MOST MISUNDERSTOOD RULES OF GOLF
1)Red Lateral Hazard
Option
1 – Play it from the hazard
Option
2 – Replay the shot from the original position incurring a stroke and distance
penalty
Option
3 – Draw a line from the hole to where the ball last crossed the margin of the
hazard and drop anywhere behind that point keeping the point between you and
the hole incurring a 1 shot penalty.
Option
4 – go to the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and drop
within 2 club lengths, no nearer the hole, on either side of the hazard
incurring a 1 shot penalty.
2)Yellow Water Hazard
Option
1 – Play it from the hazard
Option
2 – Replay the shot from the original position incurring a stroke and distance
penalty
Option
3 – Draw a line from the hole to where the ball last crossed the margin of the
hazard and drop anywhere behind that point keeping the point between you and
the hole. You would incur a 1 shot penalty
3)Lost Ball or Out-of-Bounds
After
looking for a maximum of 5 minutes, you must go back to where the shot was
originally played from, and replay, incurring a stroke and distance penalty.
4)Unplayable Lie
Option
1 – Take 2 club lengths relief no closer to the hole and assess a 1 stroke
penalty
Option
2 – Replay the shot from the original position incurring a stroke and distance
penalty
Option
3 – Take the ball back as far as you want keeping the point where the ball lays
between you and the hole incurring a 1 shot penalty
5)Improving Your Swing Path
You
cannot bend, break or hack anything growing or fixed if it improves you lie,
your stance, or your area of intended swing. The penalty for doing so is
a 2 shot penalty in stroke play.
6)Unplayable Lie in a Bunker
Option
1 – Take a drop of no more than 2 club lengths no closer to the hole, but still
in the bunker incurring a 1 shot penalty
Option
2 – Replay the shot from the original position incurring a stroke and distance
penalty
Option
3 – Go back as far as you like in the bunker and drop keeping that spot where
your ball laid between you and the hole. This incurs a 1 shot penalty.
7)Removing Objects in a Bunker
You
may not move or remove any loose impediments in the bunker unless they are
foreign to the area. Example – you may remove a candy wrapper but not a
pine cone or tree branch.
8)Number of Allowed Clubs
You
are only allowed to carry 14 clubs in your bag. The penalty for carrying more
than 14 clubs:
Match
Play – Loss of hole – maximum of 2 holes
Stroke
Play – 2 strokes per hole up to a maximum of 2 holes or 4 shots
9)Casual Water
Find
the nearest point of relief no closer to the hole where neither you or your
ball lie in water that can be seen without pressing your feet up and down. You
may then drop your ball within 1 club length from that point no nearer to the
hole at no penalty
10)Grounding Your Club in a Hazard
Practice
swings may be taken inside a hazard as long as you don’t touch the ground, sand
or water with your club. The top of the grass may be touched during a
practice swing. The penalty for grounding your club is a 2 shot penalty in
stroke play.
11)Accidentally Moving Your Ball
There
is a 1 stroke penalty for accidentally moving your ball and it must be replaced
in its original position before hitting. There is another 1 stroke
penalty for hitting the ball from the wrong place if it is not replaced.
There is no penalty for accidentally moving the ball when on the tee.
12)Removing Loose Impediments
If,
in moving loose impediments, you accidently move your ball, you must return the
ball to its original position and penalize yourself one stroke
13) Asking for Advice
It’s
against the rules of golf to ask an opponent what club they have hit. The
penalty for this breech is a 2 shot penalty in stroke play. Asking for lay of
the course, how far it is to hole…etc. is not considered asking for advice.
14)Ball on a Cart Path
You
are entitled to free relief.
Step
1 – Determine the “nearest point of relief.” This is the point where the
ball would lay affording the player both swing and stance from the cart path.
Step
2 – you are entitled to 1 club length relief from the point where the ball
would lie once full relief is taken.
Step
3 – After dropping, the ball may roll up to 2 club lengths no closer to the
hole.
15)Changing Club Characteristics
Clubs
may not be altered in any way once play has begun. If a club is altered during
the normal course of play, such as bending it after hitting a tree while
attempting to hit the ball, the club may be taken to the shop for immediate
repair and a replacement club may be used until the original club is repaired.
If
the club is modified outside the normal course of play, such as breaking or
bending it in a fit of anger, it must be taken out of play for the remainder of
the match. Should it be used again the penalty is disqualification.
16)How to Drop the Ball
After
determining the nearest point of relief, you may stand outside the drop area,
no closer to the hole, and extend your hand to the side dropping the ball from
shoulder height. The ball may roll up to 2 club lengths no closer to the
hole. If the ball rolls farther than that you must re-drop. If after dropping
2 times the ball continues to roll past 2 club lengths, you must place the ball
where it first touched the ground.
17)Repairing the Line of your Putt
You
may repair any ball marks in your line and removed any pebbles or foreign
objects in your line, and you can do so with a towel or cap or do it with your hand or club. You may
not fix spike marks. The penalty for doing so is a 2 shot penalty in stroke
play.
18)Hitting the Wrong Ball
The
penalty for hitting the wrong ball in stroke play for either player is 2
strokes and the original ball must be replayed from its original position.