What’s the funniest rules interpretations you have heard out on the course?

golfdub

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here's a few I can remember being pulled up for.

Most recent 'ruling' was FC called me for brushing a little sand off my putting line. Apparently Rory had been done for the same thing you know......

I raked my footprints after collecting the rake from one end of a very large bunker when my ball was at the other end....again, another FC tried to give me a 2 shot pen.

I picked my ball up out of a dry water hazard, FC said it was a pen as I didn't mark the spot i lifted it from, I asked how do you do that on the days its full of water.

Lent over the cup and putted the ball back toward me, FC had a quiet word about it being a penalty.

FC kicked his ball accidentally while searching and said was OK as he hadn't seen it and could replace for free.

I don't understand why you need to mark the ball in the water hazard ? As your taking the drop anyway. I assume your taking the drop for picking it up ?
 

backwoodsman

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I don't understand why you need to mark the ball in the water hazard ? As your taking the drop anyway. I assume your taking the drop for picking it up ?

Marking the ball in a water hazard when taking a drop outside is totally pointless. The ball's position is irrelevant. It's where it last crossed the margin that is relevant
 

Val

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I posted it here a while back but had a guy tell me you couldn't lose a ball on the fairway if you and your playing partners are certain of where it would be.

I asked where he dropped the ball then, he said the players all had to agree where it was likely to finish.
 

richart

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I saw on a celebrity golf programme, one of the celebrities trying to chip out of a sprinkler head. His partners had told him he couldn't have relief.
 

dotty001

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bloke i played with last week claimed youre only allowed to repair youre own pitch mark, i asked how do you explain the unwritten rule of repair your own and more , he just shrugged and told me about Dyson :rofl:

i explained that was a spike mark and he said well i dont know!!! i gave up
 

louise_a

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I played at Pleasington in an open this week and they had a local rule for winter whereby if you were in a bunker, you could lift (but not clean) your ball, rake the bunker and then replace your ball. I thought it was a good idea but suspected it is not within the rules.
 

HawkeyeMS

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I played at Pleasington in an open this week and they had a local rule for winter whereby if you were in a bunker, you could lift (but not clean) your ball, rake the bunker and then replace your ball. I thought it was a good idea but suspected it is not within the rules.

Very much not within the rules but they wouldn't be the first course to implement a local rule that isn't allowed. Mill ride for instance have a local rule banning chipping from the putting surface, I understand why they have done it, but that doesn't make it right.
 

davidy233

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Used to regularly take flag out and hold in left hand while tapping in shortish putts with my right hand - just about everyone I played with told me it was a penalty - I just said to them it's not, and invited them to check with handicap secretary after the round.

He actually pulled me to the side and asked me not to do it as he was getting fed up telling people that I wasn't doing anything wrong.
 

Foxholer

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Mill ride for instance have a local rule banning chipping from the putting surface, I understand why they have done it, but that doesn't make it right.

A 'Please do not chip on this Green' sign on the 6th would be much better imo. Only relevant on that green and only in certain situations as well.
 

sydney greenstreet

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How many competitions have been won by players not knowing any of the most basic rules?

Our club Champion won said Comp by playing from the wrong teeing ground yellow's(11-4 - Playing from Outside Teeing Ground)at the first then white's all the way round I said to reception, Pro (no committee) not interested, Was told by Pro that greenkeeper said as long as no advantage was gained it was OK, So it was a case of club ignoring rules of golf, and I got slated by a few on here for daring to challenge this.
 

HawkeyeMS

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Our club Champion won said Comp by playing from the wrong teeing ground yellow's(11-4 - Playing from Outside Teeing Ground)at the first then white's all the way round I said to reception, Pro (no committee) not interested, Was told by Pro that greenkeeper said as long as no advantage was gained it was OK, So it was a case of club ignoring rules of golf, and I got slated by a few on here for daring to challenge this.

The greenkeeper made the decision? :eek:
 

Ian_S

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We have a rule on this winter that is if you're in the fairway inside 180yds then you pick up your ball and place it in the first cut, plus if you're near the green on the fairway then you can putt it from its current spot or place it in the rough to chip. All common sense as far as keeping the course in good nick over winter goes, but reading this thread I suspect it's not technically within the rules.
 
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