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Basic Rules & Helpful Tips

 

What To Do If...

SCENARIO

  • Out of bounds (White penalty) – see B or I (when in doubt, hit provisional)
  • Lost ball – see B or I (when in doubt, hit provisional)
  • Unplayable lie – see B, C, or E
  • In red penalty area – see B, D, or E
  • Hitting wrong ball – see A or H
  • Dropping ball incorrectly (anywhere other than knee) and proceeding to hit it – see B
  • Giving or asking advice – F or H
  • Artificial obstruction interference with stance or swing – see G

                                     

PENALTY

  1. Two strokes (Stroke Play)
  2. One stroke – replay from previous position or play provisional ball
  3. One stroke & drop within two club lengths from where the ball lies not nearer the hole
  4. One stroke & drop within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the penalty margin not nearer the hole
  5. One stroke & drop on line from flagstick through the point where ball last crossed the margin of the hazard or the point where the ball was declared unplayable
  6. Disqualification
  7. No penalty – Determine nearest point of relief not nearer the hole & drop within one club length
  8. Loss of hole (Match Play)
  9. Two strokes – drop ball in the fairway not nearer the hole two club lengths from where it last crossed the out of bounds or is lost

Golf Etiquette

"Ready golf" is a commonly used term which indicates that players should play when they are ready to do so, rather than adhering strictly to the “farthest from the hole plays first” stipulation in the Rules of Golf. The term “ready golf” has been adopted by many as a catch-all phrase for a number of actions that separately and collectively can improve pace of play.

There is no official definition of the term, but examples of “ready golf” in action are:               

  • Hitting a shot when safe to do so if a player farther away faces a challenging shot and is taking time to assess their options.
  • Shorter hitters playing first from the tee or fairway if longer hitters have to wait.
  • Hitting a tee shot if the person with the honor is delayed in being ready to play.
  • Hitting a shot before helping someone to look for a lost ball.
  • Putting out even if it means standing close to someone else’s line.
  • Hitting a shot if a person who has just played from a greenside bunker is still farthest from the hole but is delayed due to raking the bunker.
  • When a player’s ball has gone over the back of a green, any player closer to the hole but chipping from the front of the green should play while the other player is having to walk to their ball and assess their shot.
  • Marking scores upon immediate arrival at the next tee, except that the first player to tee off marks their card immediately after teeing off.

Golf Scoring Terms

Golf-Scoring-Terms

 

The Health Benefits of Golf

Accoding to WebMD's article "Working Out When You're Over 50 "Much of the benefit of this sport comes from the walking: an average round is more than 10,000 steps, or about 5 miles! In addition, your swing uses your whole body, and it requires good balance -- and calm focus. If you carry or pull your clubs, that's even more of a workout. But even using a cart is worth it. You're still working your muscles and getting in steps along with fresh air and stress relief."

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