How well do you know the rules

swingking

Everyone being honest, do you really know the procedures for all the rules in golf because from talking to people, it would seem that people don't have a clue.

For example: What is the ruling on playing the wrong ball or the ruling for a ball in a water hazard.

GreenHorn

Wrong Ball - two shot penalty I believe and you then play your original ball? The person whose ball you hit gets to drop at the original spot from where you erroneously (how'd ya like that? Good use of erroneously!) hit from with no penalty...

Water Hazard - I've no problem admitting that the difference between a red and yellow water hazard confuses the pants off me. Everybody I meet has a different interpretation...

Anybody care to clear it up once and for all in layman's terms for the Ordinary Level Leaving Certs amaongst us??!!

DIEGO WORST

Wrong Ball - isn't there a case where a wrong ball played from any hazard (including bunkers) is not subject to penalty?

Water Hazard - I keep the following rules in mind, basically when you hit into a water hazard you have two options - (i) hit again from where you just hit [if tee-shot, then tee up again and play 3 off the tee] OR (ii) draw a line from the pin through the point-at-which-the-ball-entered-the-hazard, you can drop your ball anywhere on this line [no nearer the pin].
If you happen to hit a red-staked water hazard i.e. a lateral water hazard, you get option (iii) take two club lengths, **no nearer the hole**, from the point where the ball entered the hazard, and drop the ball within the two club lengths.

Everybody has the same complaints about the Rules of Golf. Too complicated, and very difficult to follow each "see sub-section X.xx" in the rule book. In my limited experience, there are certain rules which come into play more often that others, e.g. the afore mentioned water hazards, out-of-bounds or lost ball. Would the R&A, or GUI be well advised to produce a concise well-worded document/booklet of the most common rules? Or is there such a thing already?

GreeBo

As far as wrong ball, I think the correct owner actually gets to place the ball, rather than drop it, but Im not sure.

The whole red/yellow stake thing is to mark a water hazard (yellow) from a lateral water hazard (red).
Its impossible/impractical to drop behind a lateral water hazard and not be nearer the hole, so you can come out two club lengths from the side you went in, not nearer the hole.
On a regular water hazard you just have the usual options, replay, drop as far back as you want keeping the point of entry and the flag in a line, or play it as it lies.

GreenHorn

Okay, well answer me this - If the water hazard sits behind the green and is a red hazard, what happens if you go into it? I have a Par 4 at Killeen's front 9 in mind.

You can't possibly not drop nearer the hole. The green is raised and slopes into the water so you can't really drop it either - the 3 drop then place rules comes into effect I assume?

GreeBo

GreenHorn wrote:

Okay, well answer me this - If the water hazard sits behind the green and is a red hazard, what happens if you go into it? I have a Par 4 at Killeen's front 9 in mind.

Check to see that there are not 2 sets of stakes, the one in play depending on what hole you are playing.
Technically you will still be able to drop your ball not nearer the hole.

GreenHorn wrote:

You can't possibly not drop neared the hole. The green is raised and sloeps into the water so you can't really drop it either - the 3 drop then place rules comes into effect I assume?

Drop it twice only if it rolls closer to the hole or rolls more than a club length.
The second time mark where the ball first touches the ground and thats where you place.
Also, if, for example when you drop the ball you know its going to roll into the hazard you have to let it.
If you stop it its another penalty.

GreenHorn

The hole I have in mind is definitely a red hazard. It's usually sprayed with red paint along the edge of the hazard to avoid cinfusion. I suppose if you drop on the edge of the red line you're not nearer the hole then...

milltown

GreenHorn wrote:

Okay, well answer me this - If the water hazard sits behind the green and is a red hazard, what happens if you go into it? I have a Par 4 at Killeen's front 9 in mind.

You can't possibly not drop nearer the hole. The green is raised and slopes into the water so you can't really drop it either - the 3 drop then place rules comes into effect I assume?

Excellent point! The par three fourth hole at Millicent is also a good example of this. (I do realise the water is a good bit behind the green and it's a bad golfer who misjudges to that extent on a par three but it is downhill and we are all capable of bad calls).

swingking

GreenHorn wrote:

Okay, well answer me this - If the water hazard sits behind the green and is a red hazard, what happens if you go into it? I have a Par 4 at Killeen's front 9 in mind.

You can't possibly not drop nearer the hole. The green is raised and slopes into the water so you can't really drop it either - the 3 drop then place rules comes into effect I assume?

Greenhorn, the hole that you are thinking of in Killeen is the fourth hole (I'm a member BTW)

In this case there is a defined dropping zone

GreenHorn

milltown wrote:

Excellent point! The par three fourth hole at Millicent is also a good example of this. (I do realise the water is a good bit behind the green and it's a bad golfer who misjudges to that extent on a par three but it is downhill and we are all capable of bad calls).

Thanks alot Mate - last time I played there I flew my 8-iron over the damn green into the hazard and messed up a bogey-par-par start!

Anyway, in the case of that particular hole, there is a drop zone behind the green (from where I eventually took a Six!) but I'm not actually sure if it was always there to be honest...

GreenHorn

swingking wrote:

Greenhorn, the hole that you are thinking of in Killeen is the fourth hole (I'm a member BTW)

In this case there is a defined dropping zone

Yeah I thought it was the fourth alright - it's parallel to the second...

Can't believe there's a drop zone!!! :eek: I'm not a member but I've played there loadsa times with buddies who are... Ha - ah well, lives n learns!

milltown

GreenHorn wrote:

Thanks alot Mate - last time I played there I flew my 8-iron over the damn green into the hazard and messed up a bogey-par-par start!

Anyway, in the case of that particular hole, there is a drop zone behind the green (from where I eventually took a Six!) but I'm not actually sure if it was always there to be honest...

LOL! I definitely include myself in the group capable of such things but gladly I've never had cause to look for a drop zone on that particular hole!

GreeBo

Dont forget that the point "not nearer the hole" is actually a circle.
so you dont have to drop it on the hazard line, you can move along the arc of the circle, within 2 clublengths of where you crossed the hazard.