Practice Round Rules

[dgny06]

When tour players play their practice rounds a few days prior to an event, do they follow the normal rules of golf? For example, will a player hit a driver twice off a tee with two different shot shapes to see how it will play in competition? Will they hit an iron twice from the same spot to judge the distance?

[BonoVox]

No they don't play normal rules.

[IcemanYVR]

nope... they will also hit lots of puts on each green to see how it breaks to where they think or know the various pins will be,

hit different pitch shots to the green to get a feel for it... that kind of thing

[Shindig]

Other than some pace of play issues - I don't think they can occupy a hole for an hour on their own - they don't have any set rules. Some play practice rounds against other players, and use that to practice. Others play the hole once, then putt to where they expect the holes to be. Many play with more than 14 clubs, trying to figure out which one(s) they'll need for the tournament itself.

[BallStriker]

I'm more curious how they incorporate (or not incorporate) the rules when they gamble...I assume they have to play it straight if they are gambling (i.e., no second shots for practice)....I could be wrong.

[goblue107501]

No rules at all. They just do what they want.

I remember back (not sure of the year, probably 10+ years ago), ABC did a behind-the-scenes thing with Jesper Parnevik at the British Open. He mentioned that for one of the practice rounds he crawled out of bed late, ran to the first tee to make his time and had no warm up. He teed up a ball and hooked it into the tall grass. In his words, we just went to the spot where we would like to play from and played from there.

[BonoVox]

  BallStriker said:

I'm more curious how they incorporate (or not incorporate) the rules when they gamble...I assume they have to play it straight if they are gambling (i.e., no second shots for practice)....I could be wrong.

The gambling part is probably all over the place. As mentioned above some might prepare with an official type round. Then there is the Pro Am. Also there are lots of ways to gamble in golf. Drop 2 balls 200 yards out for closest to the pin, out of a bunker, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc..........