Virtually every golfer has experienced a “rub of the green”. However, few realize it’s an actual term in the Rules of Golf. An antiquated phrase, rub of the green is erroneously used to describe fortune or depending on the outcome, misfortune.
In fact, the Rules of Golf define “rub of the green” as: “A ball in motion being accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency”. An outside agency is any agency not part of a match in match play, or in stroke play, not part of the competitor’s side. Spectators, forecaddies, maintenance equipment are examples of outside agencies.
What do you do when a rub of the green occurs to you? Rule 19-1 outlines that if your ball is in motion and it is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency, the ball must be played as it lies… for better or for worse. However, if the ball comes to rest on or in a moving or animate outside agency, you must drop the ball as near as possible to where the agency was when the ball came to rest in or on it.
What if the incident occurs after a stroke on the putting green? The stroke is cancelled and must be replayed. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to deflections caused by insects and worms – they’re loose impediments…. nice try, though!
Rub of the green only applies to accidental deflections. If a ball is intentionally deflected or stopped by an outside agency, the ball must be dropped in accordance with equity (Rule 1-4). In these rare circumstances, the Committee must make a determination on where the ball would have come to rest and the player must drop the ball at that spot.
In stroke play, if the player, his partner, or either of their caddies or equipment accidentally deflects a ball, the penalty is two strokes and again, the ball must be played as it lies. Should the ball come to rest in or on an item of their clothing or equipment, the ball is dropped or, if on the putting green, placed.
As with most Rules of Golf, the procedures and penalties in match play differ slightly from those in stroke play. In match play, if the ball is deflected or stopped by anything on the player's side, the player loses the hole.
On the other hand, if the ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an opponent (or anything on his side) the player who made the stroke has an option on how to proceed. He may play the ball as it lies or he may elect to cancel the stroke and play a ball as near as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played. However, this must be done before either side plays another stroke. A valuable rule to remember, should you ever scull a bunker shot which, strikes your opponent’s golf bag!
The key word in Rule 19 is: accidental. Should a player or caddie purposely deflect or stop a ball, Rule 1-2 applies (Exerting Influence on Ball). In stroke play, the penalty for influencing the movement of a fellow-competitor’s ball is two strokes. In match play, the penalty is loss of hole. Regardless of the game being played, if the Committee determines the breach was serious, they may impose a penalty of disqualification. It’s best to observe and not touch!
So, the next time your ball ricochets off a direction post and lands on the fairway…. it’s not luck… it’s a rub of the green.
For more information on Rule 19 or any Rule of Golf, or to purchase a copy of The Rules of Golf or The Decisions on the Rules of Golf, log on to the RCGA website at www.rcga.org.