Bedtime reading

[Swango1980]

Still probably want it confirmed! Pros certainly very often get it confirmed!

As I said, that is probably true, but it is still frightening. If I need to take unplayable, I never feel the need to ask someone else what my options are, or what the procedure is. Do you?

The pros don't often ask what their options are, or what the procedure is, for these basic rules, more often than not. it is just highlighted when they do, as they are on TV. They often play at a much slower pace, probably have a referee nearby, and so use that to confirm what they are doing. They are often asking more dubious rulings, such as do they get line of sight, can they get relief based on a potential questionable stance, etc.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The removal of the requirement to put your handicap on the card leaves you responsible only for entering your gross scores, and for your signature and your marker's signature. [Rule 3.3b]

So if there is nothing in the rules of a competition that require me to mark on my card the tees I’m playing off, it is assumed I have played off the tees for the competition. If I don’t and it is reported then I get DQd. But what about a GP card? I suppose I could register to play back tees then play off front tees…nothing stopping me other than my honesty and that of my playing companions and marker/attester.

I appreciate that such scenarios are going to be so rare that they don‘t merit a specific rule being defined.

 

[Ian_George]

As I said, that is probably true, but it is still frightening. If I need to take unplayable, I never feel the need to ask someone else what my options are, or what the procedure is. Do you?

The pros don't often ask what their options are, or what the procedure is, for these basic rules, more often than not. it is just highlighted when they do, as they are on TV. They often play at a much slower pace, probably have a referee nearby, and so use that to confirm what they are doing. They are often asking more dubious rulings, such as do they get line of sight, can they get relief based on a potential questionable stance, etc.

So potentially far worse than club golfers! But there's obviously more at stake too, so understandable. I'd never consider any PP's question anything other than either confirmation or genuine question about options where the situation is 'unusual', so in neither case would I criticise him or her. There are plenty of situations I've seen or experienced or observed where the situation is different from I've previously encountered!

 

[doublebogey7]

So if there is nothing in the rules of a competition that require me to mark on my card the tees I’m playing off, it is assumed I have played off the tees for the competition. If I don’t and it is reported then I get DQd. But what about a GP card? I suppose I could register to play back tees then play off front tees…nothing stopping me other than my honesty and that of my playing companions and marker/attester.

I appreciate that such scenarios are going to be so rare that they don‘t merit a specific rule being defined.

If you register to play off the back tees and then play off the front, you have played off the wrong tee from each hole and therefore your score could not count for handicapping. When playing a GP round you could break any rule, golf relies on the honesty of all of us pretty much all of the time. I don't see why playing from the correct tees is any different. Or am I missing something.

 

[backwoodsman]

So if there is nothing in the rules of a competition that require me to mark on my card the tees I’m playing off, it is assumed I have played off the tees for the competition. If I don’t and it is reported then I get DQd. But what about a GP card? I suppose I could register to play back tees then play off front tees…nothing stopping me other than my honesty and that of my playing companions and marker/attester.

I appreciate that such scenarios are going to be so rare that they don‘t merit a specific rule being defined.

Playing off tees different to those you registered for, is just cheating, pure & simple. And if people are of a mind to cheat, then they will regardless of what's supposed to be written on the card. So nothing new really.

 

[Swango1980]

So potentially far worse than club golfers! But there's obviously more at stake too, so understandable. I'd never consider any PP's question anything other than either confirmation or genuine question about options where the situation is 'unusual', so in neither case would I criticise him or her. There are plenty of situations I've seen or experienced or observed where the situation is different from I've previously encountered!

To provide my own experience on it. I would not be suprised if most of the golfers I have played with either do not know of their options when playing unplayable at all, or have extremely limited knowledge. For example, many would not even realise they could take back in line relief for unplayable, would not even cross their mind, even if it would be the most advantageous. I suspect many only think they have 2 club lengths. Even then, many are uncertain if it is one or 2 club lengths, or if the measurement starts from the ball, or the bush or whatever else it is that makes it unplayable.

I played with a chap the other week, who must have been playing nearly every weekend (Saturday and Sundays) for over 40 years. He was 100% adamant that the line you drop from if you hit a ball in the penalty area is the point it crossed the hazard, to a point anywhere on the green (not the pin). He was very confident in explaining this, because the green is the target apparently, not the pin. I've played with many others that think it is a line from the point it crossed the margin, along the line it went in, or from the tee box.

So, in my own experiences, it is still frightening what basic rules many club golfers do not know. Just because some ask for a rule to be clarified (which is absolutely fine), still does not eliminate the surprise I feel when some exhibit a significant level of ignorance in the rules.

I am pretty sure that professional golfers know exactly what their options are when playing unplayable, or taking relief (and they have a caddy to help them out as well). However, even if I was in their shoes, and there was a referee present, I would carefully explain the the referee what I was doing, partly being courteous but also double triple checking they are absolutely fine and clear about what I am doing. That doesn't mean if the referee wasn't there, I wouldn't really have a clue. I'd still be able to confidently proceed in those basic situations. Perhaps some pros also like reassurance due to the armchair fans calling penalties, if they see something that was not visible to the player, such as the exact line a drop is to be taken on (although I think the rules were updated to stop this happening?)

 

[salfordlad]

Anyone aware of when an updated R&A ROG app will be available to download?

Answering my own question (having found the answer) - in case others are also wondering - the updated R&A app is to be available from "mid December".