There are too many who don`t know the basic rules.

O

oltimer

Assistant Pro
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
313
Visit site
An age old problem that has never been solved, what is the point in me ensuring those I play alongside incur penalties for fouls made, when others elsewhere in the Comp are not adding these penalty strokes for the same infringements, because no-one in the group is even aware a rule has been broken.
I suggest that before being given a handicap one has to answer a questionairre of a dozen very basic rules, such as how to drop, or take free relief, penalty drops, lost ball procedure etc, this is not an exam and would allow the player to take the questions home with him and refer to a rule book whilst acquiring his 3 cards.
Upon acquiring 18 or less a further questionairre and when reaching single figures a more difficult set of questions.
Am sure the R+A could come up with a set of such which all Clubs could download.
Before you poo poo this suggestion. If I decided to putt through a greenside bunker which my ball lay behind and before doing so, walked into it and removed some twigs off my intended line, what penalty would you give me ?
 
I have no idea about many rules to be honest. But i just play friendly rounds with... friends.
I'm going to join a club later in the year when i move and hope to get a handicap sorted. If i'm playing a competition and break the rules i hope that someone will call me up on it, it's not necessarily about fairness in a competition but if you don't teach people the rules when are they going to learn them? Surely the best way for people to learn the (sometimes complicated) rules of golf is through playing?
 
It beggars belief sometimes.I've seen everything in medal play,from Gimme's,to treating a river that is OOB as a lateral water hazard !!!!
I'm not sure what the best remedy for this situation would be though,are some golfers unaware of the rules,or pleading ignorance and hoping they get away with bending the rules ????
 
I have no idea about many rules to be honest. But i just play friendly rounds with... friends.
I'm going to join a club later in the year when i move and hope to get a handicap sorted. If i'm playing a competition and break the rules i hope that someone will call me up on it, it's not necessarily about fairness in a competition but if you don't teach people the rules when are they going to learn them? Surely the best way for people to learn the (sometimes complicated) rules of golf is through playing?
Click to expand...

OK, but you are not just learning the rules for yourself, in a competition your job is to also ensure that your playing partners adhere to the rule and you are policing them for the rest of the field. It is all well and good expecting others to pick you up on any rules breaches but you have to do the same and you cannot if you do not have an understanding of the rules. Also, if you do not look at the rules, how do you know that what you are being told is correct. I have played in groups where the other 3 all tried to insist on the same wrong ruling because it is a common misconception (look at the moving a leaf thread). It is your duty to learn the rules and anything that encourages that is a good thing.
 
You are correct in what you say, providing those you play alongside know them in the first place, don`t take what you are told as gospel get an R+A rule book and check it out yourself (afterwards) they are free.
A low handicap means that the holder has achieved a high level of ball striking, not a reflection of his rules knowledge. At least you have the right attitude unlike some who openly say the rules are not that important.
 
why would you want to putt through a bunker?

you certainly wouldn't need the 2nd level of golf rules knowledge that you suggest if this was the way you tackled getting over a bunker.

You would only ever need the high handicapper basic knowledge
 
Why putt thro a bunker, because it may be the best way to get the ball to stop near the hole which is just the other side of the bunker at the bottom of a slope.
Perhaps the question was too obvious/easy, either that or no-one knows the answer, was only trying to get a rules discussion going from which we could all learn from.
 
OK, I'll be the fall guy.

No penalty. You are not in the hazard so testing the surface doesn't apply nor does 'loose objects'.

The fact that you may shortly be in the bunker is your problem.
 
At the end of the day, the R& A produced a simple double sided brief guide to the main rules (drops etc) when they published the last set of rules anyway so that simplified version would help you. What is wrong with a copy of the rules being in your bag at all times. If in doubt, ask. If you are still unsure, check the book.

I know in Holland and other European countries there is a basic test for new golfers but I can't see that ever being introduced over here as clubs are desperate for members to survive and anything that makes joining a club harder is going to put a lot of people off
 
Brilliant and thank you, I`ll think of you when supping the 3 pints I`ve won off those 3 buzzards who insisted it was a foul.
 
An age old problem that has never been solved, what is the point in me ensuring those I play alongside incur penalties for fouls made, when others elsewhere in the Comp are not adding these penalty strokes for the same infringements, because no-one in the group is even aware a rule has been broken.
I suggest that before being given a handicap one has to answer a questionairre of a dozen very basic rules, such as how to drop, or take free relief, penalty drops, lost ball procedure etc, this is not an exam and would allow the player to take the questions home with him and refer to a rule book whilst acquiring his 3 cards.
Upon acquiring 18 or less a further questionairre and when reaching single figures a more difficult set of questions.
Am sure the R+A could come up with a set of such which all Clubs could download.
Before you poo poo this suggestion. If I decided to putt through a greenside bunker which my ball lay behind and before doing so, walked into it and removed some twigs off my intended line, what penalty would you give me ?
Click to expand...

None - you can remove them but not press them down - unless, in the act of entering the bunker, he presses down any sand on his line of play.
 
At the end of the day, the R& A produced a simple double sided brief guide to the main rules (drops etc) when they published the last set of rules anyway so that simplified version would help you. What is wrong with a copy of the rules being in your bag at all times. If in doubt, ask. If you are still unsure, check the book.

I know in Holland and other European countries there is a basic test for new golfers but I can't see that ever being introduced over here as clubs are desperate for members to survive and anything that makes joining a club harder is going to put a lot of people off
Click to expand...

It is all well and good having a rule book in the bag but who teaches you when to look at it. Using a rule book inherently means that you must have some idea that an infringement has taken place in the first instance. Lets take the bunker example, what if the rule was the other way round, everyone thought it was OK but should have been a penalty. Nobody would have thought there was a problem and so nobody would have checked a rule book. You need a basic knowledge to know when to look at a rule book.
 
Its a huge can of worms trying to mention to someone they have probably just broken a rule. You get all manner of responses , from acceptance to downright rudeness and incredulity.

Trust me i've had them all at one point or another. No matter how politely and tactfully you may try to mention a rule infringement it never really goes across very well. Most people will assume you're calling them a cheat and bringing their manhood into question.

I've seen cat 1 golfers who havnt known how to take basic free drop relief. I've seen players who thought they may have hit OOB , take a provisional , find their first ball OOB and then say they have to go back to the tee to play again cos their provisional is not counted since they found their first ball.

You're going to get a name for some sort of rules nazi by picking people up for transgressions. I see at least one rules violation every round I play.
 
it depends on the individual, personally I welcome any info regarding rules I may have infringed/broken as a beginner I want to learn as much as possible and play fairly all the time. I have a copy of the quick guide in my bag at all times and do look at it from time to time if something isnt quite clear

also enjoy the rules section in the mag :)
 
Its a huge can of worms trying to mention to someone they have probably just broken a rule. You get all manner of responses , from acceptance to downright rudeness and incredulity.

Trust me i've had them all at one point or another. No matter how politely and tactfully you may try to mention a rule infringement it never really goes across very well. Most people will assume you're calling them a cheat and bringing their manhood into question.

I've seen cat 1 golfers who havnt known how to take basic free drop relief. I've seen players who thought they may have hit OOB , take a provisional , find their first ball OOB and then say they have to go back to the tee to play again cos their provisional is not counted since they found their first ball.

You're going to get a name for some sort of rules nazi by picking people up for transgressions. I see at least one rules violation every round I play.
Click to expand...
i understand what your saying but you Stil have an obligation to call it tho...
 
Its a huge can of worms trying to mention to someone they have probably just broken a rule. You get all manner of responses , from acceptance to downright rudeness and incredulity.

Trust me i've had them all at one point or another. No matter how politely and tactfully you may try to mention a rule infringement it never really goes across very well. Most people will assume you're calling them a cheat and bringing their manhood into question.

I've seen cat 1 golfers who havnt known how to take basic free drop relief. I've seen players who thought they may have hit OOB , take a provisional , find their first ball OOB and then say they have to go back to the tee to play again cos their provisional is not counted since they found their first ball.

You're going to get a name for some sort of rules nazi by picking people up for transgressions. I see at least one rules violation every round I play.
Click to expand...

The first time I played in our County Winter Alliance, I played with a 3 handicap and an Assistant Professional. On 2 occasions, before playing his tee shot, the 3 handicap asked the pro what club he had played. The pro answered on both occasions. I was too cowardly to challenge - but I would now.
 
To fully answer your question.

If it was simply the act of removing the loose impediment by hand then no penalty (Rule 23-1). If you removed the loose impediments and then raked the bunker before the stroke, or removed them in a sweeping fashion such as to smooth the area they were sitting then a penalty would apply under Rule 13-2 so basically tread carefully and lift straight up and out when getting the little buggers :)

I like the idea but then I also enjoy reading and learning about the rules. Even more obscure ones. Something that always throws me is the number of club lengths to take in certain situations. Could they not just make it a clear 1 or 2 for all situations instead of different ones :). I always carry the book with me and have the app on my Iphone.

999 questions by Barry Rhodes is a decent little book and great for just picking up and glancing through. (Leave it by the loo :cool:) His blog is also very good.

The little section in GM is also quite good but I'd like to see it expanded.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

MarkT
Changes to the Rules of Golf
Replies
3
Views
2K
IanM
IanM
Top