Forum: Rules Of Golf

In this imaginary, but possible situation, A and B are partners in a "SELECT DRIVE / ALTERNATE SHOT," format. Both partners drive and then A, mindlessly, hits his own ball. After realizing the mistake A then hits B's ball on to the green after which B makes the putt for a 3. Do the rules of golf...

Hi Gary, I have a funny one for you today. On the 18th hole at Predator, I hit my 2nd shot with a 3-wood to reach the green in two on this par 5. My ball landed on the left of the green, in the rough, bounced a couple of times and finished in the ball pocket of a golf bag which was...

Gary, Here's one for you. I was playing a round with my buddies and on the 4th tee, Daryl hits a ball and it kinda b-lines toward a tee box area nead a cart path and then the four of us saw what looked like two balls going in different directions.:confused At first thought was that he hit...

Hi Gary. I just picked up a really old golf book (1911) & the 1st chapter lists the orginal rules of golf from 1812. "As adopted by the St. Andrew's Society of Golfers". I'd dearly love a clarification of Rule XV.... "When a Ball is completely covered with fog, bent, whins, etc, so much...

Gary, Can a player whose ball lies in a water hazard, not necessarily in the water play the ball without incurring a penalty of one stroke? Or must that player take a penalty and drop no nearer the hole. Is there any different interpretation of this ruling depending on the color of stakes...

Hi Gary, Have you ever thought of adding a comment section to the rules contest page to allow respondents to leave the reasons they answered as they did? Then after the contest closes (so it does not affect the contest running for the week), some select comments could be posted to entice...

I noticed Gary responded on another thread that the only difference between the USGA and RCGA Rule Book is some revenues support their respective amateur golf. Well when my wife shopped for a rules book this past Christmas, the only one for sale in the local golf stores (if they even had one)...

Gary, What is the ruling if on the green, ball has been placed down on the green, marker removed, putter not grounded and the wind blows the ball from where it was placed?

I am a right handed palyer and have problem with my left (Lead) wrist breaking. When practicing, I often stick a pocket comb in the back of my grove as a reminder not to flip my wrist. Can I do so when playing a round?

Please Help Many years ago, our club planted a couple of tree nurseries. These were located along two separate holes in open areas of rough, about 20 yards from the fairway. The nurseries were about 20 yards by 30 yards in size. The expectation was that when the time came, these trees would be...

After reading Gary’s answers over the last day this should be a relatively simple one to respond to. While playing the Meadows Sat morning on the West 9 one of my FC’s balls landed IN the green-side bunker front-right of the green and about 3 feet from the edge closest to the green. My shot landed...

A player puts spin on a ball purposely when dropping it. what is the ruling?

I am contemplating building a belly putter. This would be done by extending one of my putters (paddle grip) by adding a six inch shaft extension and capping it with a 3” trimmed iron grip (round). Appendix II, Section 3, Sub-section ii & v would suggest that on a belly putter with two grips, a...

Hi, just wondering what the ruling is for grounding your club in a sand bunker after you've hit your shot?? No stroke penalty?? Thanks, Ty.:wave

On the PGA Tour, when the golfers are playing under the pick, clean and place rule, can they place the ball on the putting green if it was originally on a closely mown area within the designated lenght from the green? I know that in the appendix of the RCGA rules, it recommends that this not...

Playing down south last month, I hit a tee shot to a par three which ended up next to the wood support at the edge of the greenside pond. It was not possible to address the ball. Should I have been given relief? (I did not take relief - tried to hit it left handed with an upside down club with...

Gary, This is probably in the rules book but I don't have one with me. When teeing up, can one go back as far as he/she wants? I mean, can I tee up 20 yards behind the markers if I want to? What are the limitations? For those who wonder why one would want to do such a thing, it could put a...

A player plays a ball from the teeing ground which may be lost or out of bounds. (Ball #1) He properly announces and plays a provisional ball which also may be lost or out of bounds. (Ball #2) He properly announces and plays another provisional ball which may be lost or out of bounds. (Ball...

Gary, If the ball comes to rest against the rake, either in or out of a bunker, and when the rake is moved the ball also moves what is the ruling. I'm not sure but I think I remember seeing someone on tour mark the ball where it was and when the rake was moved and the ball moved they replaced...

Gary are the pure spin and other diamond faced irons conforming or not????? Thanks

Is this really bad etiquette? It only makes sense that if you want to exactly duplicate your swing you would have to take a divot on your practice swing. It would make my game so much more consistent.

http://www.ottawagolf.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=215&highlight=grooves You can tell I'm kinda bored, eh Gary :-) Anyway, quick hypothetical. Your driver or fairway wood has mud or other similarily smooth foreign matter in the grooves of the club face. You give your driver...

Is there a rule that tells you whether scores should be posted for handicapping purposes if there are temporary greens? Where would I find this rule?

Is there a specification for maximum club head size, and if so how do they measure it? In CC's or something else? thanks.

What are the options of an unplayable lie.

I would like to know what the ruling is if there is an island green and a gravel path going from the cart path to the area of the green and this path is inside the lateral hazard markings and a ball comes to rest in this area do you have to play the ball as if it's in the hazard or is there an...

The ball lands on a cart path. The nearest point of relief from the cart path is casual water. The nearest point of relief from the casual water is back on the cart path. Where can I play from?

I was just wondering if you play nine holes and want to enter it for your Handicap do you divide the slope by two Ie Score 45 Rating 67.8 Slope 102 would you enter 45 33.9 51 Thanks for your help

On the first tee, three members of the FOURsome showed the rest, the unique marks on the ball that each used to identify his own ball. The fourth declared that he doesn't mark his ball. Ironically, on the first hole the player with the unmarked ball, hit the ball into trees. We searched for a...

Gary, by definition "the margin of a bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. A ball is in a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the bunker". Many bunkers have a grassy area overhanging the bunker and the situation is as follows. You are in the sand portion of the bunker...

With all the rain we've had in the last week or so, the question came up as to casual water in the rough. Are you allowed relief if your ball comes to rest in casual or standing water in the rough. Some say you have to play it as it is and some say you do get relief. If you can get relief, is it...

I was golfing at Pakenham over the weekend and was playing the Canyon course. The number 4 hole, par 3 over water. I hit my first tee shot and it hit the land on the other side of the water but bounced backwards a couple of times before rolling into the water. I hit again, 3 off the tee, and...

Gary if you are on the green and someone else is chipping up and you go to mark your ball and he says to leave it there what is the ruling on that?? For example if he wants to use your ball to possibly stop his from rolling by the hole? I know I would mark and not leave it and I would not want...

Hi Gary. At the OGT event on the weekend, my approach shot rolled off the back of the green & we finally found it along the tree line buried under a big pile of green clippings that they had dropped from the mower. None of us where sure about how to proceed re. any relief, some relief or no...

I know that is is against the rules to practice or play on a golf course at any time preceeding a medal play round of golf. However, if the winner of a competition is going to be determined solely by the Stableford scoring system, and not medal play, does the no practice rule still apply?

With this nice rainy weather was wondering if you can wrap a towel or something else on your grip to help hold the club when really wet????? Or is stuff like "Grip-it" legal??? Thanks

On the third hole at Le Geant at Mont Tremblant yesterday, one of the deer standing around the hole came over and started to lick my ball, which caused it to move off the back fringe and onto the green. I replaced the ball, which I believe falls under rule 18-1, an outside agency, before I...

Last week, I hit my ball into a sand trap and the ball buried (fried egg). The marks that I put on the ball to identify it as my own were not visible nor were the ball brand/make/number. One of my fellow competitor told me I could play the ball without penalty and then identify the ball...

Long Par 5 fence along left side. Second shot gets pulled to the left, hits the hill by the bunker, bounces left off the fence and sits 2 inches in bounds. The fence is barely out of bounds by way of white stakes. A right handed golfer cannot take a stance to properly address the ball...

If my ball is right behind a marker on the course (ie. posts defining yardage) where is my closest relief.... if any. Note: It does not interfere with my swing but I'm almost certain that I will hit it with my ball. These posts cannot be moved.

Who decides what is reasonable evidence? If there are two water hazards from the tee with 60 feet of rough between the two and the player clearly sees the ball go over the first water hazard but doesn't see it land because of a viewed obstruction from the tee and can't find his ball, he assumes...

On the Lake #7 hole at Pakenham there are OB stakes from the tee to the water up the right hand side. The intent seems to be to stop players from going for the green by cutting the corner since you cannot see the green from the tee, it would be dangerous. I have seen players reach the fairway...

A golfer addresses(by definition) a putt. He then steps away from the ball and the ball moves. Is he penalized because he had already addressed the ball and the ball moved, or, is there no penalty because the ball moved while he was no longer in the address position? If it is the latter then...

When playing a match my opponent concedes a 2' putt for a four, by saying "That's good." Instead of picking up the ball, I putt it and miss. Can my opponent now claim that my score is a five, because I putted and missed, or, is my score still a four because he conceded the putt previously and it...

attempting to clear a tree approx 10 yds ahead 40 ft high golfer takes swing, ball hits tree and rebounds back striking clubhead on follow thru(behind back) ball ends up in fairway. ruling please. actually happened to me thurs :crying

In today's Intersectional Matches a golfer's ball was played into a water hazard and lay against a curled up hose that had been placed there by the greens staff. Can the hose be removed from the hazard? If yes, and if the ball is moved in so doing, is the golfer penalized? I know that...

Gary, just wondering about the ruling if the players ball is lying in a footprint in a waste bunker. I guess it's just too bad.

In a recent tournament a player's ball landed in an area of through the green, clearly marked "Grounds Under Repair." The local rules for that day were 12" preferred lies, through the green. If the player wished to play the ball from the GUR, is he entitled to the 12" prefered lie, or,...