martin00015

Played Seminole quite a lot. I used to play a lot at Hilaman, too. And once in a while at Golden Eagle.

Which course do you play?

Sorry. You can access the decisions on line at the usga site http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/books/rules.html

The two have the same options in rule 26-1a (stroke and distance) and 26-1b (go back on a line). Lateral hazards then have the additional option of 26-1c (two club lengths) See the local rules for the course. Drop areas are usually optional but I have also seen courses where the DZ is mandatory. Stroke and distance is always an option, though. It seems reasonable that the local rule would not differentiate because of where you took your stroke from. If the DZ is for that hazard, then you may use it regardless of how your ball ended up the hazard. You may like to read decision 33-8/2

Although Americans are seen as immensely helpful and courteous when on home soil. What anti-US feeling there is in the world is originated by the past and present actions of the government, but vented at individuals (in my opinon).

Many years ago I used to watch a television programme called the one Club Challenge, with an invited well known tour player. As I remember most chose a six iron - and scored close to par.

Movable obstructions can be moved even if there's no interference. Additionally to previous replies, note that some course committees do deem their hazard stakes to be immovable obstructions.

Yes. best hat I've ever owned.

I'v heard it occasionally over the last few years at the Open, sadly. Monkey see, monkey do....

I addressed the comment regarding not being able to switch ball types: To quote, "If you're playing with a Titleist Pro V, you cannot switch to a NXT or Pro VX". Switching ball types is not something that will concern the vast majority of players.

Material was not piled for removal. It is not GUR.

The game needs no saving in Scotland. As a tribute to his mother, I don't think turning a natural Scottish beauty into a piece of cheap American trash is quite what she'd have appreciated.

This is only true if the Conditions of Competition say so. Usually only seen in elite-standard tournaments.

I wouldn't call it taking advantage but it's a kind of security blanket, I suppose. Yes, there are a few confirmation request - "I can do this, right?" and often you'd get "I'm declaring this unplayable. What are my options?" Rules knowledge varies, but no-one is clueless. Most of the ones I have experience with know the basics well when there's not much 'judgement' required - water hazards, unplayable, lost. But I'd expect a call for, say, casual water almost every time. I feel that there is not an excessive amount of rulings called for. Personally, I wouldn't want fewer rulings. More rulings are fun! We spend more time checking the timing sheets than the rules book. Sometimes you get a simple question that makes you stop and think for a moment, so you wouldn't expect the player to know. Just for the fun of it, here's a real-life example for you rules fans to try out: A player has hit his tee shot right of the fairway into a small group of trees. Inside these trees a pile of earth has been dumped, covering many square yards and about two feet high at the highest point. Obviously it was left quite some time ago and clearly there's no plan to remove it. The player calls you over. The ball has finished just clear of the pile. It rests close by a clump of earth that has detached from the pile. To play the ball out, his stance will have to be on the pile of earth. You've left your decisions book back at the cart; there's a small group of spectators gathered round waiting on your wisdom. Player points to clump of earth and says "Can I move this?" You have tens seconds to answer the question before you look a complete fool...

Maybe I can add something here from a tour rule official's point of view... Most players know the rules basics pretty well, but often are unclear on the minutiae or unusual scenarios where a knowledge of the decisions book would be required. They tend to call an official even for the straighforward rulings because they know they will be exempt from any penalty if the procedure turns out wrong (ref decs 34-2/2 and 34-3/1.5). And don't forget, RO's can make mistakes too. Usually, there aren't enough ROs to have one on every hole, or one per group. Obviously, sufficient numbers are made available to do this for majors, but run of the mill events would typically allocate something like one guy per three or four holes plus a couple of roving officials under the direction of the TD. Shifts? afraid not. ROs are out there all day apart from a couple of necessary comfort breaks. Also, we go out before the first tee-offs to make sure there's no unexpected problems (course damage, missing flags etc) so the suggested 10 hrs isn't far wrong. We eat breakfast and lunch sat on the cart. 23 rulings a day? I wish. That's more like the total number for all the officials in a day. More like half a dozen or so is closer to the mark. I once had a day where the only question I was asked was where's the nearest portable toilet!

I know the area well. I can't begin to describe how wrong your assumptions are - with reference to the golf, that is, not your other puerile assertion. Trump's ideas would radically alter the surrounding environment for the benfit on no-one except those poised to make money out of the ruination of a beautiful natural area. How would you feel if a new Disneyworld was built in the Grand Canyon? This is similar.

Yes, this was in the days before a player could mark and lift on the green at will. Effectively, this old rule lives on as rule 22.

Not correct, fourputt. Stymies only occurred in matchplay.

Yes, any ball replayed from the teeing ground may be teed.

There would have been no penalty for what you did, only the option of a recalled stroke. I think he was doing you a favour for any future stroke play event, where there is a penalty.

Pedantically, only when your ball is on the putting green. None. That's how you learn! 2-stroke penalty (or loss of hole), breach of 24-2. Iacas and snowyowl gave you the right information. As one of them said, if you find out about the movable obstruction before you play the ball, you can replace it to reduce the penalty to one stroke (18-2)

To summarise your position: 1. Finding a prominent mark to line up on is OK. Creating a mark is not allowed. Rule 8-2 2. As above, creating an alignment mark is not allowed. 3. Alongside, OK. walking on the line breaks rule 16-1a. 4. Improving the lie is illegal (except on the tee). Rule 13-2. Decisions 8-2a/2, 13-2/3 and 16-1a/12 are helpful And hi everyone, by the way. This is my first contribution here.