PGA Championship Rules Question

[ColinL]

 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

I don't care much for your tone in this, Erik.  It's demeaning.

There's no tone here. Maybe don't read into stuff what's not there?

The referee in this situation WAS asked. He was actively helping the player with the situation. It's not a matter of "he wasn't asked."

And your job or what you were instructed to do as a marshall is completely irrelevant.

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

I was relating what I EXPERIENCED as a referee for my state golf association in state level tournaments (and it was essentially the same policy as when I marshaled for the Tour). We didn't touch player's ball, period.

Cool. I don't see the relevance, particularly to the marshal position.

I've been a rules official for the USGA in national events. For my local golf association for PA events. I've handled a golf ball a few times. Twice when the ball was OB or a player had played a provisional but wanted it back. (Thus not a ball in play.) It's not like there's a carte blanche rule about it. There was never any "don't touch a ball, period" about it.

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

From the OP description, there was no reason in this case for the referee to do so.

Unfortunately we're going by his description alone.

The PGA rules officials are the best of the best. Yes, he could have made a mistake… but odds are, he didn't. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

I've watched untold numbers of drops on TV and I've never seen the referee pick up a ball in a case where the ball wasn't well out of the allowed drop area.

Nobody (except the OP) watched this one.