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Rules Knowledge

This months excellent free gift in GM went straight into my bag, after checking a few to brush up on.
 
Jonny said:
You do all realise that not applying a rule is against the rules.
Click to expand...

Oh i do to well.

We was playing our normal swindle and one of our group would constantly pick the rake up and drag it back through the sand before going to play he's ball. Some would argue it was to speed up play, some would argue testing consistency of the bunker surface.

he had done this for 6 bunker shots and on our 16th i said in a joking way to one of our playing partners " cheeky sod has done it again "... the guy i mentioned it to said if you dont call him on it, im disqualifying you for not adhering to the rules of golf. I was forced to call a 2 shot penalty on a guy who had a total nightmare game with something silly like 22 points after 16 holes. On the 16th the was in the green side bunker for 4 on a par 4 and took 2 to get out, , so hardly a chance of scoring. Now yes is was a money game, but knowing that you need to be shooting 40points plus in our swindle, what was the point in calling this penalty, we could have just notified him of the breached rule and be done with it.

Afterwards over a bear i said i was happy to let it slide but i couldnt as i had been called for not calling the rule, they guy was fine but refused outright to play with the chap who called the rule on me ever again. We explained that we was only educating him on the rules, and that it was better to learn when he's had a sh*t round than when he had a good card going... but you could see he wasnt impressed.
 
I tried that chris..

So di you see it....
Nope sun was in my eyes...
Its not sunny....
Must have been rain...
its not raining...
It could be sweat...
but its cold...
in that case its frost...
 
Someone commented earlier on that they don't pull people for 'minor' infringements. The problem is that other players might be pulling people for the same rules that you're ignoring. The result is that someone who's played as well as or better than someone in your group might lose out because they picked up 'silly' penalty shots, whereas your playing partner got away with it. You might think that letting those silly infractions slide isn't doing any harm but you could still be denying a deserving winner their prize.
 
muttleee said:
Someone commented earlier on that they don't pull people for 'minor' infringements. The problem is that other players might be pulling people for the same rules that you're ignoring. The result is that someone who's played as well as or better than someone in your group might lose out because they picked up 'silly' penalty shots, whereas your playing partner got away with it. You might think that letting those silly infractions slide isn't doing any harm but you could still be denying a deserving winner their prize.
Click to expand...



I think that we would all agree with you


Chris
 
There are people at my place who have a very woolly appreciation of what the rules are!

I don't claim to be a fountain of knowledge but have a reasonable grasp, always look on the R&A if a situation crops up and I'm starting to go through the rules book I got with GM.

I also agree to an extent that the rules are sometimes counter-intuitive and difficult to understand for a new golfer. Also, this is not like football/rugby where, to an extent, you can tip up and play without knowing the rules inside out as there is a ref (any footballers ever read the rulebook?).

One thing I've wondered recently is ways to help. i.e. could you have a little sign (like the no trolleys) at a red and yellow staked hazard that informed the player what to do?

Or, on the tee have a little sign saying "GUR on the right by the bunker" and explain what to do in those circumstances? Even just a general one on each tee that can be changed, people are more likely to pick things up that way than sit and pore through the rulebook perhaps......

I might, on the other hand, be talking rubbish!
 
NWJocko said:
There are people at my place who have a very woolly appreciation of what the rules are!

I don't claim to be a fountain of knowledge but have a reasonable grasp, always look on the R&A if a situation crops up and I'm starting to go through the rules book I got with GM.

I also agree to an extent that the rules are sometimes counter-intuitive and difficult to understand for a new golfer. Also, this is not like football/rugby where, to an extent, you can tip up and play without knowing the rules inside out as there is a ref (any footballers ever read the rulebook?).

One thing I've wondered recently is ways to help. i.e. could you have a little sign (like the no trolleys) at a red and yellow staked hazard that informed the player what to do?

Or, on the tee have a little sign saying "GUR on the right by the bunker" and explain what to do in those circumstances? Even just a general one on each tee that can be changed, people are more likely to pick things up that way than sit and pore through the rulebook perhaps......

I might, on the other hand, be talking rubbish!
Click to expand...



I can see a 7 hour round coming on!


Chris
 
Not really. There won't be enough golf course left to play on for all the signs.

Some signs will need to be put up telling you the correct procedure for dropping away from a sign.
 
I think the real aquward one is when you see someone in a different group taking a wrong drop or breaking a rule , is it your place to intervene or is it up to his own group to call it , say in a medal where his score effects everyone is it your place to walk over & say excuse me you broke the rules here.. has anyone on here gone to different group & said this ? if so howd you get on .. would it mater if (1) you knew the group (2) they were established members (captain , president etc) (3) the stature of the people in the group ie big burley lads who are likely to turn it into an argument .. just wondering ?
 
what gets me every time it the varied responses that you get from people when you pull them on something. some say " oh really didnt know " and take it on the chin... other get all humpy " ive played for years and never been pulled ".... then proceed to strop out.

the more they strop the more i make a point of sticking by it.. " so you have cheated for years....."...
 
a few questions of my own:
1. in matchplay someone puts out of turn, ie putts from a long way off & then taps it in without asking you first (i think it's loss of hole)?
2. walking across the green with your bag on your back? (etiquette i know, but i'm 11 stone).
3. Putting out and then tapping around the inside of the hole, repairing it? (I think this is a two shot penalty becasue only the green keeper can repair the hole).
 
white_feather said:
a few questions of my own:
1. in matchplay someone puts out of turn, ie putts from a long way off & then taps it in without asking you first (i think it's loss of hole)?
2. walking across the green with your bag on your back? (etiquette i know, but i'm 11 stone).
3. Putting out and then tapping around the inside of the hole, repairing it? (I think this is a two shot penalty becasue only the green keeper can repair the hole).
Click to expand...
(1) you have the right to finish out once you are not walking on or harming your opponents line .. ( 2)Whats the question ? if your damaging the green which at this time of year you might then you shouldnt (3)i wouldnt say there is a problem with repairing the hole once you werent changing the charactristics of the hole wouldnt be sure on this one tho ?
 
bladeplayer said:
(1) you have the right to finish out once you are not walking on or harming your opponents line .. ( 2)Whats the question ? if your damaging the green which at this time of year you might then you shouldnt (3)i wouldnt say there is a problem with repairing the hole once you werent changing the charactristics of the hole wouldnt be sure on this one tho ?
Click to expand...

Just quickly, you don't have the right to finish off in matchplay only strokeplay - if someone taps in out of turn they don't lose the hole, but the opponent can ask for the shot to be replayed (think of that famous Solheim Cup incident at Loch Lomond whatever year it was, when the Americans made Sorenstam replay a chip).
 
Last edited:
white_feather said:
a few questions of my own:
1. in matchplay someone puts out of turn, ie putts from a long way off & then taps it in without asking you first (i think it's loss of hole)?
2. walking across the green with your bag on your back? (etiquette i know, but i'm 11 stone).
3. Putting out and then tapping around the inside of the hole, repairing it? (I think this is a two shot penalty becasue only the green keeper can repair the hole).
Click to expand...

1) In matchplay, playing any shot out of turn is not loss of hole, but your opponent can ask you to play the shot again.

2) Can't see a problem, what's the difference between a 11 stone bloke with a bag on his back or a 13 stone bloke without a bag on his back walking across a green?

3) You can repair the hole, but only after you have finished that hole.
 
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