Playing by the Rules?

[allin]

Everyone I play normally plays by the rules. The one exception we sometimes make is that some times when playing the next shot after landing in a lateral water hazard we drop besides the hazard and don't worry to much whether it is exactly on the correct line. We insist anytime there is a possisble OB shot that a provisional be struck. It is a joke to go back to a tee when you realize 225-300 yards ahead your shot went OB.
My father gets special dispensation, (age 79) he plays a lot of foot wedges and improves a lot of lies checking to make sure he is playing the right ball. I call it the Senior handicap.

[TinCup]

Can anyone post a link to a rules website? or tutorial?? Help us out for people who are learning.

[Finn07]

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/rules.html

[Finn07]

I play with a friend from work who if he had a handicap would be a 36 probably. He tries to break the rules, not intentionally because he doesnt know them, every time we play. When I tell him that he is breaking a rule his response is, "How come when I start to hit the ball well you have to start throwing these rules out, why cant you just leave well enough be." And my response to that is "You'll never know if your game is improving if you dont play the game correctly."

Now he makes me think with his comment. Maybe hes right. He doesnt play for a handicap and probably doesnt even know what one is so why should I bother. Hes out there for the enjoyment of playing the game I guess, not for lowering his handicap.

But myself, I carry a rules book in my bag and in case I dont know a rule or think I dont know it, I break that little book out and go from there. Shooting an 80 and knowing there can be no questions about the validity of your score feels real nice.

[cold]

I like to play by my own rules. It would be accurate to say I'm a sort of golf rebel.

And the ladies LOVE it.

[golfchief]

Rule books make great gifts, pick up a few and pass them out, there pretty cheap. Should be able to get them at any pro shop.

[HSGolfer0105]

If I'm playing a practice or recreational round with my dad or some friends, I'll play by the rules about 99.9% of the time. If it isn't a match and I hit a bad shot, I'll hit another ball just to convince myself that I can in fact hit the shot I wanted to(as long as it isn't an approach into a soft green or isn't holding up play); however, I only count my score on the first ball and rarely play out the second one.

[Sanjuro82]

I try to play by the rules, but whenever I play we aren't all that strict.