Recent content by Steven Rules

It is highly unlikely that it was a provisional ball because 'someone' in the group - other than Player A - would have known about it. Before the stroke is made, the player must announce to someone (not necessarily the player’s marker) that they are going to play a provisional ball. If the...

There are lots of possibilities here and we need a bit more information to provide a definitive ruling. In particular, when playing the 'second' ball did Player A drop it in the right way and in the right place, and which ball did Player A hole out with when they reached the putting green...

I think your delineation of handicap comp vs scratch comp is close to the mark. Again from the Guidance Notes: A competition is a "handicap competition" if the Terms of the Competition include any of the following: • Form of play: Handicaps are used for scoring purposes, such as to calculate...

From the R&A and USGA Rules of Amateur Status Guidance Notes Meaning of Prize Money For the purposes of Rule 3, prize money may come in many forms, and includes cash, physical or digital currency, cheques, bank deposits, and shares, stocks and bonds. Gift cards and debit cards that may be...

I think the question turns on an interpretation of whether this sort of side competition for cash prizes is actually considered to be gambling or wagering among individual golfers or teams of golfers, which is permitted under the Rules of Amateur Status where: • The players generally know each...

For those playing along at home, note that it is the Rules of Amateur Status not the Rules of Golf.

Both these individual statements are correct in isolation from each other but, according to the Rules of Amateur Status, you cannot play for cash prizes in a handicap competition.

Rules of Amateur Status Rule 3 - Prizes 3a Scratch Competitions An amateur playing in a scratch competition is allowed to accept any prize, including prize money, up to a limit of £700 or US$1000 in value, per competition, unless the national governing body has set a lower limit. For the...

Methinks you are being unduly distracted by the colloquial - and totally meaningless - terminology 'bunkers out of play'. Designating the bunker(s) as ground under repair in the general area is the correct terminology and it sounds like your Committee is doing things correctly (unless it is...

Generally speaking, the onus is on the player receiving the club not to breach the 14 club limit. There are also restrictions on players sharing clubs, so if a player 'loaned' a club to another player during the round and then received it back again during the same round, then both would likely...

When taking relief from an abnormal course condition, when the original spot of the ball is on the putting green, the ball is placed, not dropped, including when the nearest point of complete relief or point of maximum available relief is in the general area.

Under what Rule?

From a Rules and etiquette perspective it is no different from standing behind another player in a singles stroke play round. There is no Rule against it, but it is very bad etiquette. Edit/addendum: There is a Rule against it if that other player is your partner in four-ball or foursomes, but...

Let/s put that into a bit of perspective. If there are (say) 25 players in that competition with around that handicap, then suddenly the odds become around 65/1 that one of these 23-ish handicappers will do it on any given hypothetical competition day. And if the 25 23-ish handicappers play...

It is also on the PGA Tour hard card.