What's the stupidest "Rule" or request for relief you've encountered?

[Foxholer]

I recall playing at beckenham and my friend lost a ball on the first and bitched about it all the way round.
Once we’d finished he went back down the first and found the ball.
A pack of pink castle tees to whoever correctly guesses what happened next

All sorts of interesting possibilities! Harangued by another player claiming it was his ball? Somehow lost on the way back to the clubhouse/first shot of subsequent round? Accused by GKs/Staff of scavenging? Lost something more valuable, like car/house keys?......

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I recall playing at beckenham and my friend lost a ball on the first and bitched about it all the way round.
Once we’d finished he went back down the first and found the ball.
A pack of pink castle tees to whoever correctly guesses what happened next

Did he try to finish the hole and count the score as the correct one?

 

[Dando]

In the rules he is allowed to Knock two shots off his score

Correct as his ball wasn’t actually lost ??‍

 

[rosecott]

We had a substantial area of heather about 30 yards short of the green on one of our holes. It was designated "GUR, play from it prohibited" until it was mature enough to be in play.

One of our Seniors had landed in it, so he took relief and his drop put him with the GUR between him and the green. He proceeded to chip back into the GUR 3 times, took his relief on each occasion and reached the green with his fourth attempt. He was adamant that the only score to be counted was the successful one.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

So how unplayable does it need to be? Halfway up a tree, knee high in rough or floating down a stream? Think that has to be the winner

It was quite laughable, disappointed our pair didn't have the gumption to know this was nonsense tbh

 

[jim8flog]

Always find it a bit annoying when an opponent gets relief from ‘animal scrapings’, especially when said relief lets them drop out of the massive bush they’d hit into!

Maybe they need to be reminded of the full rule

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course condition (such as, when you are standing on an immovable obstruction but you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush),

 

[Sats]

I know someone that whiffs a bit and claims it's a practice stroke when it blatantly isn't.

 

[Foxholer]

Maybe they need to be reminded of the full rule

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course condition (such as, when you are standing on an immovable obstruction but you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush),

I seem to remember seeing/hearing Seve being declined relief for that some years ago (obviously).

 

[cliveb]

This one is different to the stories here about people's weird rules beliefs...

A few years back my wife qualified to play in the regional final of a medal comp, and I went along as her caddy.
The day before there had been biblical rain and most of the bunkers were flooded.
So before the round, the referee (a county official) declared that all bunkers were not in play.
But here's the killer:
He said that any shot which ended up in a bunker could be retaken WITHOUT PENALTY (!!!)
So basically you could try and chip over a bunker onto the green and keep going as many times as you liked until you succeeded.
Or ignore any bunkers when taking a tee or approach shot.
Go in a bunker? Have a mulligan!
Remember - this was a COUNTY RULES OFFICIAL !!!
I stood there open mouthed as he explained how it would work, and asked him to confirm he really meant what he said.
Since he was a county rules official and in charge of the event I didn't really feel comfortable about challenging him.

 

[jim8flog]

This one is different to the stories here about people's weird rules beliefs...

A few years back my wife qualified to play in the regional final of a medal comp, and I went along as her caddy.
The day before there had been biblical rain and most of the bunkers were flooded.
So before the round, the referee (a county official) declared that all bunkers were not in play.
But here's the killer:
He said that any shot which ended up in a bunker could be retaken WITHOUT PENALTY (!!!)
So basically you could try and chip over a bunker onto the green and keep going as many times as you liked until you succeeded.
Or ignore any bunkers when taking a tee or approach shot.
Go in a bunker? Have a mulligan!
Remember - this was a COUNTY RULES OFFICIAL !!!
I stood there open mouthed as he explained how it would work, and asked him to confirm he really meant what he said.
Since he was a county rules official and in charge of the event I didn't really feel comfortable about challenging him.

I also learnt that County Officials are not Rules gurus after being right next to one when he was a giving a player a ruling in an event. I saw what happened as I was spectating and explained to the player. They were all instructed not to take advice from spectators and to call a ref, however the refs were no where near so the County Official gave the ruling and he gave the wrong relief procedure.

 

[timd77]

Maybe they need to be reminded of the full rule

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course condition (such as, when you are standing on an immovable obstruction but you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush),

Interesting. So that basically says if you’re in scrapings in the middle of the fairway then fine, take relief. But if you’re in a bush/some other undesirable location then no relief?

 

[rulefan]

I also learnt that County Officials are not Rules gurus after being right next to one when he was a giving a player a ruling in an event. I saw what happened as I was spectating and explained to the player. They were all instructed not to take advice from spectators and to call a ref, however the refs were no where near so the County Official gave the ruling and he gave the wrong relief procedure.

County Officials are not necessarily qualified Referees. In my county over 50% are not and not all our qualified Referees are County Officials. Players with a query are instructed to ask an 'observing official' to contact (by radio) for a Referee's ruling. Both referees and observers wear a 'Rules' armband so that players can distinguish them from spectators but they will all act according to their status.

 

[chrisd]

Interesting. So that basically says if you’re in scrapings in the middle of the fairway then fine, take relief. But if you’re in a bush/some other undesirable location then no relief?

No, not as I understand it, you certainly don't have to be in the middle of the fairway. If, however, your ball is unplayable, say because it's right in the middle of a bush, and you clearly have no chance of playing it you cannot take relief for your stance or swing path and you need to call it unplayable and take relief under penalty.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Anyone with a reasonable understanding of golf can do a lot more reading and learning and become as knowledgeable, or more so, than a County rules official or referee. Merely having the title does not make someone immediately superior. If you doubt what they are saying, challenge them, ALWAYS. If there is the slightest chance that you are correct and they are wrong, do it.
The truth is what we are collectively in pursuit of, not the maintenance of superiority by way of titles or knowing and keeping one's place in a hierarchy.

Ah, EDIT.
All rules officials and referees I have met in my County are more than willing to discuss in pursuit of the correct ruling etc.
My original post, I see now, came across as if I had something against them, which I do not. I have found them all to be rules enthusiasts more than anything else.
But every player has the right to asks questions if a rules official is available, it is what they are there for.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Maybe they need to be reminded of the full rule

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course condition (such as, when you are standing on an immovable obstruction but you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush),

Similar scenario?

We have recently felled a load of trees. Opponent yesterday hit shot in amongst a felled area. He played his shot then asked if he could have had relief from a tree stump he had had to bestride when taking his stance. He had assumed not. I agreed as club has given no notice of relief and stumps not identified or circled as GUR, we play course as we find it. Also no indication by Club that stumps will be removed. But not 100% sure on no relief as perhaps abnormal ground condition - even though a tree stump is clearly not ‘ground’.

 

[rulefan]

Similar scenario?

We have recently felled a load of trees. Opponent yesterday hit shot in amongst a felled area. He played his shot then asked if he could have had relief from a tree stump he had had to bestride when taking his stance. He had assumed not. I agreed as club has given no notice of relief and stumps not identified or circled as GUR, we play course as we find it. Also no indication by Club that stumps will be removed. But not 100% sure on no relief as perhaps abnormal ground condition - even though a tree stump is clearly not ‘ground’.

Abnormal Course Ground Conditions (specifically Ground Under Repair) must be defined by the Committee.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Abnormal Course Ground Conditions (specifically Ground Under Repair) must be defined by the Committee.

As we thought…cheers.

 

[bobmac]

Not so much a golf rule but a clubhouse rule.

Jacket and tie MUST be worn in the lounge bar at the weekends where the huge TV was.
Smart casual in the side bar., with a 14in TV in the corner.

23rd July, 1995 2pm, 4 ladies playing bridge in the lounge with the giant TV off.
Side bar, 3,500 golfers* trying to watch The Open on the 14 in tele and get served from the one barman on duty.
And because the barman was told to shut up shop at 5pm, everyone had to go home and watch Daly beat Rocca in the play off.


*If I've told you once, I've told you a million times..........

 

[Backache]

Not so much a golf rule but a clubhouse rule.

Jacket and tie MUST be worn in the lounge bar at the weekends where the huge TV was.
Smart casual in the side bar., with a 14in TV in the corner.

23rd July, 1995 2pm, 4 ladies playing bridge in the lounge with the giant TV off.
Side bar, 3,500 golfers* trying to watch The Open on the 14 in tele and get served from the one barman on duty.
And because the barman was told to shut up shop at 5pm, everyone had to go home and watch Daly beat Rocca in the play off.


*If I've told you once, I've told you a million times..........

This sounds like pretty pettifogging bureaucracy. The ladies may have been at an important stage in their rubber when forced to go home by the barman.

 

[Foxholer]

Not so much a golf rule but a clubhouse rule.

Jacket and tie MUST be worn in the lounge bar at the weekends where the huge TV was.
Smart casual in the side bar., with a 14in TV in the corner.

23rd July, 1995 2pm, 4 ladies playing bridge in the lounge with the giant TV off.
Side bar, 3,500 golfers* trying to watch The Open on the 14 in tele and get served from the one barman on duty.
And because the barman was told to shut up shop at 5pm, everyone had to go home and watch Daly beat Rocca in the play off.


*If I've told you once, I've told you a million times..........

Clubhouse rules have come a long way since 1995 - in many/most clubs.
'My' club has no clubhouse dress code. Never seen anyone, except the owner, in denim though. But it's certainly permitted, along with work apparel - to allow/encourage members to drop in on the way home for refreshments/food.