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Here's the deal.

On day 1, I'll write down some notes about Rule 1. You will read rule 1 along with me, today, December 1, and post any thoughts or notes or comments or questions you may have.

Then on day 2, we'll do Rule 2.

When we run out of Rules (on Christmas Day), we'll start in on the other sections: the Definitions mostly.

If you're not super familiar with the Rules, take it easy until Christmas (or the day after) and really hammer those definitions. If you're somewhat familiar, jump in now, with day 1.

I'll read and post thoughts later today. Feel free to start before I do.

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Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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Quote

For each stroke, the player:

  • Plays the course as he or she finds it, and

  • Plays the ball as it lies.

If I ruled the world, or at least the USGA, this would be the entirety of Rule 1.  Simple elegance.  Every golfer taught that the First Rule of Golf is that you "play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies."  From there, everything else flows.

Dan

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18 hours ago, dsc123 said:

 

If I ruled the world, or at least the USGA, this would be the entirety of Rule 1.  Simple elegance.  Every golfer taught that the First Rule of Golf is that you "play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies."  From there, everything else flows.

For me, it’s that you start at the tee and end at the hole, play the ball as it lies, and play with integrity. Playing the course as you find may have different meanings for people. Like whether it means playing the correct fairway for a hole or taking advantage by taking a different hole’s fairway on a dogleg or something. 

The part of this rule most people ignore is player conduct by taking care of the course. Replace divots or fill with sand-seed and fixing ball marks. 

Philip Kohnken, PGA
Director of Instruction, Lake Padden GC, Bellingham, WA

Srixon/Cleveland Club Fitter; PGA Modern Coach; Certified in Dr Kwon’s Golf Biomechanics Levels 1 & 2; Certified in SAM Putting; Certified in TPI
 
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  • Administrator

Sorry, I read the rule last night (and will do #2 today) but didn't get a chance to type up my notes for y'all. I'll do that this afternoon, for both 1 and 2.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Rule 1 - The Game, Player Conduct, and The Rules

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

1.1 - The Game of Golf

  • Defines the game as that which we hit the ball in the hole through a series of strokes from the teeing area. Players are asked to play the ball as it lies and play the course as you find it.
  • There are no penalties or really any way to "breach" rule 1.1.

1.2 - Standards of Player Conduct

  • Don't act like a tool: follow the rules, respect the other players, respect the course.
  • The Committee can establish a Code of Conduct and offer penalties, otherwise, there really aren't any ways short of a serious breach of etiquette (DQ) to be penalized under 1.2 either.
  • The AJGA and other youth leagues and tournaments will often enact a Code of Conduct and will often enforce it.

1.3 - Playing by the Rules

  • "Rules" are the Rules, Local Rules, Terms of Competition.
  • Though the Rules say that players are responsible for knowing the Rules, the 2019+ version encourages players to pretend they don't know the rules, or at least say that they didn't, so they can't be DQed for failing to apply a penalty incurred.
  • Use the best available info to estimate spots where balls cross lines, etc.
  • Players can incur penalties even if someone else does it, if the player directs it or doesn't try to stop it.
  • Three levels: one stroke, GP (two, or LOH), DQ.
  • One stroke is for minor breaches or relief from penalty situations. Almost a "procedural" penalty.
  • Two is for most rules. Two = LOH in match play.
  • DQ is serious. Duh.
  • The Committee and everyone else are flat out not allowed to modify any penalties.
  • 1.3c(4) is about applying multiple penalties:
    • unrelated acts - separate penalty for each
    • single or related acts - depends
      • multiple procedural penalties - one stroke total (for example, player lifts ball without marking and cleans it)
      • incorrect sub ball from wrong place - two strokes total (i.e. basically the wrong place penalty)
      • combined procedural and incorrect sub/wrong place - two total (wrong place penalty)
    • any penalty strokes are also always applied, so if you're taking relief from a lateral penalty area and you do something to break the above, it's 1 + the above 1 or 2.
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Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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Good idea, @iacas.  I've nothing of interest to say at the moment; but I"m looking forward to the series.

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Cleveland Hi-Bore driver, Maltby 5 wood, Maltby hybrid, Maltby irons and wedges (23 to 50) Vokey 59/07, Cleveland Niblick (LH-42), and a Maltby mallet putter.                                                                                                                                                 "When the going gets tough...it's tough to get going."

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1 hour ago, Piz said:

Good idea, @iacas.  I've nothing of interest to say at the moment; but I"m looking forward to the series.

Read up on Days 1 and 2 (Rules 1 and 2).

2 is coming later tonight.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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Rule 2 - The Course

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

2.1 - Course Boundaries and Out of Bounds

  • The Committee has to decide where boundaries are.

2.2 - Defined Areas of the Course

  • There are five:
    • general area
    • the teeing area
    • the green
    • penalty area
    • bunker
  • If the ball is in two areas, it's treated as lying in the general area last, or in the order: penalty area, bunker, putting green.

2.3 - Objects or Conditions that can Interfere with Play

  • Just links to other rules for loose impediments, movable obstructions, abnormal course conditions, GUR, temporary water, or immovable obstructions.
  • No relief for boundary objects.

2.4 - No Play Zones

  • Must take relief when ball, stance, area of swing interfered with here
  • can be an ACC or a penalty area

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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23 hours ago, iacas said:

If the ball is in two areas, it's treated as lying in the general area last, or in the order: penalty area, bunker, putting green.

I can think of scenarios where a ball could be in both a penalty area and putting green (like an island green or something), but I'm struggling to think of a penalty area/bunker or bunker/putting green situation. Does anyone know of any examples of these in a well known course that I could google?

-Peter

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(edited)
3 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

I can think of scenarios where a ball could be in both a penalty area and putting green (like an island green or something), but I'm struggling to think of a penalty area/bunker or bunker/putting green situation. Does anyone know of any examples of these in a well known course that I could google?

Doesn't Pebble Beach have a bunker adjacent to the beach which is marked as a red PA (old water hazard)?

Edited by Rulesman

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8 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

I can think of scenarios where a ball could be in both a penalty area and putting green (like an island green or something), but I'm struggling to think of a penalty area/bunker or bunker/putting green situation. Does anyone know of any examples of these in a well known course that I could google?

As good as @iacas's notes are, this is where we should go to the actual wording of the entire rule.  Rule 2.2c talks about a situation where the ball is essentially on the line between two areas, part of the ball in each.  The ball is always treated as being in one of the 5 areas, and the 2.2c determines which area's rules govern for a ball on the line.

Dave

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14 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Rule 2.2c talks about a situation where the ball is essentially on the line between two areas, part of the ball in each.

That's what I wrote, yeah. If it's in two areas, the general area is last (i.e. if it's in the general area and any other area, it's treated as in the other area). The rest, @Darkfrog, follow the order: penalty area, bunker, putting green.

So a ball in the penalty area and a bunker is treated as being in the penalty area, not the bunker. Beach bunkers that feed down into water can be one situation, and putting greens with PA lines on them or which just fall off into a bunker (pretty rare, sure) would be another.

The Rules just establish the order, though, they don't say whether those situations exist. 🙂

I typed up my notes for Rule 3 yesterday but didn't copy them over here. I'll do that and Rule 4 today.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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Rule 3 - The Competition

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

I didn't do a great job of just writing the NOTES for this rule, instead I just kinda summarized it, particularly the match play part. I'll do better for rule 4.

3.1 - Central Elements of Every Competition

  • Match play, stroke play, or other forms of stroke play determine some rules outcomes
  • Match play is against the opponent, without as much care for "the field"
  • Also have to know if you're playing against an individual or partners
  • Finally, gross or net?

3.2 - Match Play

  • Three ways to win a hole
    • fewer strokes than opponent
    • opponent concedes
    • opponent incurs general penalty
  • You can tie, too:
    • same number of strokes
    • someone makes a stroke on the hole and the players treat it as tied (kinda like a mutual concession)
  • Three ways to win a match:
    • More holes up than remain
    • opponent concedes
    • opponent is DQed
  • Extending a tied match:
    • sudden death, continuation of the same round (so no switching equipment, etc.)
    • holes played in same order unless Committee determines a different one
  • Result is final when something is done as set by the Committee, such as final score posted on a scoreboard, etc.
  • Players may concede the next stroke, hole, or match.
    • Concessions made while ball in motion apply to the next stroke unless it goes in the hole. If knocked away while in motion it has to be obvious that the ball doesn't have a chance of going in. (Spieth in the Ryder Cup.)
    • Concede a hole at any point before the hole is completed (even before it's played), 6.5.
    • Concede a match at any point before it's completed/decided.
    • Concessions are verbal or by an action
    • If a player lifts his ball due to a reasonable misunderstanding that something was conceded, he can replace with no penalty (14.2)
  • Handicaps in match play…
    • DQed if player says handicap too high and doesn't correct before next stroke. If too low, plays off the lower handicap.
    • Given by hole, lower net score wins. If tied match extended, same holes get the same strokes as in regular round. If players mistakenly apply handicap to a hole, result stands unless it's corrected in time.
  • Responsibilities:
    • Player can ask the other how many strokes they've taken at any time, other guy must respond with correct number. Failure to reply is treated as giving the wrong number of strokes. Wrong number is general penalty unless he corrects before asking player makes another stroke, or if after a hole, before anyone makes a stroke on the next hole or before the match is final (exception if the right score doesn't affect the outcome of the hole).
    • Must tell an opponent about the penalty as soon as reasonably possible, even if the player is unaware of the penalty (because players are supposed to recognize when they've breached a rule). Otherwise, general penalty. Exception: no penalty when opponent knew of player's penalty (such as when seeing him take penalty relief).
    • Know the match score.
      • If players mistakenly agree on wrong match score they can correct it before a player makes a stroke to begin another hole or before the match is final if it's the last hole. If not corrected, it becomes the final score. Exception: when player requests a ruling.
    • Protect your own rights and interests. You're not protecting the field here. Players may act on or ignore breaches by opponent. Cannot deliberately agree to ignore breaches, DQ if so. Players can ask for rulings under 20.1b.

3.3 - Stroke Play

  • Winner finishes in the fewest total strokes, net if handicap.
  • Player's score kept on a scorecard by the marker.
  • Marker(s) certify hole scores with player, sign. Player certifies, signs, and returns scorecard. Breach anything here, DQ. Exception: no penalty when marker fails, such as marker leaving with player's card).
  • Wrong hole score: higher stands, lower is DQ. Exception: just pretend you're unaware of a penalty. Stupid. Then the strokes are just included.
  • Player responsible for his handicap being listed on the scorecard. Too high or not shown and affects # of strokes given, DQ. Too low, plays to it.
  • Player not responsible for addition or applying handicap.
  • Player must hole out each hole. If not corrected in time, DQ.
  • Rules 21.1, 21.2, and 21.3 for other forms of stroke play.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Rule 4 - The Player's Equipment

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

4.1 - Clubs

  • Clubs allowed:
    • Must be conforming, even after altered, to take a stroke, except through normal use. Otherwise, DQ.
    • If club damaged during a round, considered conforming for the rest of that round (playoffs are a new round).
      • Player can play with the club or have it repaired keeping original grip, shaft, head (see below), and can't repair damage from before the round.
    • Can't alter performance characteristics (adjustable club, putting something on the face) during a round. DQ if so, unless you re-set an adjustment without making a stroke.
    • Can carry a non-conforming club, can't make a stroke with it, counts toward limit of 14.
  • 14 limit, can start with fewer and add up to 14. If you start with > 14, you can remove clubs (still penalized), including any added clubs being removed first. No penalty for picking up someone else's club and carrying it so long as it's not used. No sharing of clubs, really. No replacing clubs damaged or lost unless caused by an outside influence or natural forces (i.e. someone else drives their cart over your driver). Damaged club out of play when replacement added. Replacement can't delay play, be from another player, build a club from parts carried by someone for the player. Penalties depend on when player was made aware of breach (during play or after play of a hole). Penalty is a match adjustment, up to two holes lost. You can be four down through two holes. Two strokes, up to four, in stroke play.
  • To declare a club out of play, alert others or put it upside down in your bag or something (floor of the cart, give it to someone to put in your locker, etc.). If it's before you start the round, try to leave it behind, but you can also declare it before you begin play and not use it. DQ.

4.2 - Balls

  • Conforming ball must be played, cannot deliberately alter characteristics.
  • Ball breaks in pieces, replay.
  • Cut or cracked? Mark, lift to check, don't clean unless on putting green. Failure to mark or have reasonable belief, 1 stroke. If it's cracked or cut, player may sub.

4.3 - Use of Equipment

  • Can't use non-ball/club equipment to artificially reduce/eliminate skill or any equipment in an abnormal way in making a stroke.
  • Distance/direction: Allowed - distance, direction. Not allowed - elevation changes, interpreted info (recommendations on line of play, etc.)
  • WInd/Other: Allowed - weather forecasts, temperature, humidity. Not allowed - wind speed at the course, artificial object to get wind-related info (like chalk).
  • Info before/during the round: Allowed - playing info, swing tips, recording info like distances, heart rate for review after the round. Not allowed - Playing or physiological info gathered during the round.
  • Audio and Video: Allowed - background music, unrelated video like a news report, following etiquette. Not allowed - music to eliminate distractions or help with tempo, video that helps the player.
  • Gloves (gripping): Allowed - a plain glove, resin, a towel wrapped around. Not allowed - funky gloves, other equipment that gives an advantage.
  • Stretching/Swing Aids: Allowed - Using equipment for general stretching (like an alignment rod across your shoulders, rubber tubing), but not when making a practice swing. Not allowed - Using any swing aid, weighted donut, non-conforming club to make a practice swing or in any other way that helps with grip, alignment, ball position, etc. Just leave that shit in your bag.
  • Medical Reasons - exceptions if you need something medically and The Committee allows it (no unfair advantage). Tape or similar coverings are allowed, can't be excessive and can't help more than necessary for the medical reason. Example: can't help immobilize a joint for swing help. Ask the Committee if in doubt.
  • First breach: GP. Second, DQ.

Why was Bryson allowed to replace his shaft?

Brysonbreaksdriver.jpg

The brawny American snapped his driver at Harding Park but was able to put together a new big stick thanks to a Local Rule
Spoiler

Rule 4.1b (3), ‘No Replacing Lost or Damaged Clubs’, adds if a player “loses or damages a club during the round…the player must not replace it with another club” – unless it was done by an outside influence, natural forces or “by any person other than the player or their caddie”.

So how was DeChambeau able to put on a new shaft? Let rules official Brian Gregory explain.

“During the course of playing the stroke, the club busted into pieces and we do have the Local Rule in effect when that happens, the player would be allowed to replace the club,” he told American TV viewers.

“Starting in 2019 this is a Local Rule that’s in effect for the Championship for when a club is significantly damaged… and breaking into pieces would meet that standard.”

The Local Rule in question is G-9 – ‘Replacement of Club that is Broken or Significantly Damaged’ – and was added during the Rules of Golf clarifications issued in April last year.

It modifies Rule 4.1b (3) to say that “If a player’s club is “broken or significantly damaged” during the round by the player or caddie, except in cases of abuse, the player may replace the club with any club under Rule 4.1b(4).”

The Local Rule adds that a club is broken or significantly damaged in a number of cases which includes ‘the shaft breaks into pieces, splinters or is bent (but not when the club face is only dented)’.

 

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Rule 5 - Playing the Round

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

5.1 - Meaning of Round

  • A round is 18 holes or fewer.
  • In match play a continuation of the same round when tied, in stroke play a new round.
  • Actions taken "during a round" don't necessarily include when play is stopped under 5.7.

5.2 - Practicing on the Course Before or Between Rounds

  • Allowed in match play, disallowed in stroke play (mostly) except after your final round that day.

5.3 - Starting and Ending Round

  • Round starts when player makes a stroke.
  • Start times are important. Up to 5 minutes late, or starts 5:00 early, GP. Exceptional circumstances can be waived by Committee.
  • Round ends when the match is decided or player holes out on last hole.

5.4 - Playing in Groups

  • Play in the same group as your opponent in match play
  • Player should stay in the same group in stroke play unless approved.

5.5 - Practicing During the Round or When Play is Stopped

  • Some things aren't practice.
  • No practice strokes, but you can chip and putt in some areas if not forbidden.
  • When play is stopped, only in certain areas.

5.6 - Unreasonable Delay, Prompt Pace of Play

  • Players should play unless a few reasons why.
  • Seriously, don't play slowly, but good luck getting a penalty.
  • Can play ready golf if it's not being done to help one player, if it's for pace of play.
  • Committee may create a pace of play policy.

5.7 - Stopping Play, Resuming Play

  • Play stops for suspension by Committee, in match play if it doesn't delay the competition, lightning.
  • Players must stop play in case of immediate suspension (dangerous situation)
  • Normal suspension - can finish existing hole if anyone in group already began play on that hole.
  • Resume play where you stopped play. Duh.
  • Can mark and lift the ball. Can replace with any ball. 8.1 applies if lie is changed in the interim.
  • If ball or marker is moved, put it back and replace the ball or mark where it was.

I may have to do 6 and 7 on the same day, Monday, as I'm quite busy on Sunday the 6th.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Rule 6 - Playing a Hole

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

6.1 - Starting Play of a Hole

  • Hole starts when player makes stroke, even if from outside teeing area or stroke is canceled by rule.
  • Play from inside teeing area, duh. In match play, opponent can cancel. Stroke play, GP and player must correct before playing from the next hole or teeing off/turning in scorecard.

6.2 - Playing from the Teeing Area

  • Teeing area rules apply whenever the stroke is made from the teeing area (the rectangle, not the tee box)
  • Ball is in when any part is in the teeing area
  • Certain actions can be done to improve the conditions.
  • Don’t move the tee markers for making a stroke. Otherwise they’re movable obstructions (that you should put back).
  • Ball is not in play until a stroke is made at it.
  • Ball to be played from teeing area can be re-teed, moved around in the teeing area, etc.

6.3 - Ball Used in Play of Hole

  • Generally finish a hole with the one you started. But you can substitute a ball under a lot of rules, and you can illegally sub a ball, too.
    • You can when taking relief and dropping/placing a ball, placing a ball, or replaying a shot.
    • You can’t when replacing a ball.
  • Subbed ball becomes ball in play when you sub it in, even if you’re not allowed to. You can correct later, sometimes.
  • If you sub in a ball under stroke and distance or KVC what happened to it, the ball must continue to be played even if you find the original.
  • If you make a stroke at a subbed in ball, GP + continue on with that ball. Failure to correct before moving on = DQ.
  • Don’t swing at a wrong ball, unless in moving water. Stroke doesn’t count, GP.
    • Match play: both do this, first to make a stroke at wrong ball = loss of hole (GP). If unsure, play the hole out.
  • Players may rarely play two balls on a hole:
    • Playing a provisional.
    • 14.7b - possible serious breach of wrong place, or 20.1c(3), uncertain of procedure.

6.4 - Order of Play

  • Match Play
    • First hole: by draw, agreement, or randomly
    • Holes after that: latest winner of a hole
    • If ruling may affect honor, and awaiting ruling, by agreement or randomly
    • After hole is being played, whoever is away or by agreement/randomly if same distance.
  • Stroke play
    • Ditto match play: draw, agreement, random
    • honor based on gross scores
    • farthest from the hole goes first, but out of order not a big deal unless two players agree to help one or more of them (GP)
    • provisionals come after others have hit from the teeing area
    • when player must take stroke and distance, it’s based on where previous shot was hit, when there’s a choice, it’s based on where the ball lay or is estimated to lay
    • common sense otherwise for order of play

6.5 - Completing Play of a Hole

  • Match play - player holes out or next stroke is conceded, or result of hole is decided
  • Stroke play - player holes out

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Rule 7 - Ball Search: Finding and Identifying Ball

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

7.1 - How to Fairly Search for a Ball

  • can take reasonable actions, moving some limbs or branches or grass, moving sand/water, even breaking things if minimal/reasonable.
  • if excessive and improves CATS, GP.
  • can move loose impediments and movable obstructions
  • if sand, player may move sand to identify ball and should re-create lie but can leave a small part of ball visible. If they fail to re-create, GP.

7.2 - How to Identify Ball

  • player or someone else seeing it come to rest
  • identifying mark on the ball
  • same brand, model, number, etc. of ball in area where ball is expected to be, so long as another player’s ball is not in the same area and there’s no way to know which is which.
  • If a player’s provisional cannot be distinguished, see 18.3c(2)

7.3 - Lifting Ball to Identify It

  • player may lift ball to identify it (rotating, lifting, etc.).
  • ball must be marked, cannot be cleaned more than needed to identify it off putting green
  • replace the ball if it’s yours or another player’s
  • if player lifts ball when not reasonable to need to do so, one stroke.

7.4 - Ball Accidentally Moved in Searching or Identifying

  • no penalty for moving ball accidentally when searching for it
  • replace it on the spot (even if on an obstruction, etc.), recreate the lie (Rory this year), when in sand you can leave a part of the ball visible if it was buried, (see also 15.1 on loose impediments when replacing).

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Rule 8 - Course Played as it is Found

Notes as follows. These are notes, not a recap or a summary or anything like that.

8.1 - Your Actions that Improve Conditions Affecting Your Stroke (CATS)

  • Don't:
    • move, bend, or break stuff, natural or otherwise (both "IO"s and boundary objects, tee markers).
    • move stuff into a position.
    • alter the surface of the ground (exceptions for the putting green and elsewhere).
    • remove dew, frost, water, or press down sand or loose soil (exceptions).
  • You can:
    • Fairly search
    • Move MO and LI
    • reasonably mark your ball
    • ground your club lightly in front of or behind your ball (not in a bunker)
    • take your stance (not entitled to a normal stance), including firm footing in sand/loose soil
    • other things on the putting green, more other things on the teeing area
    • move an object to see if it's an LI.
  • If you've improved the CATS in certain ways you can avoid penalty if you restore the CATS (like moving a boundary stake and putting it back). But you've gotta do it right, you've gotta use the original objects, etc.
  • You can also restore worsened CATS after the ball came to rest. Like if someone splashes sand in front of your ball on the fringe. You can even lift and place the ball in the nearest spot (maybe someone took a big divot out from your area of stance or swing). Also, not allowed when the CATS are affected by the player, natural objects or wind or water.

8.2 - Player's Deliberate Actions to Alter Other Physical Conditions to Affect the Player's Own Ball at Rest or Stroke to be Made

  • Doesn't cover player deflecting his ball or altering CATS
  • Player can't do any of the things in 8.1a where the player's ball might go, except to care for the course. GP if breached.

8.3 - Player's Deliberate Actions… to affect Another Player's Ball…

  • Doesn't apply to deflecting another ball or to alter physical conditions where ball may come to rest (11.2 and 11.3)
  • Players must not do the things in 8.1a to improve/worsen CATS or alter any other physical condition to affect where player's ball may go (different than affecting the conditions where the ball may go, this is about affecting where the ball may go). Exception is to care for the course.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Note: This thread is 1520 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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