Wendy Dominick

I've often been the one to enter all 4 scores hole by hole on Golf Genius. I've often forgotten to hit "enter" or made some other error. Others have done the same. Fortunately I always keep a paper scorecard and usually others do as well. I would NOT want my final score to be based solely on electronic scoring.

Model Local Rule E-3 leaves it to the Committee to specify where and how preferred lies may be taken. Unless it specifies "in your own fairway" your friend proceeded correctly.

I wrote to the USGA to ask about making a mark in the dew as an alignment and was told that it is under consideration, so as of now, we don't know!

You can't just "call it in the water". If, before dropping, you had knowledge or virtual certainty that the ball was in the penalty area, then your drop was correct and the dropped ball is in play. It's too late to play the found original. In fact, it is now a wrong ball. On the other hand, if you did NOT have knowledge or virtual certainty that the original was in the penalty area, then you have proceeded under an inapplicable Rule. You must not play the dropped ball. In this case you can proceed with the found original. It's possible to have knowledge or virtual certainty that a ball is in a penalty area when in fact it is not. It's also possible NOT to have knowledge or virtual certainty even when the original is later found in the penalty area! Yes, you read that correctly! It all depends on what is known BEFORE the drop.

I need to repeat my earlier question: At the time you dropped a ball, did you have knowledge or virtually certainty that the original ball was in the penalty area? Please note, it doesn't matter if the original was found in or outside the penalty area. What matters is what you had determined before you dropped.

Before dropping the ball did you have knowledge or virtual certainty that the original ball was in the penalty area? The answer hinges on this.

The three stroke difference(based on course rating) only comes into play when players are competing from different tees. When everyone is playing from the same tees they just use their handicap index and determine their course handicap based on the slope. It's no different than if you were playing at a different course with a higher or lower slope rating.

He was trying to mark the ball with a coin(or some small object) and accidentally moved the ball with his putter. There is absolutely no way that this is directly attributable to marking the ball. Penalty incurred. The Committee got it wrong.

You must drop the ball in bounds. If it rolls out of bounds you must re-drop. If it rolls OB again, you place it where it struck the course(in bounds) on the second drop.

I have argued that all of the intended drop zone must be in bounds to allow relief to be taken. Read 24-2b. Drop within one clublength of the nearest point of relief. There is no mention that a full club length must be available.

33-8/2 Local Rule Allows Drop on Green Side of Water Hazard When Ball Fails to Clear Hazard Q.The design of a hole is such that a player must hit the ball about 100 yards in order to carry a water hazard. A Local Rule has been adopted to assist players who cannot drive over the hazard by allowing them to drop a ball, under penalty of two strokes, in a dropping zone that is located across the hazard. Is such a Local Rule authorized? A.No. Such a Local Rule substantially alters Rule 26-1b as it allows the player to drop a ball on a part of the course (i.e., on the green side of the water hazard) that the Rule would not have permitted him to reach. Furthermore, the penalty for taking relief under the water hazard Rule (Rule 26) is one stroke, and may not be increased to two strokes by a Committee through a Local Rule - see Rule 33-8b . 33-8/3 (Reserved)

Is this match play or stroke play? If it's stroke play on a better ball basis then your side tees off first because you had the better gross score. If it's match play, then the hole was halved and your opponents keep the honor.

12 correct.

There is no option of replaying the stroke if the ball hits the tractor.

You can't PUT your ball at the green dot. It must be dropped. Chances are it will roll under the tractor, and from there you take relief from that. It might become a Decision 1-4/8 situation, or NPR from the tractor might be to the left of the tractor. But, even if the ball when dropped came to rest at the green dot, a left handed stance would not result in a NPR to the right of the cart path.