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| "R&A Rules of Golf" - The Spirit of Golf |
For the sake of 3 glasses of red wine, I will try my best to reproduce some of these rules in more simple terms (no one probably knows why the rules are not written in plain simple English?). Should you need more details, please click on the blue bold text, which will lead you directly to the web page. By the way, if you find mistakes in my interpretation, please inform me so I could correct them immediately.
People always say "Rules are meant to be Broken". But to a true golfers, we believe "Golf is a Gentleman's game". Come to think of it, golf could be the only game in the world where there is no referee to supervise during the play unless you call for it. Golf is self-regulating and we impose penalty our self when there is infringement. It also means we need to know the rules!!
Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped (Rule 19)
If a ball struck by you is deflected or stopped by you, your partner, your caddies or your equipment, you incur a penalty of one stroke and play the ball as it lies (Rule 19-2).
If a ball struck by you is deflected or stopped by another ball at rest, there is normally no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. However, in stroke play only if both balls lay on the putting green before you made your stroke, you incur a two-stroke penalty (Rule 19-5a).
An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot be moved (e.g. cart path) or cannot readily be moved (e.g. a firmly embedded direction post). Objects defining out of bounds are not treated as obstructions.
An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole, cast or runway made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.
Except when the ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief (see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole.
If the ball is on the putting green, it is placed at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green.
As an additional option when the ball is in a bunker, you may take relief from the condition by dropping the ball outside and behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke.
The following diagram illustrates the term “nearest point of relief” in Rules 24-2 and 25-1 in the case of a right-handed player.
Click this to view video: Immovable obstruction
Click this to view video: Unplayable Lie
An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole, cast or runway made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.
Except when the ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief (see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole.
If the ball is on the putting green, it is placed at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green.
As an additional option when the ball is in a bunker, you may take relief from the condition by dropping the ball outside and behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke.
The following diagram illustrates the term “nearest point of relief” in Rules 24-2 and 25-1 in the case of a right-handed player.
Click this to view video: Immovable obstruction
Click this to view video: Unplayable Lie
In the
absence of knowledge or virtual certainty that a ball struck toward a water
hazard, is in the hazard, the
player must proceed under Rule 27-1 (Lost Ball rule). That means if none of the players is sure the ball has gone into the water hazard, treat ball as lost ball, where the penalty is 2 strokes.
If your ball is in a water hazard (yellow stakes and/or lines) you may play the ball as it lies or, under penalty of one stroke:
- play a ball from where your last shot was played, or
- drop a ball any distance behind the water hazard keeping a straight line between the hole, the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard and the spot on which the ball is dropped.
If your ball is in a lateral water hazard (red stakes and/or lines), in addition to the options for a ball in a water hazard (see above), under penalty of one stroke, you may drop within two club-lengths of, and not nearer the hole than:
- the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, or
- a point on the opposite side of the hazard equidistant to the hole from the point where the ball last crossed the margin.
Do you know?
