It would have been a cracking shot. A day ago. Now it’s lingering right on your line and you’re worried it’s going to deflect a cup-bound effort off target.
What am I talking about this week? Let’s allow Mick Roberts – thanks for your email – to set the scene.
“An old hole was in the line of one of my playing partner’s line of putt,” Mick writes. “Our competition secretary did not know the answer.
“Can you move your ball sideways to avoid putting over the old hole without penalty under ‘the grounds man’s workings’ rule?”
Dealing with an old hole plug
What can you do about an old hole plug then? Rule 13.1c (2) allows you to repair damage on the putting green without penalty.
That means “any damage caused by a person or outside influence” – and old hole plugs and turf plugs are specifically mentioned.
You can take reasonable actions to restore the putting surface “as nearly as possible to its original condition”, by using your hand, foot, another part of the body, a ball-mark repair tool, tee, club, or “similar item of normal equipment”.
And you can do this irrespective of whether your ball is on the green or not.
Don’t spend ages doing it, though, as you’re not allowed to unreasonably delay play. And if you exceed what is reasonable, such as by using a prohibited item, you’re going to get the general penalty (two shots in stroke play, or loss of hole in match play).
Now what if the plug has sunk below the surface of the hole? You clearly can’t repair it then, so do you have to put up with it?
A clarification to Rule 13.1c (2) in the 2023 Rules of Golf says you can ask the committee to repair the damage. If they’re unable to do that, and your ball is on the green, committees can then consider “providing relief to the player under Rule 16.1 by defining the damaged area as ground under repair”.