Ever wonder what a golfer with a late tee time at a major does in the morning? Are they laid up on a couch watching early coverage like millions of golf fans? In short, it’s highly likely!
Michael Kim confirmed as much on Friday morning. With the PGA Tour winner not teeing off in the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink until the afternoon, he had his eyes on ESPN+ to see how the course was playing.
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But he also pointed out a little-known rule that most golf fans aren’t aware of. Heck, based on Garrick Higgo’s two-stroke penalty for showing up to his Thursday tee time late, there’s a good chance some players don’t know this one. Anyway, we’ll let Michael explain:
Did you know:
I can watch the early broadcast to see how the course is playing and how putts are breaking. But I am not allowed to write down how putts are breaking or notes on my yardage book…
Looks real tough out there….
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) May 15, 2026
So he’s allowed to watch and take mental notes, but not take actual notes to bring out on the course. Interesting.
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And how would this rule be enforced? Well, according to Kim, it really falls upon the players to enforce it themselves because he’s never had to hand his yardage book over to a rules official.
I’ve yet to see a rules official ask for a yardage book to check my notes. A lot of golf rules are self governed.
All notes that I have gained by my own work is all legal. I can technically be on each green for hours and chart every putt and that is all legal. If I get it from…
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) May 15, 2026
Kim also confirmed this rule applies to both player and caddie:
That would defeat the purpose of the rule no?
Basically any rule in golf that applies to players applies to caddies as well— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) May 15, 2026
Anyway, Kim’s big takeaway from watching on Friday morning?
All I’ve learned from this early broadcast is that it’s playing HARD haha
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) May 15, 2026
Yep, it certainly is. Good luck out there, Michael.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
