Does Anyone Know the Rules?

[mediaguru]

Yes, on my Thursday matches with a 4 some when it is mostly matchplay anyway we give those type of short putts. Ones that the guy will make 10/10 times. But NOT IN LEAGUE or tourneys.

[Rickins]

I concede nothing where money is on the line. Keep it. I don't care but you'd better play by the rules. It's far more the principle than the money. Just me...

Rick

[iacas]

Yesterday I watched in silent amazement as one of my high school team's players held an umbrella over his partner while he putted. Clearly a rules violation.

I couldn't yell in time without possibly affecting the kid's stroke, and the coach (again, I'm the assistant coach) told me to mention it to him after they finished the hole. I asked "have them add the two-stroke penalty?" and he said "no."

So I mentioned it to them. I feel particularly guilty today not having forced the kid to take the penalty. The match was lost, so it's not like it would have affected much, but it would have perhaps made an impression.

[Rickins]

  iacas said:

So I mentioned it to them. I feel particularly guilty today not having forced the kid to take the penalty.

Don't beat yourself up. You made the point and they'll remember it. Give 'em the lecture or assess the penalty but don't do both.

Rick

[Martyn W]

  iacas said:

Yesterday I watched in silent amazement as one of my high school team's players held an umbrella over his partner while he putted. Clearly a rules violation.

I couldn't yell in time without possibly affecting the kid's stroke, and the coach (again, I'm the assistant coach) told me to mention it to him after they finished the hole. I asked "have them add the two-stroke penalty?" and he said "no."

So I mentioned it to them. I feel particularly guilty today not having forced the kid to take the penalty. The match was lost, so it's not like it would have affected much, but it would have perhaps made an impression.

Assuming you are using the correct terminology (match), the penalty is not 2 strokes but loss of hole.

[Newby]

It was nearly ten years ago...wow...wth were you looking for when you found this one?

[Martyn W]

I did not notice the date - I clicked on 'recent posts, believe it or not!!

[iacas]

  Martyn W said:

Assuming you are using the correct terminology (match), the penalty is not 2 strokes but loss of hole.

High school matches then used a weird mix of match play and stroke play. Substitute "teammate" for "partner" though - they follow stroke play rules for the most part and then base "match" points off that.

Now they do it differently, though. As was noted that post is quite old.

[Martyn W]

  iacas said:

High school matches then used a weird mix of match play and stroke play. Substitute "teammate" for "partner" though - they follow stroke play rules for the most part and then base "match" points off that.

Now they do it differently, though. As was noted that post is quite old.

Not quite sure what you mean by weird mix; I' m sure you are familiar with 33-1:

"Certain specific Rules governing stroke play are so substantially different from those governing match play that combining the two forms of play is not practicable and is not permitted. The result of a match played in these circumstances is null and void and, in the stroke play competition, the competitors are disqualified."

[iacas]

  Martyn W said:

Not quite sure what you mean by weird mix; I' m sure you are familiar with 33-1:

"Certain specific Rules governing stroke play are so substantially different from those governing match play that combining the two forms of play is not practicable and is not permitted. The result of a match played in these circumstances is null and void and, in the stroke play competition, the competitors are disqualified."

I know that… that's why I said they ran some sort of "weird mix."

The kids would play 18 holes (in foursomes: two per team, but #1 man vs. #1 man, #2 vs. #2, etc.): front nine match play, back nine match play, total match play, and total stroke play for four points. No concessions. The penalties would be the stroke play variety (as you had to complete each hole for the total strokes requirement).

I wasn't on the committee. I just coached the kids. We did the same thing when I was in high school, though.

The post is 10 years old. Let's move on.

[DrvFrShow]

Let the dead rest.

Had to say it.

[tqcishark]

I try to play by the rules, as much as playing by the rules is practical.  Practical is usually a question of pace.  If a player in my group hits two consecutive tee strokes OB, we employ the mercy rule. Take a drop where the last ball went out.  Have mercy on your playing partners.

I had a situation Sunday playing with an unfamiliar playing partner, I failed to clear the water hazard hitting to the green off the tee on a par three.  I was not aware of a drop zone, and was really wanting to take the stroke over, so I prepared to re-tee and hit again.  My playing partner said I could not re-tee, I could only drop and hit off the teeing ground or some point forward towards the water hazard.  Not knowing the rule or desiring to debate his call, I went to the front of the tee box, took a drop and hit again.  I got over.  No big deal.  I was more intrigued by his call than anything.  I did not know if this was correct or not, but it sounded right.

Fast forward an hour tothe final par 3, also hitting over water.  Rules guy shanked a ball into the water.  This was a little different because we did not see a splash, blocked by the crest of the hill.  It was fair to say, we were virtually certain his ball came to rest in the hazard, with no drop zone.  He walks back, declares a lost ball and re-tees.

A learning golfer could carry a rule book and I'm not sure he would definitively make either call quickly.  I would love to hear some opinions, including the mercy rule.

[wadesworld]

  tqcishark said:

I try to play by the rules, as much as playing by the rules is practical.  Practical is usually a question of pace.  If a player in my group hits two consecutive tee strokes OB, we employ the mercy rule. Take a drop where the last ball went out.  Have mercy on your playing partners.

I had a situation Sunday playing with an unfamiliar playing partner, I failed to clear the water hazard hitting to the green off the tee on a par three.  I was not aware of a drop zone, and was really wanting to take the stroke over, so I prepared to re-tee and hit again.  My playing partner said I could not re-tee, I could only drop and hit off the teeing ground or some point forward towards the water hazard.  Not knowing the rule or desiring to debate his call, I went to the front of the tee box, took a drop and hit again.  I got over.  No big deal.  I was more intrigued by his call than anything.  I did not know if this was correct or not, but it sounded right.

Fast forward an hour tothe final par 3, also hitting over water.  Rules guy shanked a ball into the water.  This was a little different because we did not see a splash, blocked by the crest of the hill.  It was fair to say, we were virtually certain his ball came to rest in the hazard, with no drop zone.  He walks back, declares a lost ball and re-tees.

A learning golfer could carry a rule book and I'm not sure he would definitively make either call quickly.  I would love to hear some opinions, including the mercy rule.

Your fellow-competitor was wrong and does not know the rules.  You may ALWAYS take the stroke and distance option, no matter where your ball lay.  Secondly, one cannot declare a ball a "lost."  That said, one of his options for a ball in a water hazard is to play again from the original spot, so he did the right thing accidentally.

As for your "mercy rule," it's certainly not correct by the rules of golf.  However, in a casual round, do whatever makes it fun and move on.  If you're posting your score for handicap, adjust it appropriately.

[DrvFrShow]

One can declare a ball "#@!!!!" and take S&D.;

For casual rounds, I have a rocks and roots rule - 15 feet away from trees. I'm recovering from a rotator cuff injury, and I'm not keeping an official handicap the rest of the season.

[Duff McGee]

  mediaguru said:

League is where you'll find some of the worst rules infractions ever. As the new president this year I was blown away when I played with a group of 4 "regulars" (in a 5 some) and they were giving putts and picking them up. I DQ'd them all. They were pissed at me but so what? If you give a 1 foot putt you give a 1.5 foot putt. If you give a 1.5 foot putt, you give a 2 foot putt.... Now they putt 'em out and now their scores are a good 4-5 strokes higher...

I bet you made 4 new friends that day....;) Edit: And.....I just remembered that I responded to a ten year old post.

[tqcishark]

  wadesworld said:

Your fellow-competitor was wrong and does not know the rules.  You may ALWAYS take the stroke and distance option, no matter where your ball lay.  Secondly, one cannot declare a ball a "lost."  That said, one of his options for a ball in a water hazard is to play again from the original spot, so he did the right thing accidentally. As for your "mercy rule," it's certainly not correct by the rules of golf.  However, in a casual round, do whatever makes it fun and move on.  If you're posting your score for handicap, adjust it appropriately.

I can't disagree with anyone about re-teeing versus taking a drop at the spot of original shot. The question is, when can you re-tee? To be clear, I want the rule or decision, not an opinion.

[DrvFrShow]

  tqcishark said:

I can't disagree with anyone about re-teeing versus taking a drop at the spot of original shot. The question is, when can you re-tee? To be clear, I want the rule or decision, not an opinion.

If you hit your tee shot in the woods, water, out of bounds, in the rough, even on the fairway, you can re-tee and take stroke and distance. Your original ball is then out of play so long as you do not declare your re-tee a provisional.

If you roll your tee shot into tall wet fescue in front of the tee that's almost impossible to hit out of, you can re-tee for stroke and distance so long as you do not declare your re-tee a provisional.

If you declare it a provisional then you must play the original ball in all cases unless the ball is lost or out of bounds or in the water.

If your driver inadvertently knocks the ball off the tee before you actually make a swing you may re-tee the ball with no penalty.

If you whiff the ball and while making an effort to hit the ball on the tee and your ball remains on the tee, you are now hitting two.

Fixed

[Fourputt]

  DrvFrShow said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by tqcishark

I can't disagree with anyone about re-teeing versus taking a drop at the spot of original shot. The question is, when can you re-tee? To be clear, I want the rule or decision, not an opinion.

If you hit your tee shot in the woods, water, out of bounds, in the rough, even on the fairway, you can re-tee and take stroke and distance. Your original ball is then out of play so long as you do not declare your re-tee a provisional.

If you roll your tee shot into tall wet fescue in front of the tee that's almost impossible to hit out of, you can re-tee for stroke and distance so long as you do not declare your re-tee a provisional.

If you declare it a provisional then you must play the original ball in all cases unless the ball is lost or out of bounds or in the water.

If your driver inadvertently knocks the ball off the tee before you actually make a swing you may re-tee the ball with no penalty.

If you whiff the ball and while making an effort to hit the ball on the tee and your ball remains on the tee, you are now lying two.

No, if you whiff the first one you are lying one, hitting two.  Also, if the original ball is found to be in a water hazard, the provisional ball is abandoned and the player proceeds under rule 26-1.