  Do you get a do-over if it strikes midswing?  If you're a junior golfer with a time limit can you wait out the quake?  These are the questions that must be answered.

[zeg]

I'm gonna go with:

1) No, an earthquake is not different from a gust of wind blowing your ball.  Play it as it lies.

2) No, once you begin your downswing you accept random events.  Similar to 1.

3) Yes, I believe in an obviously hazardous condition, any player would be more than justified in taking cover. An earthquake is at least as dangerous as a lightning storm, and a player may discontinue play, so I think it's only equitable.

[Lebowski]

now what if..... you sink a putt from 15 feet and before you can pick your ball out of the hole, an earthquake shakes the ball out of the cup and back onto the green?

[iacas]

  Lebowski said:

Originally Posted by Lebowski

now what if..... you sink a putt from 15 feet and before you can pick your ball out of the hole, an earthquake shakes the ball out of the cup and back onto the green?

If the ball came to rest at the bottom of the hole, it's holed. If it didn't, it's not holed.

[mikelegacy]

This is funny, because we just felt that Virginia earthquake today where I live in Pittsburgh, PA. So technically, this COULD have happened to me today lol

[cruzthepug]

  Lebowski said:

Originally Posted by Lebowski

now what if..... you sink a putt from 15 feet and before you can pick your ball out of the hole, an earthquake shakes the ball out of the cup and back onto the green?

What if that putt had stopped on the lip..........then during the quake it dropped in

[sacm3bill]

  cruzthepug said:

Originally Posted by cruzthepug

What if that putt had stopped on the lip..........then during the quake it dropped in

That's covered in the rules too: If the golfer had walked to the hole without reasonable delay and had spent no more than 10 seconds at the hole before the ball dropped, it's holed with the previous stroke. Otherwise, it's holed with the previous stroke but you add a penalty stroke.