A few golf rules questions?

Question

Are you allowed to tap down spike marks on your line of putt? Is it a penalty if you bring a rake into the bunker before you hit the shot? After you complete a hole in stroke play, can you hit a practice putt on that green? If you hit your ball into a water hazard, and take a drop and play that ball, but find your original ball in the hazard, can you play your original ball and pick up the ball you dropped and hit? Thx

Answer 1

No you can not tap down or fix spike marks, (you can repair a divot, or brush away debris)

There is not penalty to bring in a rake before you hit your ball in a bunker or sand trap.

Yes you can hit a practice putt on previous green if everyone has played out and it does not slow up play.

If you hit your ball after dropping out of a hazzard or after hitting a provisional etc... you must take the stroke penalty and use the ball you hit first.

your welcome,

Hartdawg

actually you can hit the ball marked with yellow stakes

yellow stakes indicate water hazard and red lateral hazzard

Answer 2

1. You are not allowed to tap down spike marks. (Rules 13-2 and 16-1).

2. It is NOT a penatly to bring a rake into the bunker. (Decision 13-4/21).

3. You can practice chipping and putting on the green just completed, or the teeing ground of the next hole. (Rule 7-2).

4. When you know your ball is in a hazard, once you have dropped and played a new ball, you are NOT allowed to replay the original ball. (Decision 26-1/3.5)

5. If your ball is in any water hazard (yellow stakes) or lateral water hazard (red stakes), you have the option to play it as it lies. In a hazard, different rules apply, so be careful. For instance, you cannot ground your club within the boundary of a hazard.

Answer 3

No,no,no only in match play, no you must play your drop,and yes.

Answer 4

1. Are you allowed to tap down spike marks on your line of a putt? Yes - and a new rule came in affect this year, you can sweep things out of your line.

2. Yes you can bring a rake into the bunker before you hit your shot. They should actually be in the bunker to begin with.

3. In tournament play, you are not allowed to hit a practice putt.

4. No you can not hit the original ball. Once you take the penalty stroke and drop the ball, you are accepting the penalty and have made your original ball out of play.

5. Yellow stakes you can not hit it out of the hazard. Red stakes you can, but can not ground your club.

keep golfing and dont have to many knee injuries like tiger woods

Answer 5

1.  Are you allowed to tap down spike marks on your line of a putt?  Yes - and a new rule came in affect this year, you can sweep things out of your line.  

2.  Yes you can bring a rake into the bunker before you hit your shot.  They should actually be in the bunker to begin with.

3.  In tournament play, you are not allowed to hit a practice putt.

4.  No you can not hit the original ball.  Once you take the penalty stroke and drop the ball, you are accepting the penalty and have made your original ball out of play.  

5.  Yellow stakes you can not hit it out of the hazard.  Red stakes you can, but can not ground your club.

Answer 6

You cannot tap down spike marks. It is not a penalty to bring a rake in but it is if you test the surface with the rake prior to hitting the shot. You can practice on the green if you do not delay play.  (The PGA Tour uses a local rule that you cannot do this during their events)  Once you take the drop and play, your original ball is done.

Answer 7

Pat B is the rules Maven. Let him quote you chapter and verse.

Answer 8

Rule 16-1

USGA Position on Spikemarks

Q.  What is the USGA position on spikemarks?

A.  The Rules of Golf are based on two fundamental principles: (1) play the ball as it lies and (2) play the course as you find it. Permitting the repair of spike marks on a player`s line of play or putt would be contrary to these fundamental principles. Rule 16-1c permits the repair of old hole plugs and ball marks but does not permit the repair of spike damage or other irregularities of surface on the putting green if they are on a player`s line of play or putt or might assist him in his subsequent play of the hole.

Rule 13-4

Placing Clubs or a Rake in a Hazard  

Q.  Am I allowed to place the rake or clubs in the bunker or water hazard near me while I play my stroke in the same hazard?

A.  Yes, provided you do not improve the lie of the ball or test the condition of the hazard in doing so. (Exception 1 to Rule 13-4)  

Rule 7-2

Practice Between Holes

Q.  During the stipulated round, is it permissible to practice putting or chipping between the play of two holes?

A.  Yes. Between the play of two holes, the player may practice putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the hole last played, any practice putting green or the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided such practice is not from a hazard (water hazard or bunker) and does not unduly delay play. (Rule 7-2) However, be careful, sometimes the Committee may prohibit this practice as a Condition of the Competition (Note 2 to Rule 7-2).  

Once you have dropped a ball, it is in play and you have "abandoned" your other ball. You don't even have to hit it for it to be in play.  

Yellow stakes are water hazards, red stakes are lateral hazards. You may choose to play out of either.  Major difference in red and yellow is with yellow stakes, you must keep that hazard between you and the hole.