Golfmagic Christmas Rules Quiz 2013

[Cheesy gameshow music. Applause.]

Thank you, thank you and welcome to everyone’s favourite golf rules quiz show. After popular demand, we're back with the Golfmagic Christmas Rules Quiz for 2013.

We sat down with friend of Golfmagic, Ashley Weller - advanced member of the PGA and member of the PGA Rules Panel - who kindly came up with ten questions involving the Rules of Golf.

Some should cause little difficulty, while others will have you scratching the surface, says Weller, who has provided you with a choice of three answers for each.

Once you've attempted each question, click on the next page to see how you got on. Give yourself a point for each and a pat on the back if you can give us the exact rule number.

And what do points make? Well nothing really, just pride among your fellow Golfmagic members in the forum. So come on down, let’s play the Golfmagic Christmas Rules Quiz!

[Cheesy gameshow music. Applause.]

1. A player's ball is rolling down the fairway following his tee shot. Whilst still in motion a greenkeeper's vehicle strikes the ball and deflects it into the rough. Which of the following is correct?

(a) The player may drop a ball as close as possible to the spot where the vehicle struck the ball, without penalty
(b) The player may cancel the stroke and replay from the tee
(c) It is a rub of the green and the ball must be played as it lies

2. A player in match play is asked to lift his ball from the fairway as it is interfering with his opponent's next stroke. He cleans the ball before replacing it. What is the correct penalty?

(a) One stroke
(b) Two strokes
(c) Loss of hole

3. A player is waiting to start his stroke play round. He has arrived early so to fill in time starts chipping balls around the first tee. His playing partner suggests he has broken the Rules by practising on the course before his round. Which of the answers is correct?

(a) He is disqualified
(b) He is penalised 2 strokes
(c) There is no penalty

4. A player’s ball is lodged in a tree that is growing within an area of ground under repair. However, the point directly underneath the ball is outside the lines marking the ground under repair. Which of the following is correct?

(a) The ball is not in the ground under repair and must be played as it lies or declared unplayable
(b) The ball is deemed to lie within the ground under repair and free relief is available under Rule 25-1. The reference point for taking relief is the nearest outside edge of the ground under repair to where the ball lies
(c) The ball is deemed to lie within the ground under repair and free relief is available under Rule 25-1. The reference point for taking relief is the spot on the ground immediately below the place where the ball lay in the tree

5. A player hits his tee shot into a water hazard. By the time he reaches his ball the flow of water has carried the ball out of bounds. May the player proceed under the Water Hazard Rule (Rule 26)?

(a) No, the ball now lies out of bounds and the player must proceed under stroke and distance (Rule 27-1)
(b) Yes, the reference point for dropping is where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard
(c) In equity (Rule 1-4) the player may drop a ball under the provisions of the water hazard Rule (Rule 26-1) but must add an extra stroke, making 2 strokes in all

6. Player A slices his shot onto an adjoining fairway close to Player B's ball, who is playing the other hole. The balls are very close together, are the same model and number and have no identification marks on them, so the players cannot tell whose ball belongs to who. Which of the following is correct?

(a) The players must decide by mutual agreement which ball belongs to each of them and proceed without penalty
(b) Both balls are lost, the players must proceed under Rule 27-1 (Stroke & Distance)
(c) Both players are penalised one stroke, must decide which ball belongs to which player by drawing lots or tossing a coin and proceed from where the balls lie

7. A player's ball lies in casual water in a bunker. He cannot drop the ball in the bunker at a spot not nearer the hole that affords total relief from the casual water. There is an area affording complete relief from the condition, but that spot is nearer the hole. Which of the following is correct?

(a) He may drop the ball in the position that affords total relief, even though that spot is nearer the hole
(b) He may drop the ball in the bunker as near as possible to where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole that affords maximum available relief from the casual water
(c) As there is nowhere in the bunker that affords complete relief and is not nearer the hole the player is allowed to drop the ball outside the bunker, without penalty

8. A player putts on a very quick green and the ball rolls off the green towards a bunker. His caddie sees that the ball is about to hit the rake at the side of the bunker and, thinking quickly, manages to move it before the ball strikes it. Which of the following is correct?

(a) There is no penalty
(b) As the caddie moved the rake without the player's authorisation there is no penalty
(c) The player is penalised two strokes

9. A player holes a short putt in the monthly medal and removes the ball from the hole while it was still rolling around the bottom of the hole. As the definition of 'holed' is “...when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole...”, which of the following is correct?

(a) The player incurs a penalty of one stroke
(b) The player incurs a penalty of two strokes
(c) The ball is holed. The reference to the ball being at rest is to make it clear that if the ball falls below the lip and thereafter bounces out, it is not holed

10. In a match between A & B, A was unsure of his rights on the 3rd hole and therefore played a second ball and holed out with both balls. After the match they referred the situation to the committee. What is the ruling?

(a) A has proceeded correctly by putting a second ball into play and the result of the hole will be determined by the decision of the committee
(b) By playing a second ball in match play A has played a wrong ball and would lose the hole. However, since B did not make a timely claim the score made with A's original ball counts
(c) A should not have played a second ball in match play and therefore loses the hole, irrespective of any claim made by B

So how do you think you got on? Click here to find out.