Even though everyone could see ‘a’ ball, there was no way anyone could make out that it was Kelly’s with the naked eye. This meant that he would have to go back to where he hit his previous shot and take a one-stroke penalty from there.
Not to be outwitted, Kelly called on a nearby photographer who used his high powered lens to photograph the ball. Thanks to that camera, and a healthy dose of ‘zoom’, Kelly and an official were able to positively identify the ball by its green marking – the same marking as all the other balls in Kelly’s bag.
Kelly took an unplayable lie, dropped his ball and suffered the one-stroke penalty. He then got up and down from the drop and walked off the hole rather pleased with his bogey…
There are a number of lessons we can learn from this incident:
1. Always mark your ball clearly, yours isn’t the only one out there!
2. Technology is there to help – in just about any form – so use it!
3. Know your rules and, if you don’t, ASK!
4. Work on your short game. Hitting your ball into a tree and walking off with just a bogey – priceless!
Another kind of lesson can be recommended; a teaching session – so you stay away from the trees and stick to the short grass. The game is a lot more fun from there! |