From key rulings to common misconceptions and on-course scenarios, these were the rules-related articles golfers read most in 2025.
I played a range ball on a par 3 over water. My opponent says it’s a penalty to use it. True?
If you’re guilty of pulling a practice ball out from time to time, you might wonder if you’re running afoul of the rules in terms of potentially using a non-conforming golf ball. And what about those X-out balls you can get for $20 a dozen?
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I keep watching this guy sole his club in front of his ball. Is that legal?
Rule 8.1b(4) explains that an action that is allowed is to ground the club lightly right in front of or right behind the ball.
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A tour pro used powder to keep his hands dry on the grip. Is that legal?
If you’ve never seen anyone do this, you might wonder what the Rules of Golf has to say about whether that gives a player an illegal advantage.
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My opponent sets his clubhead behind the ball before taking his stance. Is that breaking the rule about aiming?
Setting an object down means that the object is in contact with the ground and the player is not touching the object.
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I knocked it stiff on a par 3 and didn’t putt it. What score do I put down for my handicap?
You might know some golfers at your club or course who have a habit of raking putts that are not “gimmes.” They might even pick up their ball after a hole has been decided in match play, even though they still had some work to do to earn the bogey they want to put down on the card.
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Your drive hits a tee marker and lands behind you. Can you re-tee?
You’ve probably seen video replays of pro golfers smashing tee markers after hitting poor shots. Brooks Koepka’s assault on one at the LIV Golf Dallas tournament in late June comes to mind. So does Rory McIlroy’s treatment of one during the U.S. Open at Oakmont. What doesn’t happen as often (though it certainly does happen!) is when a golfer hits a grounder or worm-burner that caroms off a tee marker and comes blazing back at the group. Another Saturday-morning tradition at municipal courses around the country is smacking one off a nearby tree only to have it rebound and scream past you like a missle.
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I shot an 84 but it posted like I shot an 81. What gives?
You left the golf course with an 84 and when you woke up the next day, the Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN) treated it like an 81. How is that possible? When the World Handicap System was introduced in 2020, you might have missed in the fine print that your score for any given round can be adjusted by up to three shots lower or one shot higher depending on how the course played that day.
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Australian rules of handicapping updated with the launch of Golf Australia’s new digital platform
The updates taking effect from October 2, enabled by Golf Australia’s new digital platform and advanced scoring technology, will deliver fairer, more consistent and globally aligned handicaps for all Australian golfers.
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Another golfer found my ball and propped it up in the rough. Can I play it like that?
A common occurrence on golf courses all over the world is for any player in the vicinity of a potentially lost ball to join in the search. It’s one of the things that makes this sport great. Even opponents usually will make some effort to help locate a ball before the three-minute search period expires. When time’s up, the ball is considered lost under Rule 18.2.
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If I play this shot left-handed instead of right-handed, I’m stepping on a sprinkler head. Can I get relief?
There’s something really satisfying about applying the Rules of Golf to gain an advantage.
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