Too close for comfort

Is it a violation of the rules to lift your ball if you think it is interfering with your opponent?

Dear North Shore Golf:
I was in the midst of a heated stroke-play match with a good friend of mine. On a short par-3, both of our tee shots landed right next to each other in a greenside bunker.
When we got to the bunker, my ball was about two feet behind my friend’s ball. My friend said that he thought his ball was in my way and, by rule, he should lift it before I took my shot. I didn’t really think it was necessary, but I didn’t say anything and I let him do it.
After I escaped the bunker, my friend dropped his ball back in the same spot where it was before, but in doing so he gave himself a much better lie, since his original lie was buried pretty good under the sand. Of course, he proceeded to put his shot within three feet of the hole. Subsequently, I ended up falling behind and losing the match.
My question to you is when is it OK for a player to lift his ball if he or she thinks it may interfere with another player’s ball? And can a player do so even if the ball is in a hazard or bunker?
- B.N., Stoneham, MA

North Shore Golf asked Essex County Club head pro Tom Waters to respond to this inquiry:

The answers to your questions are found in Rule 22-2, on page 63 of the 2004-2005 USGA Rules of Golf.

The ruling states that, except when a ball is in motion, if a player considers that the ball of another player might interfere with his ball, he may have it lifted. A ball lifted under this rule must not be cleaned unless it lies on the putting green (see Rule 21). In stroke play, a player required to lift his ball may play first rather than lift the ball. And, yes, you may elect to utilize this rule in a hazard or a bunker.

However, in this situation your friend was in violation of Rule 18-2a, which says that, unless the ball is on the putting green, a player may not lift his ball solely because he considers that it might interfere with the play of another player. If a player lifts his ball without being asked to do so, he incurs a penalty of just one stroke, as long as he corrects the mistake and places the ball back to its original spot.

In this case, your friend did not correct his mistake and played out the hole, meaning he would incur an additional two-stroke penalty under Rule 22.

It’s unfortunate that this information was not used, as the outcome of your match might have been different if the correct ruling was used.