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Ball in and out, what's the rule?

• southsideduc 22 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 5:59 AM

  I hit a shot on BB 13 that I think went in and out of the cup.

  See the replay here:

  http://www.wgt.com/user/Profile.aspx?UserID=429052

  Whether it did or didn't, I'm not sure, but it got me wondering about the official rule in regards to this situation.  Does a ball that goes into the cup have to stay in the cup a certain period of time before it counts as in?

• Middle4man 368 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 6:33 AM

  I think the official ruling is the ball must stay in the cup. No in and outs. It's either in or out. Now a ruling exists for balls that sit on the edge of the cup (note Tiger's shot on 16 at the Masters a few years ago). I think you get 15 seconds to see if the ball falls in; otherwise it's another stroke to put it in. I don't have my official USGA rule book with me or I'd quote the specific rule numbers, but I hope this helped anyway.

• AvatarLee 1,644 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 6:54 AM

  I had that exact same thing happen to me in real life, so I did some checking... and I think the official rule is something like, the ball must come to rest below the top of the cup to be considered in the hole.  This is not a direct quote because I can't remember the wording.  It really sucked cuz it would've been my first ever eagle... I'm not very good in real life so that would have made my decade for sure!  I'll try to find the official rule...

  Lee

  *Edit* Taken from usga.org under Section II Definitions:

  Holed
  A ball is "holed" when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.

• southsideduc 22 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 8:05 AM

  Thanks guys!

• mabe 32 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 11:43 AM

  And to Middle4man:

  16-2.Ball Overhanging Hole
  When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is
  allowed enough time to reach the holewithout 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 stroketo his
  score for the hole; otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule.

• gadzuks 44 Posts

  Tue, Jul 7 2009 12:32 PM

  Bummer man, helluva shot, i've done it myself...but alas...it's gotta stay in.!!!!