I have recently come back from playing a week of pro-ams in Melbourne. It was a successful trip and I was able to test some new equipment under tournament conditions. And winning the last event made the flight back to Perth an enjoyable one.
When playing with amateurs I get asked rules questions quite a lot. Out on the course we are our own referee or umpire. And we all try to adhere to the rules to the best of our ability. But there are still a number of rules that are often misinterpreted.
I’ve put together a list of 4 rules that most players are confused by.
1. You can’t declare your ball lost – Your ball is officially considered lost when the three minute search time has lapsed. If you don’t want to look for it (coz you’ve hit it into the wilderness) and you declare it lost, it is actually still in play if a spectator or fellow playing partner search for it and find it within the three minutes.
2. Touching the sand in a bunker – The rules in bunkers have been relaxed. You can now touch the sand when laying equipment down on the sand (club, rake, towel), slamming a club in the sand after a shot, moving loose impediments, leaning on a club while waiting to play, or digging your feet in to play a shot. But you still can’t ground your club at address, touch the sand during your practice swing or backswing, or deliberately touch the sand to test the conditions.
3. Nearest point of relief – If you are on a path, in an abnormal course condition (such as GUR, animal holes, casual water etc), or getting relief from an immovable obstruction you are entitled to nearest point of relief. What it doesn’t entitle you to is nearest point of relief in a nice position with a nice lie and a line to the hole. In these circumstances it is often the case that your nearest point of relief is in scrub, thick rough, or trees………… and that is where you must drop the ball.
4. Grounding your club in a penalty area – (inside red or yellow stakes)…….This one of the biggest rule changes I have seen since I started playing golf. Like anywhere else on a golf course, you can now ground your club, take practice swings, and even move loose impediments so long as, like anywhere else, your ball doesn’t move and you don’t improve your lie.
The rules are continually changing which can mean honest mistakes made when you’re playing with your mates. Hopefully these four commonly misunderstood rules have become a bit clearer. To book a lesson visit michaellonggolf.com.
