In this video, Neil Tappin is joined by rules guru Jeremy Ellwood to look at some of the most surprising golf rules. For one reason or another these are all rules that golfers sometimes get wrong or don't fully understand. Neil and Jeremy explain exactly what they are and how to proceed in each of these scenarios. Whether you're a regular golfer or just getting started these 7 rules are all well worth knowing.
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00:00Hello everyone, Neil Taplin here from Golf Monthly and welcome to the London Club and this video on
00:04the seven most surprising golf rules that could potentially catch you out. Now these are all
00:10rules of golf that you will encounter during the course of a normal 18 holes that there is a little
00:15bit of confusion around and we're going to try to make sure that we clarify the situation so that
00:20you don't incur any penalty shots. Now the advice in this video comes courtesy of Jez Elwood, he's
00:25a qualified rules official, he'll explain everything you need to know. Right, as I mentioned we're here
00:29at the London Club, let's get started.
00:32Oh that's nice, that looks about the right club.
00:46Okay so this one is all about the information that you are allowed and are not allowed to
00:52gather before you play. Now Jez, I believe you've not broken the rules here. I have not.
00:57There's a fine line isn't there between doing something that you're allowed to do and then
01:00breaking the rules. What is it? Well the fine line is that I can't ask you what club you've
01:04just hit unless you were my partner in a pairs match. Yes. I can look in your bag to try and
01:10work out what club you've just hit. Right, so you can see that I've hit a four-iron by noticing
01:13that it's the only club that's missing. I was having a good look there to try and work out
01:16what you're hitting. Obviously a shot like this is quite important. What I can't do is actually,
01:21let's say your head cover was lying across the clubs or a towel or you had the bag cover on, I'm not allowed to touch
01:26your equipment. Right. And that is prohibited under rule 10.2 which is the rule that covers advice.
01:32If I were to touch your equipment, I would be penalised under that rule and a penalty would be the general penalty.
01:37So if this was a match, I've just lost the hole. If this was a stroke play competition, I've just incurred a two-shot penalty.
01:43So it's a fine line, just be very careful on that one. Now something that you are allowed to do, you are allowed to ask
01:47what the yardage is. So if I've already got my laser out and zapped the yardage, you're allowed to say to me,
01:52so what is that? I don't have to tell you. You don't have to tell me now. I probably would, otherwise that might
01:56be seen as being a bit rude. I guess that sort of thing helps speed up play, doesn't it? It would do, yes.
02:00And I personally at the moment don't have a laser and sometimes that can just help a little bit,
02:05but you're obviously not obliged to tell me. I may have to sit there and work it all out for myself.
02:09Yeah, so there you go. That's what you are and are not allowed to do when it comes to gathering information before you play.
02:15Okay, so this one is all about something called backstopping and backstopping is a term that came to prominence
02:24I think probably a couple of years ago through a few incidents that took place on tour.
02:28Jez, what is backstopping?
02:30Well, it's effectively, as it implies, leaving a ball there that could act as a backstop to a shot played from off the green
02:37to stop it going as far past the hole as it otherwise might.
02:40Okay, so this ball here, let's say you've chipped up and you've left your ball there.
02:44Yeah.
02:45I'm off the green chipping on.
02:46Yes.
02:47You're about to mark that and I say to you, just leave that there Jez.
02:49Yeah.
02:50That might come in handy, stop my ball from drifting off to about here.
02:53Yeah.
02:54That's not allowed.
02:55That is not allowed. As you see in the clip there, I could at that point and said no, I am going to mark it
02:59and then the situation was dealt with.
03:01Yes.
03:02But in that clip, you'll see that I agree to leave that in there.
03:04So the two of us have agreed between us to leave that ball there as a backstop potentially help you.
03:09So the question is, who gets the penalty?
03:11Yeah.
03:12And how bad is that penalty?
03:13Okay.
03:14Well, in this scenario, both players that have agreed to leave the ball there as a backstop get a two shot penalty.
03:19So you get a two shot penalty as well?
03:21I get one as well, yeah.
03:22Ouch.
03:23It really isn't worth it.
03:24And it's only in stroke play.
03:25Okay.
03:26So this is a rule.
03:27It's 15.3a in the book and it's only in stroke play.
03:30Yeah, I can see how it doesn't necessarily need to apply in match play because you would always mark that in match play.
03:34Yeah, you wouldn't want to help your opponent, would you?
03:36Your opponent.
03:37So, yeah.
03:38But there is also an important distinction here to make between if my ball was on the green versus if it's off the green.
03:43If it's off the green, this becomes rule 15.3a.
03:47But if my ball's on the green in this sort of scenario.
03:50Yes.
03:51So if both balls are on the green and your ball strikes mine, then you are penalised two shots for striking another ball at rest on the green from a shot played on the green.
04:00And that's rule 11.1a.
04:01But I wouldn't get a penalty in that scenario.
04:03So there you have it.
04:04Backstopping.
04:05It's a little bit complicating.
04:06It is a little bit fiddly, but it's one well worth remembering because it could potentially catch you out on the golf course.
04:12OK, so as you can see, my ball has come to rest and right on the line is a sprinkler head.
04:22Now, anyone who's played golf with me before will know that I would be desperate to putt this, avoiding using my wedge to chip it at all costs.
04:29But, Jez, I think the surprising thing about the rules of golf here is that you don't automatically get relief in a scenario like this.
04:36You don't automatically get to drop away from the sprinkler head, do you?
04:39No.
04:40Explain what people need to look out for.
04:41OK.
04:42Well, there's a difference here between the sprinkler head actually interfering with where your ball is lying, where your stance is, or the area of your intended swing.
04:50Yes.
04:51So if your foot was on that or your ball was on that, then yes, you do get relief.
04:54So if I'm stood here, fine, or the ball's on it, fine.
04:57Yeah.
04:58But for a sprinkler head near the green that is simply on your line, you don't get automatic relief.
05:03You need to check that there's a local rule in force.
05:06Yeah.
05:07Back of the scorecard, have a look to see.
05:08And usually, the local rule will be whether this sprinkler head is within two club lengths of the green, is that right?
05:15Yeah.
05:16Within two club lengths of the green and your ball is within two club lengths of the sprinkler head, which must be directly on your line.
05:21Right.
05:22So if my ball was here, I wouldn't get relief if it was slightly off.
05:25Yeah.
05:26Yeah.
05:27You would be hard pushed to justify that.
05:28Yes.
05:29So I think the advice here is always check the back of the scorecard in a situation like this.
05:32Don't just proceed under what you think is the rules of golf, because it could potentially catch you out.
05:37I'm going to have to chip this, am I, Jez?
05:39Well, we need to check if there's a local rule there, which I'm hoping there won't be, so I can witness you chipping this.
05:45Let me have a go with the chip.
05:49Safety first.
05:50Actually making a bit of a fuss about nothing.
05:52There we are.
05:53I think I'd have done better with the putter, but as I say, this one's one to keep an eye out from.
05:58Be careful with it.
05:59It could potentially catch you out.
06:01This one is about what happens if you hit a shot and the ball ricochets back and hits you.
06:10And I think there are two most likely scenarios where that would happen.
06:14Filling one into the face of the bunker, ball comes back and hits you.
06:17Yeah.
06:18Or maybe you're trying to chip out through the trees.
06:19Again, you go for a risky shot and the ball comes back and hits you.
06:23Yeah.
06:24And Jez, the surprising thing here is what?
06:25Well, the surprising thing is that from 2019 onwards, there is no penalty for that scenario.
06:30Yes.
06:31As long as it's accidental.
06:32So if the ball comes back towards you and you do a bit of nifty footwork to nudge it forwards.
06:36Definitely can't do that.
06:37Then that's not accidental.
06:38It's a genuine, hits the tree, comes back at you, hits you.
06:41There is no penalty.
06:42Now, people might be surprised by that because way back when, I say way back when, not that long ago,
06:47this used to be a two shot penalty, didn't it?
06:49Two shot penalty until 2008.
06:51And some viewers may remember Jeff Maggott incurring that two shot penalty when he was vying for the Masters in 2003.
07:00Came back off a bunker face and hit him.
07:03So from 2008, it was downgraded to one shot.
07:07And then from 2019, no penalty if the ball ricochets or something comes back and hits you accidentally.
07:12Yeah.
07:13So in this scenario, if one of your playing partners tries to add a penalty shot to your score,
07:18just be sure to tell them, actually, there is no penalty in this scenario.
07:21I'm going to have a go at this, Jez.
07:22Try not to thin it into the face.
07:23Well, it's a long bunker shot.
07:25So there is potential.
07:33Sit.
07:34So you've just wasted one of your finest shots ever for a video.
07:37Damn it.
07:42Right.
07:43So we've all been in the following scenario where you're preparing to hit a tee shot, Jez.
07:46Yeah.
07:47And you're about to go waggling the club and then suddenly you nip the ball off the tee.
07:51Yeah.
07:52Now, what happens in this scenario in terms of the rules?
07:55Well, after someone has inevitably said one, what happens in the rules is you do exactly
08:00what you've done.
08:01You put the ball back on the tee and then play it.
08:03No penalty because the ball isn't in play at that point.
08:06And I think we've seen Zach Johnson become a bit of a master at snicking the ball on his
08:11practice swings.
08:12Yes.
08:13And there is no penalty for that.
08:14There is no penalty.
08:15On the tee.
08:16Because the ball is not yet in play.
08:18But I think the confusion here and the surprising thing here is that you do get penalised for
08:22doing exactly this thing if you did it on the fairway in the rough bunker penalty area.
08:27Yeah.
08:28Because your ball is in play, Jez.
08:30Yeah.
08:31Your ball is in play and if you accidentally or anyway move your ball in play, you are penalised.
08:36And I think a lot of people think you're not, partly because of the tee thing, partly because
08:41as we'll come on into a minute, the putting green and partly because they know that you're
08:44not penalised if you stand on your ball when searching for it.
08:47Now, I think they've kind of extrapolated from that and thought there's no penalty for
08:51accidental movement, but there is.
08:53So if you accidentally move your ball on the fairway with a practice swing or when you're
08:56setting the club down behind the ball, you will be penalised and you must then replace
09:01the ball to where it was before playing your next shot.
09:04And as Jez has mentioned, there is another exception and that relates to when you're
09:08on the putting green.
09:09And I think in this scenario, it's because the greens are so closely mown.
09:13They're so fast in a lot of places.
09:15Often you're getting situations, especially on tour, I think, where players were taking
09:19their stance, getting set up, ready to play the ball, and then the ball would move and they
09:23would get previously under the rules.
09:25They would have been penalised in that scenario, but not anymore.
09:27No, I think there was a Harrington incident in the Masters, wasn't there, a few years ago,
09:30that kind of triggered a call for change.
09:33And that change did come into effect.
09:35And now, rather than splitting hairs, they've just decided any accidental movement on the
09:40putting green is no penalty, whether that's through putting your club down behind the ball
09:45and the ball moving or through catching it on a practice swing.
09:48Accidentally hitting it with a back swing.
09:49And what you must do is replace the ball where it was and then carry on penalty free.
09:55Yes.
09:56So there you have it.
09:57That's hopefully all you need to know when it comes to accidentally moving your ball on
10:00the golf course.
10:15Right.
10:16So in match play right now, Jez, we would have quite an interesting scenario, I think, because
10:21I would be tempted to come along and just sort of try and tap that in.
10:25Yeah.
10:26But you've not given me the putt, have you?
10:27I haven't.
10:28Because it's over three feet.
10:29Yeah.
10:30And I'm likely to miss it.
10:31Yeah.
10:32So why is this a slightly iffy scenario?
10:34Well, you could go ahead and tap that in, if that is a tap in.
10:39And you're not allowed to do that in match play because you'll be playing out of turn
10:43because my ball is lying farther from the hole.
10:46Yeah.
10:47What I'm trying to say here is that in match play there's so many different elements to
10:50the sort of tactics that go on, the pressure that you're able to put your opponent under.
10:55If you just go up and straight up and hit that, you're sort of taking a little bit of
10:59the pressure off your own shoulders.
11:00Because if you make that, Jez, my putt suddenly becomes more difficult, doesn't it?
11:04I would think so.
11:05And that is the whole point of the rule.
11:06You know, there's that psychological element to match play.
11:09You've got a three footer.
11:10You think you're going to make it eight times out of ten, nine times out of ten.
11:14If I make that, that might come down to six times out of ten.
11:16Yeah.
11:17Because suddenly you have to make it.
11:18Of course, in truth, in this scenario, it can create a bit of a sort of frosty atmosphere
11:22between players.
11:23My feeling is that it's really down to the player who's just hit the putt, i.e.
11:27me, in this scenario to make sure that I don't put you in an awkward position.
11:30Yeah.
11:31Because if I do hole it, Jez, you have a difficult decision to make, don't you?
11:35Well, yeah, as you say, it depends on a lot of factors, but I could just say, I'm sorry,
11:39you've played out of turn.
11:40There's no penalty for doing so, other than that I could ask you to play the putt again.
11:46And then if I hole mine and you miss yours, suddenly you've lost a hole.
11:50And that's a completely different complexion going to the next two.
11:54Yeah, exactly.
11:55So just one to be wary of.
11:56Try to avoid finding yourself in that situation in match play.
12:03This one is all about identifying your ball on the golf course.
12:07Now, Jez, there's certain things here that players may have taken for granted that they
12:10are or are not allowed to do, that they get wrong in my experience.
12:14Yeah.
12:15My ball is just here.
12:16I can't see any identifying marks.
12:17I can't see the logo and I can't see my mark on the ball.
12:20Yeah.
12:21So I'm going to need to find out whether that is actually my ball.
12:23Yes.
12:24What am I allowed to do?
12:25What am I not allowed to do?
12:26Okay.
12:27Well, rule 7.3 allows you in this scenario to lift the ball to make a positive identification.
12:31Okay.
12:32But what you must do, and this is what people I play with all the time don't do in competitions
12:38as well as in friendlies, is mark the position of the ball first.
12:41I'm going to use a T-peg.
12:42So what you can't do, pick it up, oh, that's mine, and then put it back down again.
12:46No.
12:47You need to use a T-peg.
12:48Do you have to call over your playing partner to watch you go through that process?
12:51You don't anymore.
12:52You used to have to.
12:53Now you don't.
12:54So that part of the rule is gone.
12:56But the marking it's positioned first before you lift it remains.
12:59And if you fail to do that, you will get a one shot penalty.
13:02Yeah.
13:03Ouch.
13:04So remember, if you're identifying your ball, always use some form of marker to mark the
13:08position of the ball and you won't go wrong.
13:10So there you have it.
13:11That's our look at the seven golf balls that are surprising that could potentially catch you
13:15out.
13:16So if you found that video interesting, if you do have any questions, please leave them
13:20below.
13:21We'll try and get back to as many people as we can.
13:23But that's it for now from The London Club.
13:24Thanks for watching.
13:25We'll see you next time.