"Clubs Length" Rule?

[tfauss]

Lately when i play with my brother, he has been using this new rule, he said he learned in golf camp, that i find hard to believe.

The rule is, when you are in an unplayable lie(woods,tall grass next to water, tall grass) that is unmarked, you can have a clubs length to move your ball out. This only applies if you are not farther into that unplayable lie than a clubslength.

So if you are into a woods that is unmarked, but are not farther than 3 or so feet into the woods you can take the club you will use on the next shot and lay one end where the ball is and the other in a safe spot and you get relief without a penalty. If you are farther than a clubslength into the unplayable lie, then you do take a penalty to take it out

I know that sounded kind of confusing. I hope you can understand it.
Is this rule real?

It sure will come in handy if it is.
Thanks

[Zeph]

The rule is, when you are in an unplayable lie(woods,tall grass next to water, tall grass) that is unmarked, you can have a clubs length to move your ball out. This only applies if you are not farther into that unplayable lie than a clubslength.

Since when did a golf course mark woods and tall grass? The only things marked are hazards, out of bounds and GUR. If you hit your ball into one of those, there are lots of rules, but only GUR give you relief just because the ball is in the marked area.

Is this rule real?

Of course this rule is not real. Next time, ask him to show you where he found it.

[LBlack14]

Your friend is a CHEAT!!!

[shades9323]

Your friend is a CHEAT!!!

Your reading skills need work!!!

[B-Con]

I don't really understand: What do you mean by "unmarked"? Ie, its not marked as a hazard? You're saying that this "rule" says at any point you're in a lie you deem unplayable you can move the ball a club-length without penalty if you're not in a marked zone? I'd never play off a bad dirt lie or out of a divot again if that were the case.

You can declare any lie "unplayable", outside of a hazard, and take a drop within two club lengths, but under a one stroke penalty. This sounds suspiciously like what your brother mentioned except for the penalty part -- I'd run that rule past him to see if it rings a bell. Other than that I don't know of any rule that he could have misinterpreted this way.

[tfauss]

Since when did a golf course mark woods and tall grass? The only things marked are hazards, out of bounds and GUR. If you hit your ball into one of those, there are lots of rules, but only GUR give you relief just because the ball is in the marked area.

i was talking about woods that was not out of bounds, or red stakes.

also, he said he learned at golf camp(said in first post). haha I don't know what he was thinking.

[B-Con]

i was talking about woods that was not out of bounds, or red stakes.

With that clarification, I think he mis-understood

Rule 28 .

[LBlack14]

Your reading skills need work!!!

His brother is a CHEAT!

[TourSpoon]

One time at golf camp...sounds like the bumper rule in pool that we used when we were kids. You could move it the length of the butt of the stick from the bumper. Yeah, right.

[Fourputt]

Lately when i play with my brother, he has been using this new rule, he said he learned in golf camp, that i find hard to believe.

Your brother needs to read Rule 28. That is the only rule which applies to the situation you have described. Option c is what he is referring to, but he is very confused about its application. All of the options involve a penalty stroke.

Here it is if you want to show it to him:

Rule 28. Ball Unplayable The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable. If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke: a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole. If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker. When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball. Penalty for Breach of Rule: Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.

I have a feeling that he misunderstood what was being taught. As a rule of thumb,

if a relief option involves a penalty (water hazard, ball unplayable), then you get two clublengths from the drop reference point. If you are getting relief without penalty (obstruction, abnormal ground) then it is one clublength from the nearest point of relief. Different rules have different relief options, but you don't get to mix and match them.

[saevel25]

one of the guys on the gofl channel did a lesson with the pro's he said that on this one green you can putt it off. He did so, but he said he could take an unplayable lie and put his ball back on the green taking a one stroke penalty because he thinks the current putt would be closer than the chip he would have to make. It might not be in the spirit of the game, but allowed by the rules.

[Connor.]

one of the guys on the gofl channel did a lesson with the pro's he said that on this one green you can putt it off. He did so, but he said he could take an unplayable lie and put his ball back on the green taking a one stroke penalty because he thinks the current putt would be closer than the chip he would have to make.

huh???????????

[Fourputt]

one of the guys on the gofl channel did a lesson with the pro's he said that on this one green you can putt it off. He did so, but he said he could take an unplayable lie and put his ball back on the green taking a one stroke penalty because he thinks the current putt would be closer than the chip he would have to make. It might not be in the spirit of the game, but allowed by the rules.

Sure you could do that, but you take a penalty stroke in the process. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Now if I putted the ball off the green and into a water hazard, then I might be tempted to take the stroke and distance penalty, because it would put me in the same place with a better idea of what the putt was going to do. In that case I'd have to take a penalty no matter where I play the next shot from, so might as well just put it back on the green.

[ronaldkuntoro]

I never heard about this rule. I think Golf is "Play as it lies". Except if your golf ball is in the water hazard.

[Shorty]

I never heard about this rule. I think Golf is "Play as it lies". Except if your golf ball is in the water hazard.

That's wrong too. There are may cases where you don't play the ball as it lies other than in a water hazard, and you can play it from there too if you like.

To the OP. Of course there is no such rule as the "one clublength" nonsense your friend told you. He was either playing a trick on you, or he misunderstod a very fundamental rule that was being explained. And...wouldn't it be great to go to a "golf camp" and have teaching so poor that you could misunderstand a rule that you should know anyway!