Question For You Golf Buffs (Re Happy Gilmore)

JackWESQ

At the end of Happy Gilmore, Gilmore makes a crazy putt to win the "Tour Championship" after the television tower falls over. Initially, Virginia Venit says that Happy can hit the putt tomorrow after the mess is cleaned up. But Shooter McGavin says he has to hit the putt given the "conditions." Not that such a situation (or even a similar situation) would happen in a million years, but does anyone know what the official PGA rules would mandate? Just curious.

/s/ JackWESQ

stevek

The way I putt, there might as well be a television tower in front of the hole. LOL

VitoCo1972

The rule would state that it's a man made obstruction and that he's entitled to relief at the closest point no closer to the hole...but then again, that rule almost never applies on the green. Golf really only has two scenarios:

1 - Through the green (anywhere from tee to green) and

2 - On the green

Now, I would doubt that he could have "come back tomorrow" and hit the putt as he would have been put on the clock by the scoring official with the group and been imposed a one shot penalty, but a man made obstruction on the green would likely be subject to the same rule as a man made obstruction in any other scenario.

Now, if there wasn't a point no closer to hole on the green, I'm not sure how the rule would work (perhaps he could take a drop off the green at the closest point no nearer the hole.

I'm glad I just spent the time on this. LOL

I still like Bill Simmons column where he projected Roy Hobbs stats in The Natural for the whole season.

IJustLoveCards

Jack,

The correct answer is this; In ANY tournement each golfer MUST play the hole as it played as others did before him/her (weather is the only exception) . No hole location can be changed until all players have played that hole in its current place until the round has been completed, Therefore, the player would mark their ball, and not have to hole out until the obstruction was removed.
The time limit only applies in golf on a "lost ball". Players forced to "keep up" is a PGA rule not an official golf rule and any subsuquent penalty that is applied is done so under the pga rules of tournement play and has no application under your scenario.
So, in conclusion, the player is entitled to mark and wait for the obstruction to be removed and then he/she can putt out.

PS..I love golf!!

Dboneesq

Felicia,

What would the ruling be if the "man made obstruction" caused damage to the green and that damage was in the players "line of sight"?

JackWESQ

Mike and Felicia,

As always, thanks for the education!

/s/ JackWESQ