What happens when you concede an opponent’s putt thinking you tied the hole, only to find out he or she holed out in one fewer strokes than you? In short, it depends on what transpired leading up to the gaffe.
The beauty of a tournament with gross and net divisions, like many club championships around the country, is that golfers of all handicaps have something to play for.
It’s within the rules to use any object to prop a ball up in the teeing area – provided it complies with the definition of a tee in the Rules of Golf and can be used in a way that complies with Rule 6.2(b) and the Equipment Rule outlined in Part 6 (1.).
Under Rule 4.3a, you can’t use equipment (other than a club or ball) that artificially eliminates or reduces the need for a skill or judgment that is essential to the challenge of the game.
Rule 16 outlines relief from abnormal course conditions. It covers what you can and can’t do when encountering immovable obstructions on the golf course.
Be prepared to defend your intended choice of club, stance or swing when trying to take relief from a drain, sprinkler head or any artificial objects such as cartpaths, irrigational control boxes, etc.
What happens if you forget to drop from knee height? The good news is that as long as you catch yourself before you go on to play your next stroke, you can correct the mistake without penalty.
As golf courses have become more eco-friendly, there is a good chance you’ll soon encounter, if you haven’t already, an area marked as a “no-play zone”. The term was added to cover a number of marked areas of the course where your ball is not out-of-bounds, yet you’re not allowed to hit a shot.
If you want to know how to deal with pine straw – and loose impediments in general – in terms of removing them and playing your next shot without penalty, read on.
Australian Golf Digest
