Category: Rule 16 – Abnormal Course Conditions

Saving Strokes 4: When you have a choice on which condition to take relief from

This is a bit involved so quite a long video. In summary, if your stance and / or area of intended swing is interfered with by more than one condition from which you could get free relief you may choose which condition you take relief from first. This decision can lead to very different places … Continue reading Saving Strokes 4: When you have a choice on which condition to take relief from

Saving Strokes 3: Abnormal Strokes

Most of the time you may not take up an unusual stance or attempt an abnormal stroke in order to get free relief from, for example, an Abnormal Course Conditions (e.g. temporary water, GUR, an immovable obstruction, or an animal hole) or a Dangerous Animal Condition. However, there are situations where an abnormal stroke is … Continue reading Saving Strokes 3: Abnormal Strokes

Penalty Area and Immovable Obstruction

A bridge over a penalty area with balls in 5 different positions playing to the green and flag that you can see. What relief can you get for each situation? Ball number 1 is in the Red Penalty Area and as the ditch is dry at this time of year many players would consider playing … Continue reading Penalty Area and Immovable Obstruction

Know the Rules – Save a Stroke

For some reason strange things seem to happen to my friend Lee on the golf course. Here he is with an ambitious attempt at getting a wood to a plugged (embedded) ball on the bank of a fairway bunker. To be fair to him this was before the 2019 rules came into force which now … Continue reading Know the Rules – Save a Stroke

Referee Challenge 2

https://youtu.be/mOio-73rEeQ So, its a strokeplay competition and we have a ball in the battery compartment of a trolley which is on an artificially surfaced path and then the wind blows the trolley and the ball to a new position. What rules apply and how should the player proceed?

Taking Relief from a Path

https://youtu.be/a9rr3NW0Axo How to take relief from an artificially surfaced path (an "Immovable Obstruction") or similar "Abnormal Course Condition". Remember to tell your playing partners or opponents what you are doing before you touch your ball. Also, leave your ball where it is until you have established your "Reference Point" and then your "Relief Area". Relative … Continue reading Taking Relief from a Path

Temporary Water (Rule 16)

“Temporary Water” is one of four “Abnormal Course Conditions” and is defined as any accumulation of water on the surface of the ground that can be seen before or after you take a stance – it must remain present either before or after your stance is taken (i.e. it is not enough for it to … Continue reading Temporary Water (Rule 16)

Embedded Ball (Rule 16.3)

At this time of year plugged balls are a possibility and if you do find your ball plugged in its own pitch mark (an Embedded Ball) anywhere in the General Area (i.e. not in a Bunker, Penalty Area, or on the Green – but it could be on the fairway or in the rough) then … Continue reading Embedded Ball (Rule 16.3)