What are you required to do when a thunderstorm suspends play?

The weather man is calling for thunderstorms in the afternoon. Kirk has a tee time for his club championship at 1 p.m. Not being one to believe every forecast, Kirk heads to the course thinking it’s another false alarm. Things are looking calm when his group tees off. Kirk is having a great round when the thunderheads start to appear on the horizon. A little bit later, while in the middle of the 12th fairway everyone in the group hears one long horn blast.  Now what? (Next month we will look at a Normal Suspension—like for darkness when no imminent danger is present)

Rule 5.7b (1) describes what players in an immediate suspension situation are required to do. One long horn blast signals an immediate suspension of play due to imminent danger. Considering that Kirk and everyone else in the group—and everyone on the course playing in the tournament–are walking around with 14 (or less) lightning rods in their golf bags, and swinging them to the sky, lightning is imminent danger!

When the committee suspends play for imminent danger, it is an immediate suspension. ALL players (regardless of if they are having the round of their lives) are required to stop play immediately.  Players must not make another stroke until the Committee resumes play.

Kirk is upset about the determination of immediate suspension, and he wants to play on because he personally does not fear lightning. But if Kirk does not follow the immediate suspension rule and he makes another stroke, Kirk is going to really upset when he learns that not following the rules governing an immediate suspension means that he is disqualified from the round of his life.

For an immediate suspension, players may mark the spot of the ball and lift it, or they may mark and leave the ball in its spot or just leave the ball.  When play resumes what happens next depends upon if the ball was lifted during the suspension. The following assumes that the ball or ball marker were not moved prior to the resumption of play:

• When a player’s ball was lifted during the suspension, the player must replace the original ball, or another ball on the original spot—and if the spot is not exactly known, use the estimated spot.

• If the player’s ball was not lifted (and not marked) during the suspension, then the player may play the ball as it lies. Or may mark the spot of the ball, lift it and replace that ball or another ball on the spot. 

• If the player’s ball was not lifted and marked during the suspension, since the ball’s location is already marked, may lift the ball and replace that ball or another ball on the spot, or the player may remove the markers and play the ball as it lies. 

Remember that immediate suspension means no more strokes can be made without disqualification—one long horn blast, decide what to do about marking or lifting your ball, and seek shelter!