Unusual golf rules

[IslaG]

I have been asked to do a ‘Friday fun rules” segment. What are actual, correct golf rules that you or others might think “well I didn’t know that” / “that’s a surprise” For example- the fact you can hop into the next door bunker and have a practice swing . Another would be if you find an upright abandoned tee on the fairway and it happens to be in your clean n place relief area you can tee up. I’d love some more quirky but true rules - thanks

 

[rulefan]

Before lifting your ball under a Rule requiring it to be replaced on its original spot, you must mark the spot but if it is to placed or dropped elsewhere when taking relief under a Rule, you are not required to mark the spot.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Stroke and Distance is always one that most playing companions don’t fully understand. Especially when my ball has been on the green.

So for instance I can putt off a green into a greenside bunker or down a slope and leave myself with a horrendous bunker shot or return chip or pitch. If I really don’t fancy attempting the shot, or see much potential for things going further wrong…I can take S&D and place my ball back on the green from whence I had putted it. It costs me a stroke but I am back on the green exactly at the spot I had putted from, but now knowing this time better what my putt should be, and I have completely removed the risk of the potential disasters that were otherwise facing me.

From the bunker, S&D gets me successfully out in two shots - as if I‘d succeeded in playing it and that always surprises. Plus of course S&D has absolutely nothing to do with the ball being unplayable other than I might not wish, or feel able, to play and successfully execute the shot. And that could be from a perfect lie, with a perfect unimpeded stance in the middle of the fairway.

 

[Imurg]

When preferred lies are in operation, when you pick, clean and place, you may use a different ball to the one you picked up....

 

[rulefan]

When preferred lies are in operation, when you pick, clean and place, you may use a different ball to the one you picked up....

In fact you may use any ball each time you drop or place (ie not replace) a ball under a relief rule.

 

[Neilds]

Stroke and Distance is always one that most playing companions don’t fully understand. Especially when my ball has been on the green.

So for instance I can putt off a green into a greenside bunker or down a slope and leave myself with a horrendous bunker shot or return chip or pitch. If I really don’t fancy attempting the shot, or see much potential for things going further wrong…I can take S&D and place my ball back on the green from whence I had putted it. It costs me a shot of course, but I am back on the green exactly at the spot I had putted from, but now knowing this time better what my putt should be, and I have completely removed the risk of the potential disasters that were otherwise facing me.

From the bunker, S&D gets me successfully out in same number of shots as if I‘d succeeded in playing it out…and that always surprises. Plus of course S&D has absolutely nothing to do with the ball being unplayable other than I might not wish, or feel able, to play and successfully execute the shot. And that could be from a perfect lie, with a perfect unimpeded stance in the middle of the fairway.

Wish I had remembered this at the weekend!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Wish I had remembered this at the weekend!

I keep having to check my counting as often I think it too good to be true.

But to remind myself…as a for instance I think of playing playing a poor 2nd shot, it goes into deep doodoo and what is one of my options? Going back to from where I had hit the ball taking S&D and playing 4 from there. And so for my putt off the green…if it had been my 3rd shot I could put it back on the green and be playing 5.

 

[Maninblack4612]

There's one in this month's Golf Monthly. If I see a fellow competitor breaking a rule I have the option to pull him up for it or just ignore it. No penalty for not mentioning it.

 

[rulie]

There's one in this month's Golf Monthly. If I see a fellow competitor breaking a rule I have the option to pull him up for it or just ignore it. No penalty for not mentioning it.

That option is available in match play only, where it's you against your opponent and each is able to protect your rights.
In stroke play, every competitor is playing against every other competitor in the field, and every competitor has a responsibility to "protect the field" by notifying other competitors when they have breached a Rule, and/or bring any breach observed to the attention of the Committee before the scorecard is returned.
It's a major difference of responsibility between match play and stroke play!
("fellow-competitor" was a term in the Rules before 2019 that signified stroke play)

 

[jim8flog]

Marking balls to identify them - a couple for you.

Play a ball off the tee (or anywhere) hit a provisional. Both balls have identical markings and a player cannot tell which is which. Then the ball chosen is deemed to be the provisional and not the first ball

Hit a ball without unique identifying marks and you cannot see precisely where it is. Walk up to where you think it is find 2 balls same make, model and number also without unique identifying marks and you have to treat your ball as a lost ball and it back to where you played the last shot from with stroke and distance penalties.

 

[rulie]

Try this sometime - when asked to move your ball-marker on the putting green, move it over say one clubhead, then, when going to replace the ball, don't put the ball-marker back, but directly replace the ball on its original spot.

 

[Region3]

In fact you may use any ball each time you drop or place (ie not replace) a ball under a relief rule.

Sorry to go off topic a little, but does this mean I can hit my shiny new pro v off the tee then hit a beaten up old pinnacle for my next shot if it’s risky and I might lose my ball - provided lift clean and place is in operation?

 

[Maninblack4612]

That option is available in match play only, where it's you against your opponent and each is able to protect your rights.
In stroke play, every competitor is playing against every other competitor in the field, and every competitor has a responsibility to "protect the field" by notifying other competitors when they have breached a Rule, and/or bring any breach observed to the attention of the Committee before the scorecard is returned.
It's a major difference of responsibility between match play and stroke play!
("fellow-competitor" was a term in the Rules before 2019 that signified stroke play)

You're right. Careless reading on my part. I remember, as a 16 year old, beating a County player in the Daily Mirror competition, I got about 17 shots. Early on, I pulled a piece of grass out of the green. He magnanimously pointed this breach out to me & let it go. Took the defeat well, too. I've always remembered his good sportsmanship & tried to act in the same way.

 

[rulie]

Well, an opponent can ignore a breach by the player, but must not say anything about it on that hole. Once you and he agreed not to apply a penalty that you know applies, you are both disqualified (Rule 3.2d(4)).

 

[IslaG]

I’m struggling to recall one accurately that came up on the tour It was around order of match play The players ball landed in the lake but the point of entry was a long way further back. The opponent played first as their ball was forward of the POE but behind the player’s ball’s final resting point in the lake. Order of play wasn’t based on where they actually had to take relief …..Anyone point me to that quirky rule

 

[rulie]

I’m struggling to recall one accurately that came up on the tour It was around order of match play The players ball landed in the lake but the point of entry was a long way further back. The opponent played first as their ball was forward of the POE but behind the player’s ball’s final resting point in the lake. Order of play wasn’t based on where they actually had to take relief …..Anyone point me to that quirky rule

You are correct. It's in Rule 6.4d(1).

 

[IslaG]

Sorry to go off topic a little, but does this mean I can hit my shiny new pro v off the tee then hit a beaten up old pinnacle for my next shot if it’s risky and I might lose my ball - provided lift clean and place is in operation?

Yes, and once you have hit your magnificent shot over that lake you can swap back again - provided E3 is in place ;-)

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

A couple

Taking free relief…when measuring one club length from what you deem to be your NPR, the limit of the one club length from your NPR is OOB - let’s say for Illustration OOB by one foot. You can still drop within one club length…but if you drop at the limit of your one club length you’d be dropping OOB. Is your NPR correct?

The revetted faces of a bunker are constructed using recycled astroturf. The faces of the bunkers must be identified by the club as Integral Objects … otherwise as immovable artificial obstructions players can take free relief if one interferes with their stance or swing.

 

[DickInShorts]

No penalty for your ball hitting another when both started on putting green - in matchplay.

Also partners or team mates ( in say a scramble) are NOT allowed to stand on the line behind the player putting

 

[jim8flog]

Sorry to go off topic a little, but does this mean I can hit my shiny new pro v off the tee then hit a beaten up old pinnacle for my next shot if it’s risky and I might lose my ball - provided lift clean and place is in operation?

Yes.

As rulefan said it applies to any situation where you are moving the ball to a new position under the rules eg GUR, immovable obstruction.