A discussion was had today at my club asking what is the ruling in a stableford competiton when a player tees off from the yellows instead of the white tees  and it is not realised until the whole has been played out

Ian,

Sorry to say but it means disqualification. In strokeplay, of which stableford is a form, you have to correct the mistake by playing another ball from the correct teeing ground under penalty of two strokes. As you had played the hole out had you tee'd off on the next hole ?

If you had - disqualification.

If you had not - 2 shot penalty and play the hole again.

I may be wrong here, but i think you would be looking at

NO stableford points scored on the hole if the error is not corrected before teeing off the 6th, but allowed to continue to play.

But you have the opportunity to correct the mistake so long as you don't make a stroke at the next teeing ground.  To do so you would

incur a 2 shot penalty and the hole being replayed off the 5th Tee from the right place.

so it will be 3 off the tee.

In stroke play if the error is not corrected before teeing off the 6th - Disqualification.

As you will see i have a different interpretation to Martin.  I am of my opinion because of the following extract taken from the Rules of Golf

The stroke from outside the teeing ground and any subsequent strokes by the competitor on the hole prior to his correction of the mistake do not count in his score.

I am not saying i am right or wrong here, and stableford is based on Stroke Play, but stableford is played as individual holes and any disqualification in my opinion would only be for the score at that hole, and not for the entire round.  In stableford you do not have to compete or complete every single hole for an eligible score, you can pick-up, so without being able to find a specific reference in the decisions within the Rules of Golf i would judge this In Equity with the rules.

Basically, the hole has not be played correctly so correct the error or take nil points.

it is a good question and i would like to know the correct ruling.

Colin is correct.

Stableford Comps have a listing in The Rules (Rule 32) and if you read this you see a list of breaches that allows DQ from a Comp (32-2). Rule 11-5 "Playing from wrong teeing ground" is not included in that list, so no DQ.

TheLyth

Thank you David, all of the above info is good to know.

What i would add is, if the above occurs and you allocate any number of points for the hole when there should be No Score recorded after signing it, this would be sufficient to provide a disqualification from the comp.

Colin,

Again you are correct. Rule 6-6d is on the list for DQ, as is Rule 6-6b.

TheLyth

Thanks guys I knew i could rely on you lot for some form of answer, my answer at the time was no penalty as in matchplay as i had seen it written down somewhere before but did not realise there was a different ruling for stroke play, needless to say it led to a hearty debate in the clubhouse this morning and we still came up without a firm decision, apart from its amatuer fun golf and as we will never become good enough to win real money no one minded, as it happens the player involved only scored 27 points so no where near winning as I came in with 43 points playing off my club handicap of 18

Missed the rule 32. Colin you are quire correct. My "answer" was done from memory without looking up the rule book.

Martin

mine was a guess as i never looked at Rule 32 or found a specific reference.  Would have been easier if i had as it is clearly referred to under Rule 32 b.  I am nearly always having to look at the rule book, far too many things for me to remember about golf rules, but, it is not the same with the Laws of Association Football, i don't need to confirm any of these Laws as they are much easier to remember and apply.