Unusual golf ruling help - Match play?

Question

So I'm playing in a match. I putted my ball so close it had a good chance to roll over into the hole, it was literally hanging on the edge of the cup. If the ball went in I would've won the hole with a birdie. However, my opponent quickly conceeded the putt (within 2 or 3 seconds), said "it's good" and hit the ball back towards me. Under rule a player is entiltled to 10 seconds to wait for the ball to go in, after which it must be putted. Did my opponent violate the rules of golf by either 1) hitting my ball, or 2) not allowing 10 seconds for the ball to fall? Should I have won the hole?

Answer 1

According to Rule 16-2, the player is allowed reasonable time to reach the hole and an additional 10 seconds to determine if his ball is at rest. Since the opponent knocked it away prior to the lapse of that time he infringed on the rights of the player whose ball was overhanging  and would have lost the hole.The opponent was also in violation of Rule1-2 ( Exerting influence on the ball)

Answer 2

You would have ended up with the same score anyway. Yes you are allowed reasonable time to approach the ball to determine if it is at rest. The thing is if you approach the ball and it falls in the hole yes you would have gottin the birdie but you would also have been given a penalty stroke for undue delay. And either way would have had a par.

Edit- Thats not the entire rule googie it is 16-2 "When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the

player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable

delay and an additional ten seconds to determine

whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen

into the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke and must add a penalty stroke to his score for the hole; otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule.

Answer 3

There is NO penalty... this happened in the US Junior Amateur a few years back in a match (either semi's or finals).  I just remember the ball hanging on the lip and then the opponent running up to it and tapping it away.  Gary Koch and Johnny Miller commented on how "smart" the opponent was in the situation to have the presence of mind to do such a thing.  But to your question, you should not have won the hole.

Answer 4

I think you should have won the hole, and also your opponent should have gotten a 2 stroke penalty for hitting the wrong ball.

Answer 5

You're allowed time to walk to the hole and then an additional ten seconds to determine if the ball is at rest. Since you weren't afforded that luxury your opponent would forfeit the hole in match play.

Answer 6

Next time just hit the putt little bit harder and you won't have to worry about it.  This is tough as there are two different rules coming into play.  While you are correct about being allowed a reasonable amount of time to get to the hole and then some more time to see if it is at rest, I also believe (don't have my rules book with me) that your opponent can concede your next stroke at "any" time.  So the correct answer lies either in the decisions on the rules of golf, or you can email the USGA to get the correct ruling.