Even the best golfers fall victim to the rules of the game — just ask Greg Norman, Paul Azinger, Craig Stadler and Michelle Wie. The Advertiser, with help from Ko Olina director of golf Greg Nichols, offers a question-and-answer feature on the rules of golf. If you have a question regarding the rules of golf e-mail a question to cmurayama@honoluluadvertiser.com. For additional rules information, ask your local Aloha Section PGA professional or go online to www.USGA.org

Q. I watched as Grace Park removed the "loose impediment" rocks that were near her ball (during Samsung World Championships). Her actions gave the word "loose impediment" a new meaning as she had to wiggle the rocks out of the ground before she put them aside. But the question I have is the portion you mentioned about Tiger Woods and his loose impediment. Because fans had helped him move the rock aside, don't they become caddies? Are you allowed more than one caddy during a tournament in the professional ranks? — Ken Sur

A. You make a keen observation about Grace redefining the term, loose impediments, when it appeared to you that she had to "wiggle" the rocks out of the ground.

The USGA, in Decision 23/2 answers the question — When is a stone solidly embedded? The decision states, "If a stone is partially embedded and may be picked up with ease, it is a loose impediment. When there is doubt as to whether a stone is solidly embedded or not, it should not be removed."

In Park's case, the decision does not mention "wiggling" a rock out of the ground. However, if we give her the benefit of the doubt, we would hope that the rocks were "wiggled with ease" out of the ground.

In the case of Woods' adventure with his loose impediment, the fans that helped him move the rock were not considered additional caddies.

Under the Rules of Golf, they were considered "outside agencies" and thereby permitted to assist the player — similar to fans helping search for a player's lost ball.

An outside agency in stroke play is defined as "any agency not part of the competitors side and includes a referee, a marker, an observer and a forecaddie. Tiger's fans were simply observers. A player is, of course, only allowed one caddy during the round.

Read Rule 6/4 for additional information and thanks for both your question and comment.