THE MOST USEFUL RULE FOR A GOLFER
Everyone:
You might ask “How can any Rule be useful. It seems to me every Rule comes with a one or two stroke penalty?”This is true but one special Rule that does sadly come with a one stroke penalty can often save your round and prevent those dreaded blowup holes of double or triple bogey.
This is Rule 19, Unplayable Ball.
For a mere one stroke penalty you can declare your ball unplayable anywhere on the course, except in a Penalty area. It is totally up to you, if you have a difficult lie use this Rule
If your ball lies close to a tree, on a tree root, in a divot take your medicine of a one stroke penalty and have a chance of a much better next shot.
Hilary
SEE THE VIDEO BELOW
Category: Rules of Golf
Posts concerning the Rules of Golf
Rule for ball on tree root
The ATT Pebble Beach tournament was great yesterday and attached below is a video of Cam Davis getting his ball on to the green from where it lay in a tree root
Yes…….. if your ball lands in a tree root you have to play it where it lies or use the Unplayable Ball Rule19 with a one stroke penalty. I think I would have saved my wrists and my club by taking an Unplayable but that’s why I’m not on the tour!
Hope this helps you.
Hilary
Penalty Areas:
Red Stakes/Yellow Stakes
RULE 17
When you are certain that your ball has entered a penalty area (water hazard), whether it be lined with red or yellow stakes, below are the options you are allowed to follow under the Rules of golf.
1st option.
Play another ball from where you are currently, i.e., where you made your last stroke. Continue play with a one stroke penalty.
2nd option.
Go down to where you believe or saw you ball cross the margin/edge of the penalty area. If you can see your ball, you may play it as it lies. You may ground your club and make practice swings. Continue play with NO penalty.
3rd option. Regardless of whether the stakes are RED or YELLOW
Determine where you estimate your ball last crossed the margin/edge of the penalty area and you may drop a ball in a relief area on a line going straight back from the hole through this estimated point. The relief area is one club length in size either side of the point where you intend to drop a ball. You may go back on this line as far as you wish. Continue play with one stroke penalty.
4th option ONLY if the stakes are RED.
Red stakes usually line penalty areas which run laterally, as in along the course rather than across it making dropping a ball behind, in line with the pin, very difficult.
Determine where you estimate your ball last crossed the margin/edge of this RED penalty area and drop a ball laterally within a two-club length relief area no closer to the hole. This area is wedge shaped from your reference point where the ball last crossed the margin. See page 109 of your Rules book for a great diagram. Continue play with a one stroke penalty.
How to drop a ball if on hole #11, your ball goes over the lake, hits the land and then bounces back into the penalty area. This is ONLY applicable for penalty areas marked in RED
This relief is for red staked penalty areas ONLY such as we find on our hole #11.
You cannot use this relief method if your ball bounces back into a penalty area marked with YELLOW stakes e.g. As on hole #3 or #13 where the penalty areas cross the fairway!
Hilary
Discovery Bay Women's Golf Club 
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