Wrong green
In the January issue, we looked again at the five areas of any golf course as defined by the Rules, namely the general area, all bunkers, all penalty areas and the teeing area and putting green of the hole you are playing. But what about the putting green of a hole you are not playing?
Under the Rules, this is classed as a ‘wrong green’, which is defined as “any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole you are playing”. The definitions go on to say that “wrong greens are part of the general area”, but no greenkeeper would thank you if you were to just wander on to that wrong green and swish your ball away, especially if you have a tendency to get a little steep!
Thankfully, the Rules of Golf prohibit play from a wrong green under Rule 13.1f, but almost unbelievably, that didn’t stop PGA Tour pro Seung-yul Noh hitting an iron shot off a wrong green in the second round of the 2014 Barclays.
Neither Noh nor his caddie seemed to be aware that such an action is not permitted under the Rules, and the South Korean incurred a two-shot penalty as a result. What he should have done was to take relief away from the wrong green, and not just if his ball was on it, but also if the wrong green had merely interfered with his area of intended stance or area of intended swing. You can’t even stand on a wrong green to play a putt, which is worth remembering on a narrow links course where certain front-nine and back-nine greens lie close together.
You must always take complete free relief under Rule 13.1f such that both feet and ball are off the wrong green, and you are then entitled to a one club-length relief area from this reference point. The relief area must not be nearer the hole and must be in the same part of the course as the reference point – in this instance, somewhere in the general area.
There is, of course, nothing to stop you declaring the ball unplayable and opting to drop back on line for a one-stroke penalty, or going back to where you last played from under stroke and distance. These may be sensible considerations at times, but in most instances there will be little reason not to enjoy the free relief on offer.
“THANKFULLY, THE RULES OF GOLF PROHIBIT PLAY FROM A WRONG GREEN”