Playing from the Wrong Tee

A surprisingly easy mistake to make - especially if you are used to playing from a particular place or set of tees. On a strange course you can even play off the tee for a different hole! https://youtu.be/u5BO60a3ego This is a mistake that you must correct in a medal competition or you will be disqualified. … Continue reading Playing from the Wrong Tee

Play the Course as it is Marked!

https://youtu.be/EUYokYN2gO4 Regular golfers are likely to be playing the same course, maybe several times each week, and you get to know where the greenkeepers have been making repairs and so marking areas as Ground Under Repair (GUR), and potentially as No Play Zones (NPZs). This can lull you into a false sense of security as … Continue reading Play the Course as it is Marked!

Penalty Area Definition

Painted lines are the least ambiguous method for defining a precise boundary for a penalty area and while these will be put in for major competition, most golf courses don't have the resources to maintain such course marking 365 days of the year. Within their local rules they should describe how the edge of penalty … Continue reading Penalty Area Definition

Put Your Own Markings on Your Ball

Just unpacked my referee's bag after the Hampshire Open last week (Pro's & elite amateurs) and noticed that 3 of the 7 decent balls (there were a couple of others that I wouldn't expect these players to be using in a competition) that I found on the course during the day do not have specific … Continue reading Put Your Own Markings on Your Ball

GUR Next to a Putting Green

Aprons / fringes can get worn and some areas may get marked as GUR before a big competition. This gives us a few learning points: For the players - what to do if: your ball or your feet are in it, orit is on your line of play For those setting up the course:How best … Continue reading GUR Next to a Putting Green

Repairing Damage on your line of Play

You are just off the green, quite close to the hole so your first choice is to putt, but there is a big pitchmark on the apron directly on your line just in front of your ball. What can you do about it? https://youtu.be/QgSxzTw9RTA Well the short answer is - not a lot! Improving your … Continue reading Repairing Damage on your line of Play

Embedded Ball

This should be easy - Rule 16.3 allows you to take relief whenever your ball lies in its own pitchmark in the general area. "Embedded" means that part of the ball is below the level of the ground (so not if is just "sitting down" in a grassy lie. The reference point is immediately behind … Continue reading Embedded Ball

Temporary Water in the General Area

The standard procedure when you are in a puddle in the General Area is to find your nearest point of complete relief within the general area which is not nearer the hole than where your ball is, and then to drop within 1 club length of (and again not nearer the hole than) that point. … Continue reading Temporary Water in the General Area

Temporary Water in a Bunker

We play golf in (almost) any weather and the rules need to take this into account. While we can get puddles on the course at any time of year, we are perhaps more likely to need to cope with them through the winter months - what relief is available? Playing out of a puddle should … Continue reading Temporary Water in a Bunker

Areas of the Course

A bit of revision - what are the 4 defined areas of the course? You need to know them because different rules apply in different areas. https://videopress.com/v/q2Us7f0E?preloadContent=metadata Defined Areas of the Course: Teeing Area, Penalty Area, Bunker, Green If part of your ball is in both the general area and one of these specific areas, … Continue reading Areas of the Course