Golfers and the rules

[Colin L]

I actually have a handy flipchart booklet thing (from amazon) that is really handy and quick to find the answers
Golf Rules Quick Reference 2019: A practical guide for use on the course - for stroke play and match play https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/3906852156/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VVKW5X5HECYEPEYH4DTV

Just curious about parting company with £11.95 for a guide to the rules when the RA/USGA publish a definitive one and issue it free. In what ways does it give added value?

 

[Neilds]

Just curious about parting company with £11.95 for a guide to the rules when the RA/USGA publish a definitive one and issue it free. In what ways does it give added value?

For me it is quicker and easier to use than the rule book. You select from the 'tabs' down the side and then pick the exact situation you want to find the answer. Saves time trying to flick through the rule book and also gives some nice pictures to explain the process

 

[Blue in Munich]

For me it is quicker and easier to use than the rule book. You select from the 'tabs' down the side and then pick the exact situation you want to find the answer. Saves time trying to flick through the rule book and also gives some nice pictures to explain the process

This ^^^. Much easier to find what you need than the R&A version. I carry both but would go to this one first.

 

[chrisd]

This ^^^. Much easier to find what you need than the R&A version. I carry both but would go to this one first.

I always struggled with the book on the course. I spent ages one day trying to find that it was ok to ground the club on a bridge but the rules only said what you cant do and not what you can.

 

[jim8flog]

For me it is quicker and easier to use than the rule book. You select from the 'tabs' down the side and then pick the exact situation you want to find the answer. Saves time trying to flick through the rule book and also gives some nice pictures to explain the process

The latest Rules Book also gives you nice pictures to explain what to do.

 

[Colin L]

For me it is quicker and easier to use than the rule book. You select from the 'tabs' down the side and then pick the exact situation you want to find the answer. Saves time trying to flick through the rule book and also gives some nice pictures to explain the process

Thanks, for that. My curiosity is satisfied without having to fork out nearly £12.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

The app I free and has a pretty good search function.

 

[woofers]

Like, I guess most clubs having a large, new influx of new members I'm finding that they pretty well all play in the various competitions but their rules knowledge is pretty well non existent. The last knockout matchplay I played a guy said " I marched up on the tee and tonked a 2nd ball, surely it was obvious it was a provisional"

That was the last of several rule issues we "discussed " during the match ??

Depends what else, if anything, he said.
From the Rules of Golf 18.3b most of us go probably go by “the player must use the word provisional” bit, however have a look at the Official Interpretations, 18.3b / 2, and you’ll see this is not the case, it’s OK to say “I’m going to play another just in case”.

 

[LincolnShep]

Just curious about parting company with £11.95 for a guide to the rules when the RA/USGA publish a definitive one and issue it free. In what ways does it give added value?

That's a great little book. Covers all of the major rules really quickly. Not a substitute for the official rule book or app, but a great supplement.

 

[IanM]

3 minutes.

An indeterminate period until (insert name) finds his ball!!!

 

[chrisd]

Depends what else, if anything, he said.
From the Rules of Golf 18.3b most of us go probably go by “the player must use the word provisional” bit, however have a look at the Official Interpretations, 18.3b / 2, and you’ll see this is not the case, it’s OK to say “I’m going to play another just in case”.

The guy said to me as we were walking up the hole " do I have to say I'm playing a provisional ?" My answer was "not specifically those words but you do have to make it clear whether it's a provisional, or, that you are just putting another ball in play". He did neither so we took the view that he was playing 3 off the tee

 

[Orikoru]

The guy said to me as we were walking up the hole " do I have to say I'm playing a provisional ?" My answer was "not specifically those words but you do have to make it clear whether it's a provisional, or, that you are just putting another ball in play". He did neither so we took the view that he was playing 3 off the tee

I'm probably far too lenient but I tend to take the view that it's far more common that somebody IS hitting a provisional, and I'd probably assume it was unless they said it wasn't. I know that's not how the rule is, I'm just thinking in terms of real world application, most of the time even if there's like 0.5% chance of finding the ball in the cabbage, people still tend to go with a provisional ball rather than writing it off, just in case. It must be relatively rare that someone actually intends to put a new ball in play without even trying to find the first one.

Obviously they should just say which it is either way to be clear then we wouldn't have a problem.

 

[Swango1980]

I'm probably far too lenient but I tend to take the view that it's far more common that somebody IS hitting a provisional, and I'd probably assume it was unless they said it wasn't. I know that's not how the rule is, I'm just thinking in terms of real world application, most of the time even if there's like 0.5% chance of finding the ball in the cabbage, people still tend to go with a provisional ball rather than writing it off, just in case. It must be relatively rare that someone actually intends to put a new ball in play without even trying to find the first one.

Obviously they should just say which it is either way to be clear then we wouldn't have a problem.

I know what you mean. It takes a brave person to say "no, I know you found your original, but you can't play it, you never made it clear you were playing a provisional so you automatically hit 3 off the tee". I imagine 95%+ of people who play in the local club competition either do not know the rule to question it, or do not question it for the reason you give, and it just takes away potential bad blood.

 

[chrisd]

I'm probably far too lenient but I tend to take the view that it's far more common that somebody IS hitting a provisional, and I'd probably assume it was unless they said it wasn't. I know that's not how the rule is, I'm just thinking in terms of real world application, most of the time even if there's like 0.5% chance of finding the ball in the cabbage, people still tend to go with a provisional ball rather than writing it off, just in case. It must be relatively rare that someone actually intends to put a new ball in play without even trying to find the first one.

Obviously they should just say which it is either way to be clear then we wouldn't have a problem.

I've played lots of golf over many years and in matches, and stroke play, hardly anyone has failed to say they are playing a provisional ball.

I know what you mean. It takes a brave person to say "no, I know you found your original, but you can't play it, you never made it clear you were playing a provisional so you automatically hit 3 off the tee". I imagine 95%+ of people who play in the local club competition either do not know the rule to question it, or do not question it for the reason you give, and it just takes away potential bad blood.

His 2nd ball hit trees and was very short so he marched up and played it which still would have been ok if he'd called a provisional. It was a knockout pairs match and I dont see its right to get knocked out by not applying a basic rule that everyone playing golf should know. Also there were another 3 rules issues in the match and the pair we played barely knew any rules, and to be fair to them they thanked us for helping them through it - and they won it on the 18th

 

[badgergm]

I've played lots of golf over many years and in matches, and stroke play, hardly anyone has failed to say they are playing a provisional ball.




His 2nd ball hit trees and was very short so he marched up and played it which still would have been ok if he'd called a provisional. It was a knockout pairs match and I dont see its right to get knocked out by not applying a basic rule that everyone playing golf should know. Also there were another 3 rules issues in the match and the pair we played barely knew any rules, and to be fair to them they thanked us for helping them through it - and they won it on the 18th

If it was obviously the right thing to do to hit a provisional then I wouldn’t pull someone up for not clearly declaring it. Which I think I’m allowed to do (ie ignore the rule break).

Aside from that, I,m convinced That the necessity to declare hasn’t always been there. When I was playing loads in early 80s then it wasn’t common practice. When I returned to playing properly 7 years ago then I was pulled up on it straight away. Is that right, ie it was brought in in the last 30 years or so?

 

[rulie]

If it was obviously the right thing to do to hit a provisional then I wouldn’t pull someone up for not clearly declaring it. Which I think I’m allowed to do (ie ignore the rule break).

Aside from that, I,m convinced That the necessity to declare hasn’t always been there. When I was playing loads in early 80s then it wasn’t common practice. When I returned to playing properly 7 years ago then I was pulled up on it straight away. Is that right, ie it was brought in in the last 30 years or so?

Going back to my 1968 Rule book again, it describes the procedure for playing a provisional ball,
"Before playing a provisional ball, the player must announce his intention to his opponent or his marker. The player is not obliged to state the reason for which he plays a provisional ball. He may not restrict the purpose for which it is played."

 

[chrisd]

If it was obviously the right thing to do to hit a provisional then I wouldn’t pull someone up for not clearly declaring it. Which I think I’m allowed to do (ie ignore the rule break).

Aside from that, I,m convinced That the necessity to declare hasn’t always been there. When I was playing loads in early 80s then it wasn’t common practice. When I returned to playing properly 7 years ago then I was pulled up on it straight away. Is that right, ie it was brought in in the last 30 years or so?

You are allowed to ignore the rule break and I have done so on many an occasion, but declaring a provisional has always been the rule since I took up the game and in the context of the hole, and the match, we felt right to point out the situation so that they knew where they stood and didn't break a rule. We felt that ignoring what they were going to do was more likely to benefit them than us, and had he won the hole for them in doing so, we would potentially be dumped out due to our own stupidity

 

[Jamesbrown]

Guaranteed once a round “what club did you hit there?” *sigh* here we go.

 

[DickInShorts]

I’ve pulled people up in the past for not declaring their second ball off the tee as a provisional and I’ve also made it very clear on several occasions that I was playing three off the tee and NOT a provisional when my first ball has gone so deep into the trees that even if I found it I knew I’d have no option but to go back and play three off the tee anyway

 

[Blue in Munich]

Free drop from a road is the one that gets me. I’ve lost count of the times that I have had to hit full shots from roads with a tarmac surface because the free drop would put me in the ?. FCs always say afterwards, why didn’t you drop over there away from the road. And I say because my relief area would be in a bush/knee deep rough etc. Some folks will just never understand this rule and always opt for the best drop.

The best ones are those who insist that you are required to take a drop off a path rather than playing the ball as it lies. I fondly remember a birdie made in a match play final under those circumstances.