does ANYONE play STRICTEST rules?

[Q.Q.Quillume]

IMO there is no such thing. You either play by the rules or you don't. If you play by the rules then by definition it is the "strictest". If you ignore even one rule or procedure, then you aren't playing by the rules. You can't get away with just "sorta" playing by the rules... not in my book anyway.

I agree with Fourputt -- you either play by the rules or you don't. If you don't play by the rules, I'm at a loss as to how one determines which rules he/she is going to abide by and which ones he/she is going to ignore.

[jamesbei]

I agree with Fourputt -- you either play by the rules or you don't. If you don't play by the rules, I'm at a loss as to how one determines which rules he/she is going to abide by and which ones he/she is going to ignore.

I don't see how you people can say you play by the letter of the law, there are over 200 pages in the rulebook, so you cannot possibly no every rule by heart, you may try to play by the rules whatever, but i would be willing to bet your breaking some of them.

[AlCzervik]

i'll count every single shot and take penalty strokes even if im out alone.

[meenman]

It was so refreshing this morning to play with guys who actually play 100% by the rules. These were not guys I normally play with but one of them I saw miss the ball twice when swinging and he actually counted them (mind you he was trying to hit a right handed club left handed because he was next to a tree) It sure as hell beats playing with my friends that always *shoot* a 90 with their 10 mulligans.

[Fourputt]

I don't see how you people can say you play by the letter of the law, there are over 200 pages in the rulebook, so you cannot possibly no every rule by heart, you may try to play by the rules whatever, but i would be willing to bet your breaking some of them.

Knowing the basic procedures and following them is simple. Screwing up and then trying to add up all the unnecessary penalty strokes is the only place where the rules get complicated. Learn how to deal with hazards, lost ball, OB, obstructions, unplayable lies, and you have pretty much eliminated most of the chances for incurring procedural penalties. Learn how to do it right and you won't have to learn how to correct it.

And yes, many of us DO know all of the rules and we still carry a copy of the Rules of Golf in our bags for reference when needed. I have a copy of the 2008 Rules and the Decisions sitting on the bookshelf above the desk I'm sitting at right now, and I refer to them several times each week when questions come up on this and other discussion boards. I have attended USGA Rules seminars (both 2 day and 4 day), and scored above 80% on the written exam. So for me, and for a good many golfers I know, you'd lose that bet...

[ndirishgolf]

When I am playing for a handicap score, I always count penalty strokes and such. Even when I am just playing a practice round, I may hit multiple shots but I always play the first and count penalties. The only thing that might be considered a "no no" would be that winter rules are played at my course, which is a muni. This is not always the case. Just usually in the early season (April and part of May) and then in the fall (end of September and October). This is mostly because most of the maintenance crew has left for the season so many of the fairways are playing like rough. During the summer, though, this is not the case. The course posts when winter rules should be played and when summer rules should be played. Other than that, I never knowingly break the rules. I don't have the rule book memorized, though.

[NM Golf]

I don't see how you people can say you play by the letter of the law, there are over 200 pages in the rulebook, so you cannot possibly no every rule by heart, you may try to play by the rules whatever, but i would be willing to bet your breaking some of them.

You get to know the basics and you carry a rule book for the rest. Plus, I take the online rules quizzes on the USGA website to hone my knowledge. If you truly love and respect the game you do the things neccessary to play it correctly. Otherwise, you're just some joker making excuses and lying about what he shot.

[Harry Longshanks]

Plus, I take the online rules quizzes on the USGA website to hone my knowledge.

Those are fun. I do that all the time.

[NM Golf]

Those are fun. I do that all the time.

Good to know there are more dorks like myself out there!

[Wazzu8]

I play all the obstructional, OB, hazard and unplayable lie rules..

But there are some rules that I guarantee I do not know but would love to learn about them so when I play in a tournament I will not make that mistake.

Anyone ever read Rick Reilly's article (back when he was with SI) about the rules of golf after he watched the Open?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ins...22/reilly0728/

[colin007]

I play all the obstructional, OB, hazard and unplayable lie rules..

thats a really good article. i especially liked the quote from tom lehman on having to putt within 10 seconds, even if you see the ball moving, which is against the rules as well...

[Fourputt]

Good to know there are more dorks like myself out there!

If you really want to take the dork challenge, attend a USGA Rules seminar and take the 100 question final on the last day. It can be a bit humbling, but you will really know where you stand in regard to the rules. I was in the top 50% of my class this spring, and that surprised me as I didn't really think that 80% was all that good (It takes 85% to qualify to be a USGA Rules official).

There were a couple in the seminar who made 100%.... now that's scary. But there were a couple who were under 50% too, and the test isn't mandatory, so only about 2/3 of the class even took it. No telling what those shirkers might have scored, but they probably would have brought the class average down a bit more...

[MonkeyClaw]

This is all great for you low 'cappers, but until my 'handicap' (as done by Yahoo, not official) gets below 25, I'll go ahead and take the occasional mis-hit/re-hit or throw another when I lose a ball. I do this less and less now while my scores still get lower - that's how I know I'm getting better. I keep track of lost balls and make note of penalties.

If I didn't have to worry about the people behind me, I'd be perfectly happy to search longer for a ball or go back and hit off the tee. Can anybody honestly say they'd be happy being held up because a guy three groups ahead had to come back and re-hit off the tee twice?

Another thing I'll do is try a shot for fun that I wouldn't normally try in competition (not that I've been in a competition...). I'll try to hit over trees instead of around, or hit out of the 4' deep fairway bunker when the smart thing would be to hit to the side or backwards, or declare unplayable. These are things you can't practice a lot outside of the course.

I also don't care what the people I'm playing with do. If they want a re-hit or call a mulligan or anything, it's all the same to me. Just don't ask me to sign anything - like I know what that means anyway.

[Stacey_E]

This is all great for you low 'cappers, but until my 'handicap' (as done by Yahoo, not official) gets below 25, I'll go ahead and take the occasional mis-hit/re-hit or throw another when I lose a ball............ Just don't ask me to sign anything - like I know what that means anyway.

Point taken, and the last part is way too funny. I have a very close friend, I call him best friend #1A only because he is the younger brother of my best friend #1. He has just taken up the game and I love to play with him even if the round goes on 6 hours. And by 6 hours, I'm exagerating, I mean 5 hours 45 minutes. There is no way I would hold him to every stroke and rule. And I'll be honest here, I've fudged in the past. I think you phase it out over time. One day you just say..."no more mulligans" then another day you say "i'll play everything down". Once I went on a USGA handicap card began to try my very best to play by the rules. Even if no one is watching. To expect a newbie to do so would would really kill the spirit and camaraderie of the game.

[Mr.Buckethead]

I play by the rules when playing in a match, for money, or in a tournament. When I am playing with my friends, we like to play fast and no one cares if we roll it a bit. We are all just out to get away from work and enjoy the game.


I have wondered however how people feel about changes that are made to a course during a tournament. For example, a big stand of trees on a fairway is marked with a red spray painted line just for that event. Therefore it turns a bad shot into something not so bad. That line isn't there all the time.

Also, in PGA events, players can hit into the bleachers and not be punished sometimes? That is definitely against the spirit of the rules.

You can go by the letter of the law or the spirit of the law.

[Stacey_E]

Good responses. Maybe some more people will weigh in.

[Fourputt]

If your course is doing that, then they are themselves in breach of a rule, in that they aren't allowed to just declare a lateral water hazard anyplace they want to. The definition of a water hazard is:

Water Hazard A "water hazard" is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature on the course . All ground and water within the margin of a water hazard are part of the water hazard.

A lateral water hazard is just a water hazard where the location is such that there would be no reasonable place to drop if you didn't have the 3rd option of dropping within 2 clublengths of the margin. It is still required to be a watercourse of some sort, even if it's dry for most of the year. Simply marking any part of the course in red because they feel like it is definitely against the spirit as well as the letter of the rules.

The bleachers, tents, etc at a Tour event are covered by the rules as temporary immovable obstructions . As such there is nothing "against the spirit of the rules" about it. The treatment is within both the spirit and the letter of the rules. Those objects would not exist during normal play of the course, thus the local rule that USGA recommends is covered in Appendix I, Part B, section 7 of The Rules of Golf. I'd copy it here but it is long read. You can look it up in the USGA Rules of Golf at usga.org if you are interested.

[Stacey_E]

As for the bleachers, dead on about temporary imovable obstruction. I have seen players intentionally play into them, don't ask me to cites examples. But knowing the rules allowed them to use the rules to their advantage. I recall Nickalus saying how important that was. He clearly never condoned cheating, just using the rules to your advantage. You don't always have to "die by the sword".