Category: Rules of Golf

Posts concerning the Rules of Golf

February Rules Quiz

  • 1. The proper height to drop a ball is knee height. What is the penalty if you drop from a different height?
    • A. No penalty; just redrop correctly
    • B. A two stroke penalty
    • C. A one stroke penalty
  • 2. A player’s ball lies in a penalty area. Which of the following is the player allowed to do?
    • A. Move loose impediments
    • B. Ground their club
    • C. Take practice swings
  • 3. Where is a player allowed to take relief for an embedded ball?
    • A. In a bunker
    • B. In the fairway
    • C. In the rough
  • 4. What is the penalty for accidentally hitting your ball twice when making a stroke?
    • A. One stroke penalty
    • B. Two stroke penalty
    • C. No penalty
  • 5. What is the penalty if you lift your ball to see if it is cracked, to identify it, or see if it is embedded, and you fail to inform the players you are with before you lift it?
    • A. One stroke penalty
    • B. No penalty
  • 6. What is the penalty if your ball accidentally hits another player or their equipment?
    • A. One stroke
    • B. No penalty
    • C. Two strokes
  • ANSWERS
  • 1. A. Redrop correctly from knee height with no penalty; however, if you fail to redrop and play your ball, you will incur a one stroke penalty.
  • 2. Since 2019, A, B, and C are all allowed.
  • 3. B and C. Rule 16.3 allows relief for an embedded ball anywhere in the General Area, except when embedded in a bunker.
  • 4. C. No penalty, Rule 10.1a. There is no penalty, and the ball is played where it lies.
  • 5. B. No penalty. The emphasis under the Rules is to generally rely on the integrity of the player. This change should speed up play, but the player must have a good reason to lift her ball.
  • 6. B. No penalty. Under Rule 11.1. The exception is if the player’s ball hits another ball at rest on the putting green, and both balls were on the putting green before the stroke; then, there is the General penalty of two strokes.

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Finding the Rules’ answers

Ladies:
As my computer imploded this weekend you are fortunate that I am currently unable to send out this month’s Rules quiz. Instead I am sending you some advice on finding answers to your Rules questions using the USGA rules app. At the bottom of this e mail I have added the link which you can use to download it to your phones or computers, totally without cost..

Advice:

When you open the app the first page that opens has a “search” bar at the top Searching for answers is only as good as the words you put in.
Make sure you use the correct terms.

Do not use:
Sand trap, it is a BUNKER.
Water hazard, is a PENALTY AREA.

Be as specific as possible, the more specific you are the quicker you will find the answer.

If your “ball moved by player on putting green”, type those words into the search engine. By adding “putting green” it makes the answer you want quicker to find.

If your ball moved in the fairway type in “ball moved in General area”

If your ball moved when you were removing loose impediments then type all that in the search engine, “ball moved when removing loose impediments.”

Since 2019 certain conditions have been grouped together under one term. Ground under repair, immovable obstructions, animal holes and temporary water are now all covered by the word “Abnormal course conditions”. So if you need an answer about ground under repair when you type in those words the answers will come up for Abnormal course conditions. Don’t panic, you are at the right place it is just that the terms have changed.

Where you drop your ball under a Rule is now called “the Relief Area.” If you have any questions about lifting, dropping and you type in “rough”, or “fairway”, the word “General area” will come up. Again, you are in the right place, the terms have just changed.

The more specific and accurately you describe your situation the easier it will be for you to find the answer.

Try it, you might like it and it is certainly quicker than using the actual Rules book that I’m sure you all carry in your golf bag! NOT.

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-of-golf-apps.html

I hope this helps you.
Hilary

2021 Rules Quiz #1

1) What does the term “Through the Green” mean?
A) Everywhere on the course

B) Just in the fairway

C) Nothing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is C. Nothing.  Since January 2019 the term Through the Green no longer exists. The new term is “The General Area”

 

2) What does the term “The General Area” mean?

A) Everywhere on the course

B) The rough and bunkers only

C) The entire course except, the teeing area the player is playing from, all penalty areas, all bunkers and the putting green of the hole the player is playing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is C.  Many Rules only apply to the “General Area” so it is important for you to know its correct name and Definition.

 

3) In a Tournament what is the penalty if you show up late for your tee time?

A) The general penalty, two strokes

B) Disqualification

C) No penalty, they are just happy to see you….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The correct answers are A and B.  However it depends on the timing.  If you  are NO MORE than 5 minutes late you will get a two stroke penalty, answer A.  If you are more than 5 minutes late you will be disqualified, answer B.

 

4) In a Tournament what is the penalty if you tee off before your tee time?

A) The general penalty, two strokes

B) Disqualification

C) No penalty, again……… they are happy to see you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The correct answers are A and B.  The same Rule applies to teeing off late and early. The Conditions of the Competition apply equally.  No more than 5 minutes early, two strokes, more than 5 minutes early disqualification.  A player being late or early is penalized the same.

 

5) What is the Local Rule, Preferred lies (Winter rules)?
A) It allows a player to move their ball whenever they want in the winter

B) It allows the player to move their ball out of abnormal ground conditions on the course that interfere with fair play

C) A player can hit more than one ball until they get the lie they “prefer”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is B. The distance the ball is allowed to be moved is determined by the Committee.  It may be 6 inches, or the length of a score card or sometimes a club length.

 

6) If the Local Rule for Preferred lies (Winter rules) is in place as the course conditions are unsatisfactory where on the course can the player use it?
A) Anywhere they like

B) In the General area

C) In the General area and the rough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is B.  The General area, cut to fairway height or less.  It is not allowed in the rough.

 

7) When a player use a Rule in Stroke play such as checking if a ball is embedded, or taking relief from aeration holes, or dropping a ball because their went into a penalty area, do they have to announce it to their fellow players?
A) Always or they will be penalized

B) No

C) Only if they think their fellow players can see them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is B.  Since January 2019 the USGA has eliminated the requirement to announce any actions you may take, or have your fellow players watch your actions using the Rules, EXCEPT for two Rules.  

Playing a Provisional ball, you must announce it to your fellow players before you play your Provisional ball.

Announcing which ball you want to count if allowed when playing two balls because you have doubt how to proceed.  

(In Match play you do need to let your opponent you have incurred a penalty, so if that is the case, you will need to let them know after you take relief.  But, you do not need to inform them before doing so.) 

 

8) Where is a player allowed relief from aeration holes?
A) Anywhere on the course

B) In the General area

C) On the putting green

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct answer is B and C.  

Relief for aeration holes is covered under Local Rule E-4.  The Committee may declare them Ground Under Repair, Rule 16.1b, although relief is not given for stance.  On the putting green relief is only allowed if the ball is in an aeration hole, not on line of play or stance, Rule 16.1d.  Relief in the rough is not allowed.

I hope this helps you.

Hilary

Goodbye rule 3-3

No worries ladies not a second quiz in one day, just important information for you all.
Hilary

GOODBYE RULE 3-3

Yes ladies it’s goodbye to Rule 3-3, and has been since January 2019.  How time flies….

Rule 3-3 allowed a player in Stroke play to play two balls when they were uncertain what to do.  So now we are uncertain, what is a player to do?  Well the informed player knows that the USGA would not abandon us, and all they really did was push Rule 3-3 to the back of the Rules book, and now you can find the exact same Rule under a different number….Rule 20-1c.

Rules Chairs and officials had to know the changed Rules’ numbers since January 2019, and this one is a very important number for you to get correct.  If you want to use this Rule you MUST announce it to your playing partner before you use it, “I’m going to play two balls under Rule 20-1c”   AND you must choose which ball you want to count if that one is played under the Rules.

Why you might ask? Well, if both balls are played under the Rules you can’t choose the one with the lower score to count! Now that wouldn’t be right would it?  Golf is a game of skill but also a lot of luck.

So let’s take you out on the course with Sarah, and go over exactly what she MUST do. Sarah is in the Club Championship and she’s playing better than the field but her drive on the last hole lands exactly in middle of a cart path.

Sarah is not sure; does she take her free relief from the path to the left or the right? She could hit is from where it lies but it’s not an ideal shot for her.

Here we go; this is what she must do.

  1. Sarah announces to her playing partners that she is going to use Rule 20-1c, (NOT 3-3 because since 2019 Rule 3-3 is about “Stroke Play”), and play a second ball.
  2. She tells her playing partners which of the two balls she wants to count IF it is played correctly under the Rules.
  3. She drops each ball, one on left side of the path, the other on the right side of the path, at her closest point of relief, within one club length, no closer to the hole.
  4. She plays both balls until she holes out with both.
  5. She notes the score for both balls, noting which ball’s score she had previously decided she wanted to take. Surprisingly she scores a 5 with both
  6. Sarah is about to write the 5 down on her card and sign it but, because she knows the Rules, she remembers she MUST report the facts to the Committee to decide which ball’s score counts.

This MUST BE DONE EVEN IF THE SCORE IS THE SAME FOR BOTH BALLS!  Why?   Because she put a second ball in play, the Committee must protect the field and ascertain how the hole was played to be sure that she played according to the Rules.

She would have been DISQUALIFIED IF SHE HAD FAILED TO CHECK WITH THE COMMITTEE.

 

  1. The Committee examines the facts, decides that Sarah’s score for the ball she had chosen to count for her score was played according to the Rules. She writes down a 5 on her card, signs the card and wins the Club Championship.

Way to go Sarah, she knew Rule 20-1c, and she wasn’t disqualified.

I hope this helps you,

Hilary