Sue’s Rules – Pain the Back and When Does Clock Start?

We are back with another “Sue’s Rules” with Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame official and Women’s SNGA member Sue May. Here we go and thanks to Sue for sharing some of the questions she gets while out and about officiating.

Question: My ball is out in the desert somewhere and since we have to wait for the green to clear to hit the next shot, I decide to start looking for it. I look for about 4 minutes until the green is clear. Now I start to seriously looking for it since I have 3 minutes to find it. My playing competitors said since I had already looked for over 3 minutes my ball was automatically lost. I disagreed with them because I couldn’t hit until the green was clear. Were they right?

Sue: Yes they were. The rule states that a ball is lost if not found in 3 minutes after the player (partner) or caddie begins to search for it. Whether the player can hit or not doesn’t matter. Spectators or other players can look as long as they want, it is only when you, your partner or caddie start looking that the clock starts.

Question: I have a back injury which makes it hard for me to lean over and take the ball out of the hole. Is it Ok for me to put a suction cup on my putter grip in order take the ball out of the hole?

Sue: Yes it is. This does not change the conforming characteristics of the putter or give you any unfair advantage over other players.