7 Most Surprising Golf Rules That Could Catch You Out

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In this video, Neil Tappin is joined by rules guru Jeremy Ellwood to look at some of the most surprising golf rules. For one reason or another these are all rules that golfers sometimes get wrong or don't fully understand. Neil and Jeremy explain exactly what they are and how to proceed in each of these scenarios. Whether you're a regular golfer or just getting started these 7 rules are all well worth knowing.
Transcript
00:00 Hello everyone, Neil Taplin here from Golf Monthly,
00:02 and welcome to the London Club,
00:03 and this video on the seven most surprising golf rules
00:06 that could, could potentially catch you out.
00:09 Now these are all rules of golf
00:10 that you will encounter during the course
00:13 of a normal 18 holes,
00:14 that there is a little bit of confusion around,
00:17 and we're gonna try to make sure
00:18 that we clarify the situation
00:19 so that you don't incur any penalty shots.
00:22 Now, the advice in this video comes courtesy of Jez Elwood.
00:24 He's a qualified rules official.
00:26 He'll explain everything you need to know.
00:28 Right, as I mentioned, we're here at the London Club.
00:30 Let's get started.
00:31 Oh, that's nice.
00:42 That looks about the right club.
00:46 Okay, so this one is all about the information
00:49 that you are allowed and are not allowed to gather
00:52 before you play.
00:53 Now Jez, I believe you've not broken the rules here.
00:56 I have not.
00:57 But the fine line isn't there between doing something
00:59 that you're allowed to do and then breaking the rules.
01:01 What is it?
01:01 - Well, the fine line is that I can't ask you
01:04 what club you've just hit
01:05 unless you were my partner in a pairs match.
01:07 - Yes.
01:08 - I can look in your bag to try and work out
01:11 what club you've just hit.
01:12 - Right, so you can see that I've hit a four iron,
01:13 but I'm noticing that's the only club that's missing.
01:15 - I was having a good look there
01:16 to try and work out what you're hitting.
01:17 Obviously a shot like this is quite important.
01:20 What I can't do is actually,
01:21 let's say your head cover was lying across the clubs
01:23 or a towel, or you had the bag cover on.
01:26 I'm not allowed to touch your equipment.
01:27 - Right.
01:28 - And that is prohibited under rule 10.2,
01:30 which is the rule that covers advice.
01:32 If I were to touch your equipment,
01:33 I would be penalised under that rule
01:36 and the penalty would be the general penalty.
01:37 So if this was a match, I've just lost the hole.
01:40 If this was a stroke play competition,
01:42 I've just incurred a two shot penalty.
01:43 - So it's a fine line.
01:44 Just be very careful on that one.
01:45 Now something that you are allowed to do,
01:47 you are allowed to ask what the yardage is.
01:49 So if I've already got my laser out,
01:51 is that the yardage?
01:51 You're allowed to say to me, so what is that?
01:53 I don't have to tell you.
01:54 - You don't have to tell me, no.
01:55 I probably would, otherwise that might be seen
01:56 as being a bit rude.
01:58 I guess that sort of thing helps speed up play, doesn't it?
02:00 - It would do, yes.
02:01 And I personally at the moment don't have a laser
02:04 and sometimes that can just help a little bit,
02:05 but you're obviously not obliged to tell me.
02:08 I may have to sit there and work it all out for myself.
02:10 - Yeah, so there you go.
02:10 That's what you are and are not allowed to do
02:13 when it comes to gathering information before you play.
02:15 (upbeat music)
02:18 Okay, so this one is all about something called backstopping
02:22 and backstopping is a term that came to prominence.
02:24 I think probably a couple of years ago
02:26 through a few incidents that took place on tour.
02:29 Jez, what is backstopping?
02:30 - Well, it's effectively, as it implies,
02:33 leaving a ball there that could act as a backstop
02:35 to a shot played from off the green
02:37 to stop it going as far past the hole as it otherwise might.
02:40 - Okay, so this ball here, let's say you've chipped up
02:43 and you've left your ball there.
02:45 I'm off the green chipping on.
02:46 You're about to mark that and I say to you,
02:49 just leave that there, Jez.
02:49 That might come in handy,
02:50 stop my ball from drifting off to about here.
02:54 That's not allowed.
02:55 - That is not allowed.
02:56 As you see in the clip there,
02:57 I could at that point have said, no, I am gonna mark it
02:59 and then the situation was dealt with.
03:01 But in that clip, you'll see that I agree
03:03 to leave that in there.
03:04 So the two of us have agreed between us
03:06 to leave that ball there as a backstop,
03:08 potentially help you.
03:09 - So the question is, who gets the penalty
03:11 and how bad is that penalty?
03:13 - Okay, well, in this scenario,
03:15 both players that have agreed to leave the ball there
03:17 as a backstop get a two-shot penalty.
03:19 - Ouch, so you get a two-shot penalty as well.
03:21 - I get that as well, yeah.
03:22 So it really isn't worth it.
03:24 And it's only in stroke play.
03:25 So this is a rule, it's 15.3a in the book
03:29 and it's only in stroke play.
03:30 - Yeah, I can see how it doesn't necessarily need
03:32 to apply in match play
03:32 because you would always mark that in match play.
03:34 - Yeah, you wouldn't want to help your opponent.
03:37 - But there is also an important distinction here
03:39 to make between if my ball was on the green
03:42 versus if it's off the green.
03:43 If it's off the green, this becomes rule 15.3a.
03:47 But if my ball's on the green in this sort of scenario.
03:50 - So if both balls are on the green
03:52 and your ball strikes mine,
03:54 then you are penalised two shots
03:56 for striking another ball at rest on the green
03:58 from a shot played on the green
04:00 and that's rule 11.1a.
04:02 But I wouldn't get a penalty in that scenario.
04:04 - So there you have it, backstopping.
04:05 It's a little bit complicated.
04:07 It is a little bit fiddly,
04:08 but it's one well worth remembering
04:10 because it could potentially catch you out
04:11 out of the golf course.
04:13 Okay, so as you can see, my ball has come to rest
04:20 and right on the line is a sprinkler head.
04:22 Now anyone who's played golf with me before
04:24 will know that I would be desperate to putt this,
04:27 avoiding using my wedge to chip it at all costs.
04:30 But Jez, I think the surprising thing
04:32 about the rules of golf here
04:33 is that you don't automatically get relief
04:36 in a scenario like this.
04:37 You don't automatically get to drop away
04:38 from the sprinkler head, do you?
04:39 Explain what people need to look out for.
04:42 - Okay, well there's a difference here
04:43 between the sprinkler head actually interfering
04:45 with where your ball is lying,
04:47 where your stance is,
04:48 or the area of your intended swing.
04:51 So if your foot was on that or your ball was on that,
04:53 then yes, you do get relief.
04:54 - So if I'm stood here, lying,
04:56 or the ball's on it, fine.
04:58 - But for a sprinkler head near the green
05:00 that is simply on your line,
05:01 you don't get automatic relief.
05:03 You need to check that there's a local rule in force.
05:06 - Yeah, back of the scorecard, have a look to see.
05:08 And usually the local rule will be
05:11 whether this sprinkler head is within
05:13 two club lengths of the green, is that right?
05:15 - Within two club lengths of the green
05:17 and your ball is within two club lengths
05:19 - Of the sprinkler head.
05:20 - Which must be directly on your line.
05:21 - Right, so if my ball was here,
05:23 I wouldn't get relief, if it was slightly off.
05:25 - Yeah, you would be hard pushed to justify that.
05:28 - Yes, so I think the advice here is
05:30 always check the back of the scorecard
05:32 in a situation like this.
05:33 Don't just proceed under what you think
05:35 is the rules of golf,
05:36 because it could potentially catch you out.
05:38 I'm gonna have to chip this, am I Jez?
05:40 - Well, we need to check if there's a local rule there,
05:42 which I'm hoping there won't be,
05:43 so I can witness you chipping this.
05:46 - Let me go with the chip.
05:47 Safety first.
05:50 - Actually making a bit of a fuss about nothing.
05:53 There we are.
05:54 - I think I'd have done better with the putter,
05:55 but as I say, this one's one to keep an eye out for.
05:58 Be careful with it, it could potentially catch you out.
06:01 This one is about what happens if you hit a shot
06:08 and the ball ricochets back and hits you.
06:10 And I think there are two most likely scenarios
06:13 where that would happen.
06:14 - Fitting one into the face of the bunker,
06:16 ball comes back and hits you,
06:17 or maybe you're trying to chip out through the trees,
06:19 again, you're going for a risky shot
06:21 and the ball comes back and hits you.
06:23 And Jez, the surprising thing here is what?
06:26 - Well, the surprising thing is that from 2019 onwards,
06:29 there is no penalty for that scenario.
06:31 As long as it's accidental.
06:32 So if the ball comes back towards you
06:33 and you do a bit of nifty footwork to nudge it forward,
06:36 then that's not accidental.
06:38 But if it's a genuine, hits the tree,
06:39 comes back at you, hits you, there is no penalty.
06:42 - Now, people might be surprised by that
06:44 because way back when, I say way back when,
06:46 not that long ago,
06:47 this used to be a two shot penalty, didn't it?
06:49 - Two shot penalty until 2008.
06:51 And some viewers may remember Jeff Maggott
06:55 incurring that two shot penalty when he was,
06:57 - Rude-o.
06:57 - When he was vying for the Masters in 2003.
07:01 Came back off a bunker face and hit him.
07:03 So from 2008, it was downgraded to one shot.
07:07 And then from 2019, no penalty
07:10 if the ball ricochets or something comes back
07:12 and hits you accidentally.
07:13 - Yeah, so in this scenario,
07:14 if one of your playing partners
07:16 tries to add a penalty shot to your score,
07:18 just be sure to tell them,
07:19 "Actually, there is no penalty in this scenario."
07:21 I'm gonna have a go at this, Jez.
07:22 - Try not to thin it into the face.
07:23 - Well, it's a long bunker shot, so I'm,
07:25 there is potential.
07:28 Sit.
07:34 - So you've just wasted one of your finest shots ever
07:36 for a video.
07:38 - Damn it.
07:43 - Right, so we've all been in the following scenario
07:45 where you're preparing to hit a tee shot, Jez,
07:47 and you're about to go, waggling the club,
07:49 and then suddenly you nip the ball off the tee.
07:52 Now, what happens in this scenario in terms of the rules?
07:56 - Well, after someone has inevitably said one,
07:59 what happens in the rules is you do exactly what you've done.
08:01 You put the ball back on the tee and then play it,
08:03 no penalty, because the ball isn't in play at that point.
08:07 And I think we've seen Zach Johnson
08:09 become a bit of a master at snicking the ball
08:11 on his practice swings.
08:12 - Yes.
08:13 - And there is no penalty for that.
08:14 - There is no penalty.
08:15 - On the tee.
08:16 - Because the ball is not yet in play.
08:18 But I think the confusion here,
08:20 and the surprising thing here is that you do get penalised
08:22 for doing exactly this thing, if you did it on the fairway,
08:25 in the raft bunker penalty area.
08:27 - Yeah.
08:28 - Because your ball is in play, Jez.
08:30 - Yeah, your ball is in play, and if you accidentally,
08:33 or anyway, move your ball in play, you are penalised.
08:36 And I think a lot of people think you're not,
08:38 partly because of the tee thing,
08:40 partly because, as we'll come on into a minute,
08:42 the putting green, and partly because they know
08:44 that you're not penalised if you stand on your ball
08:47 when searching for it now.
08:48 I think they've kind of extrapolated from that
08:51 and thought there's no penalty for accidental movement.
08:53 But there is.
08:53 So if you accidentally move your ball on the fairway
08:55 with a practice swing, or when you're setting the club down
08:58 behind the ball, you will be penalised,
09:01 and you must then replace the ball to where it was
09:03 before playing your next shot.
09:04 - And as Jez has mentioned, there is another exception,
09:07 and that relates to when you're on the putting green.
09:09 And I think in this scenario,
09:11 it's because the greens are so closely mown,
09:13 they're so fast in a lot of places,
09:15 often you're getting situations, especially on tour,
09:18 I think, where players were taking their stance,
09:20 getting set up, ready to play the ball,
09:21 and then the ball would move,
09:23 and they would get previously under the rules.
09:25 They would have been penalised in that scenario,
09:26 but not anymore.
09:27 - No, I think there was a Harrington incident
09:29 in the Masters, wasn't there, a few years ago,
09:30 that kind of triggered a call for change,
09:33 and that change did come into effect.
09:35 And now, rather than splitting hairs,
09:38 they've just decided any accidental movement
09:40 on the putting green is no penalty,
09:43 whether that's through putting your club down
09:45 behind the ball and the ball moving,
09:46 or through catching it on a practice swing.
09:48 - Accidentally hitting it with practice swing.
09:49 - And what you must do is replace the ball where it was,
09:53 and then carry on penalty free.
09:55 - Yes, so there you have it.
09:56 That's hopefully all you need to know
09:58 when it comes to accidentally moving your ball
10:00 on the golf course.
10:01 (upbeat music)
10:03 (upbeat music)
10:06 - Right, so, in match play, right now, Jez,
10:18 we would have quite an interesting scenario, I think,
10:21 because I would be tempted to come along
10:23 and just sort of try and tap that in.
10:25 But you've not given me the putt, have you?
10:27 - I haven't, because it's over three feet.
10:30 - Yeah, and I'm likely to miss it.
10:31 So why is this a sort of slightly iffy scenario?
10:34 - Well, you could go ahead and tap that in,
10:37 if that is a tap in,
10:39 and you're not allowed to do that in match play,
10:42 'cause you'll be playing out of turn,
10:44 'cause my ball is lying farther from the hole.
10:46 - Yeah, and I think the important thing to say here
10:47 is that in match play, there's so many different elements
10:49 to the sort of tactics that go on,
10:51 the sort of pressure that you're able
10:53 to put your opponent under.
10:55 If you just go up and straight up and hit that,
10:57 you're sort of taking a little bit of the pressure
10:59 off your own shoulders,
11:00 'cause if you make that chess,
11:02 my putt suddenly becomes more difficult, doesn't it?
11:04 - I would think so, and that is the whole point of the rule.
11:06 You know, there's that psychological element to match play.
11:09 You've got a three-footer,
11:10 you think you're gonna make it eight times out of 10,
11:13 nine times out of 10.
11:14 If I make that, that might come down to six times out of 10.
11:17 - Yeah.
11:17 - 'Cause suddenly you have to make it.
11:18 - Of course, in truth, in this scenario,
11:20 it can create a bit of a sort of frosty atmosphere
11:22 between players.
11:23 My feeling is that it's really down to the player
11:26 who's just hit the putt, i.e. me, in this scenario,
11:28 to make sure that I don't put you in an awkward--
11:30 - Yeah. - Position.
11:31 Because if I do hole it, Jez--
11:32 - Yes.
11:33 - You have a difficult decision to make, don't you?
11:35 - Well, yeah, as you say, it depends on a lot of factors,
11:38 but I could just say, "I'm sorry, you've played out of turn.
11:41 "There's no penalty for doing so,
11:42 "other than that I could ask you to play the putt again,
11:46 "and then if I hole mine and you miss yours,
11:48 "suddenly you've lost a hole,
11:50 "and that's a completely different complexion
11:53 "going to the next tee."
11:54 - Yeah, exactly.
11:55 So, just one to be wary of.
11:56 Try to avoid finding yourself in that situation
11:59 in match play.
12:00 (upbeat music)
12:04 This one is all about identifying your ball
12:06 on the golf course.
12:07 Now, Jez, there's certain things here
12:08 that players may have taken for granted
12:10 that they are or are not allowed to do
12:12 that they get wrong, in my experience.
12:14 My ball is just here.
12:15 I can't see any identifying marks.
12:17 I can't see the logo, and I can't see my mark on the ball.
12:20 So, I'm gonna need to find out
12:21 whether that is actually my ball.
12:23 - Yes.
12:24 - What am I allowed to do?
12:25 What am I not allowed to do?
12:26 - Okay, well, rule 7.3 allows you, in this scenario,
12:29 to lift the ball to make a positive identification.
12:31 - Okay.
12:32 - But what you must do,
12:33 and this is what people I play with all the time don't do,
12:37 in competitions as well as in friendlies,
12:40 is mark the position of the ball first.
12:42 - I'm gonna use a tee peg.
12:43 So, what you can't do, pick it up,
12:45 oh, that's mine, and then put it back down again.
12:46 You need to use a tee peg.
12:48 Do you have to call over your playing partner
12:49 to watch you go through that process?
12:51 - You don't anymore.
12:52 You used to have to.
12:53 Now, you don't.
12:54 So, that part of the rule is gone,
12:56 but the marking it's positioned first
12:58 before you lift it remains,
12:59 and if you fail to do that,
13:01 you will get a one-shot penalty.
13:02 - Yeah, ouch.
13:03 So, remember, if you're identifying your ball,
13:05 always use some form of marker
13:07 to mark the position of the ball,
13:09 and you won't go wrong.
13:10 So, there you have it.
13:11 That's our look at the seven goal falls
13:13 that are surprising that could potentially catch you out.
13:16 I hope you found that video interesting.
13:18 If you do have any questions,
13:19 please leave them below.
13:20 We'll try and get back to as many people as we can.
13:23 But that's it for now from the London Club.
13:24 Thanks for watching.
13:25 We'll see you next time.
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