Rules Knowledge

[chrisd]

I was in the clubhouse yesterday after a practice round with 3 other mates, and the subject got round to rules.

The usual misunderstanding of various rules was spouted, and it seemed to me that it is thought that knowing more rules than others is seen to be almost worse than breaking them, and that people would actually rather play with guys who dont know the rules. One of the guys (7 h/cap) said that he would overlook minor stuff providing he wasn't directly affected?

I said that if anyone in my group had a rules issue on the course, and I wasn't sure of the rule, I always look it up when I go home for future reference and that apparently is ultra sad.

Would you rather play with someone who did, or didn't, have a good grasp of the rules in a competition?



Chris

 

[Imurg]

No brainer for me.

I can't understand the attitude about rules. Would there be an outcry if goals/points were scored after the waiving of a rule..?
You can't take part in any game if you don't abide by and implement the rules.
If people don't like it - don't play it.

It doesn't help that the rules are fairly complex at times due to the amount of space used and the possible problems but a general understanding is a must.

 

[USER1999]

I often find that people don't want to know the rules, and that knowing almost any of them makes me a bit anal. Odd that any one would call themselves a golfer, and know there are rules, and not want to obey any of them.

 

[MashieNiblick]

I think there is a mindset amongst some that the Rules are imposed by a lot of stuffed shirts at the R&A who just want to make the game complicated and take all the fun out of it...oh wait a minute.

But seriously, I don't have a problem playing with people who are just starting who may only have a shaky understanding of the Rules but who are keen to learn and willing to ask questions and check before doing things. What annoys me (and in truth it's pretty rare at my place) is the people who have been playing for ages and still don't know what the procedure is for GUR or an unplayable lie etc. and think you are being picky when you explain it. Yes some of the Rules are complex, arcane and seem petty but they all have their own logic and golf is a game with so many possiblities and what ifs that a complex set of rules is inevitable.

 

[bluetoon]

I have a fairly relaxed attitude to the rules, in that if i witness minor infringements and no advantage has been gained then i will turn a blind eye.

The common ones are picking up the golf ball to check if its theirs, determining the neareast point of relief, ball oscillating in the wind, playing out of turn etc.

No point in getting over excited by it all, its a game and meant to be fun.

 

[chrisd]

I have a fairly relaxed attitude to the rules, in that if i witness minor infringements and no advantage has been gained then i will turn a blind eye.

The common ones are picking up the golf ball to check if its theirs, determining the neareast point of relief, ball oscillating in the wind, playing out of turn etc.

No point in getting over excited by it all, its a game and meant to be fun.

I wouldn't maybe penalise someone for spinning up their ball to identify it, but, how do you turn a blind eye to dropping on a wrong "nearest point of relief" if he has gained an advantage

One of the guys argued that you have to substitute an exact same ball during the play of a hole if you lose your ball. I said that we dont have a "one ball rule" at the club but he was both insistant and, as it happens, wrong. Someone recently in a 4BBB knockout told me that I was out of the hole for playing out of turn and was unhappy when I asked if he was making the rules up as he went along! Our Vice Captain, in explaining a situation that had happened in that days comp, said that he declared the ball lost and was quite suprised when I told him that he couldn't declare a ball lost in any situation. On the same day my playing partner said that you HAD to look for a ball if you play a provisional and that you couldn't play a second shot with a provisional until you had looked for your ball even if the provisional was 200 yards short of where your original ball was thought to be.

All true situation in recent weeks

Chris

 

[Imurg]

As all know, a knowledge of the rules can help you too.
LAst wek I was close to a staked tree - 1 foot to the right hand side of it with effectively no shot.
Nearest point of relief was on the left hand side of the tree giving me a clear shot and not on the right hand side where I'd have been dropping into knee high clag.

 

[full_throttle]

I wouldn't maybe penalise someone for spinning up their ball to identify it, but, how do you turn a blind eye to dropping on a wrong "nearest point of relief" if he has gained an advantage

One of the guys argued that you have to substitute an exact same ball during the play of a hole if you lose your ball. I said that we dont have a "one ball rule" at the club but he was both insistant and, as it happens, wrong. Someone recently in a 4BBB knockout told me that I was out of the hole for playing out of turn and was unhappy when I asked if he was making the rules up as he went along! Our Vice Captain, in explaining a situation that had happened in that days comp, said that he declared the ball lost and was quite suprised when I told him that he couldn't declare a ball lost in any situation. On the same day my playing partner said that you HAD to look for a ball if you play a provisional and that you couldn't play a second shot with a provisional until you had looked for your ball even if the provisional was 200 yards short of where your original ball was thought to be.

All true situation in recent weeks

Chris

I was on the understanding a provisional ball was just that, and could be played until the original was found or the until you reach the point past where the original was though to be lost, if the provisional is played from a position nearer to the pin than the original ball then. even if the original ball is found, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play.


Maybe I misinterpreted the rule and the above is used to keep the pace of play flowing.

 

[Cmansdad]

I would rather play with people who know the rules but I don't have a problem playing with people who don't as long as they don't blow up if they are told about breaking a rule that they wan't to ignore.

Chris if you are sad for looking stuff up afterwards then i'm a hopeless case for having the little rules book in my bag

 

[3offTheTee]

Intersting how people turn a blind eye to some rules which is evident from the earlier posts.

There is a guy at our Club who is a County Referee and he advised that if YOU do NOT penalise someone for breaking a rule YOU are disqualified. This was news to me so in future perhaps ignorance of the law is bliss!!!

 

[MashieNiblick]

I was on the understanding a provisional ball was just that, and could be played until the original was found or the until you reach the point past where the original was though to be lost, if the provisional is played from a position nearer to the pin than the original ball then. even if the original ball is found, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play.

Maybe I misinterpreted the rule and the above is used to keep the pace of play flowing.

Your interpretation of the Rule is correct.

Chris was using this as an example of a player NOT knowing the Rule.

 

[JT77]

I have a reasonable grasp on the rules, and if I am unsure, I will always find out, if that makes me anal, then so be it!!
No point playing if your not going to play by the rules.
Like stated previous, I dont mind playing with people who not sure about rules, so long as they dont go off on one if you mention an indiscretion to them.

 

[DaveM]

Must admit I must be lucky. That in are regular 4B, we try and play by the rules even in a fun game. Even on the rulings we are not sure on. We do the most logical then check it up after. Ok sometimes we may overlook a rule in a friendly to keep up with play. But we make sure we know what we should have done. We find doing it this way, helps stop making mistakes in comps. Anyway often knowing the rules are to your benefit. Yes we do get stick and called anal in the club house!

 

[pbrown7582]

i have a fair knowledge of the rules but cant pretend to know them all exactly this is where the free gift with this months mag comes in stored in the bag and readily available to solve any queries that should arise.
no point playing if no going to play fair.

 

[Oddsocks]

chris, well done for posting one of the most fragile subjected posts known.

I have 2 outlooks depends on who im playing with,

If its part of my swindle, which is for money then i pull anyone on a rule infringement and expect them to do the same. After all its for money. Whats funny is some of them get funny when pulled on rule infringements, but as ive always said if i their not pulled on rules they have broken, how do they learn.

Then i have a group of casual playing partners, who dont take it to serious and are just out for a walk and a talk so to speak. Ive pulled them on a couple of rules (more as a wind up to play mind games) and for this picked up the nick name of "text book". they laugh and wind me up about it, but as stated dont claim be to a golfer if you dont know the basic rules.

I think the problem stems from people not knowing the rules, because their so in depth and written in old english riddles that its complicated to learn. I still think golf would be better of with a basic set of rules for club golf, then a another more extended set of rules for tour/pro am golf. atleast then more golfers and newbies would make more of an effort to learn the basic club rules.

 

[Monty_Brown]

The rule I see most commonly broken is around giving advice. What on the surface passes as "banter" about who hit what on a par 3, whether they can reach with that club etc etc. I can't tell if it's a deliberate attempt to disguise what they know is a breach or genuine ignorance of the rule.

 

[chrisd]

I think that you have hit the nail on the head Oddsocks.

Yesterday was 4 of us playing about 15 holes, practicing and not competitive so noone would query anything. Club competitions and money games are different and I wouldn't impose a penalty in an aggresive manner I would mention something that I have seen asking maybe "didn't you realise that you have broken a rule there?" I would always pre warn someone if I thought that they were about to break a rule if it were possible.

I usually check matters by going on the "decisions on the rules" on the R and A web site - or hope that Mashie gets asked on here, as he usually gets it right.

Chris

 

[Fyldewhite]

Yes, it's amazing what you see/hear out there and many times from people who have been playing (and winning the odd comp) for years!! All Chris's examples are commonplace at our club and along with another one at the moment - not marking the ball when playing lift, clean and place.

Overall it's just complacency. Most golfers think they know the rules when in fact they don't. They have a vague idea of where to drop etc but couldn't explain the exact procedure and most of their knowledge has been picked up verbally over the years without ever having actually read or understood the rule book..... that's for anoraks after all.

 

[bladeplayer]

,

. Whats funny is some of them get funny when pulled on rule infringements, but as ive always said if i their not pulled on rules they have broken, how do they learn.

.

Exactly , i have no problem been explained to what a rule is , only 2 problems here are you get gobsh*tes that think they know the rules & give duff info or the other stuff shirt ass that has no personality & bellows the rule at some one in an insulting way , one is as bad as the other , i have had to explain a couple of rules to people as i have played & i try to be as polite as i can , some are ok with it others will have a snot on anyhow .

 

[Jonny]

You do all realise that not applying a rule is against the rules.