"Using the rules of golf to your advantage"

[kiawah]

Hey all,

 

I am a pretty seasoned tournament player but want to get better at knowing the best way to make the most of certain situations on the golf course. To those of you savvy enough to use the rules to your advantage, could you share a situation where you were able to make the most of a shot thanks to knowledge of the rules? Or, share how you studied up on the rules to take advantage of certain rulings? I don't have the rulebook memorized to a tee like some folks do and I feel like I would gain a competitive advantage of knowing all of my options rather than having to call in officials in unusual situations.

[DaveLeeNC]

I am not  a tournament  golfer but (IMHO) some  of the best  reading that you can do is to go through the posts in this forum. You will quickly figure who the folks who really know their stuff are. There  is a huge quantity of practical knowledge here.

 

dave

[jvincent]

3 hours ago, kiawah said:

Hey all,

 

I am a pretty seasoned tournament player but want to get better at knowing the best way to make the most of certain situations on the golf course. To those of you savvy enough to use the rules to your advantage, could you share a situation where you were able to make the most of a shot thanks to knowledge of the rules? Or, share how you studied up on the rules to take advantage of certain rulings? I don't have the rulebook memorized to a tee like some folks do and I feel like I would gain a competitive advantage of knowing all of my options rather than having to call in officials in unusual situations.

 

I'm sure I've used the Rules to my advantage several times, but I can't remember a specific situation. The ones that come to mind as options are:

 

1. Understanding the rules around taking relief very well. Especially where multiple conditions may apply. I.e. what order to take relief in.

 

2. Making good use of stroke and distance. The best example I can think of here is you hit a bad putt that rolls off of a very steep false front. Take stroke and distance and hit the putt again. You're almost certain to score better than trying to get up and down in a lot of cases.

[Augster]

The main place you can get an advantage is knowing how to drop correctly. If you know how to measure your relief area correctly, and read the area correctly, you can almost always get to drop twice and place the ball. 
 

Also learn all the instances of free relief for stance, lie, and area of intended swing. 
 

The Rules are pretty easy to learn. Just download the app and read all the definitions first. Once you’ve read all the definitions, should take about 20 minutes I’d bet, you’ll already have a better understanding of the Rules. Then just read 1 or 2 Rules per day. If you don’t play a lot of match play or fourball, you can skip those sections. 
 

Honestly, one could read all the Rules in about an hour. Once you’ve read all the definitions and all the Rules, go through the Clarifications. The entire exercise should take less than 2 hours as MUCH of the Rules won’t apply to 99% of your rounds. You can just skim them.
 

Really concentrate on the Rules you’ll use all the time. Free relief and penalty relief and how to take both. 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

You say you have officials to call in so how do you gain a competitive advantage by not? 

[Augster]

An actual situation where I knew the Rule and took advantage was on a Par 3 at a course we only play 4-5 times per year. I pulled my tee shot left of the green and it rolled under a chain link fence and barely into a neighboring yard. 
 

There were no white stakes. Looking at the course rules on the scorecard, there were many mentions of different fences and stakes defining OB, but not on this hole. While my ball wasn’t on the property, it was on the “course” as the committee, the folks that put the course rules on the card, did not define that fence as OB. 
 

Since the fence was in my way to take my stance and hit my ball, I took free relief within 1 CL on the hole side of the fence, took my drop, hit the shot, and got up and down for a par. My friend is still mad about it. I just tell him it’s not my job to do the committee’s job for them. It’s their obligation to define that fence as a boundary object and they did not.

 

I was just playing the COURSE as I found it. Which is Rule 8. 

[Mr. Bean]

15 minutes ago, Augster said:

The Rules are pretty easy to learn.

 

Wow...

[goaliedad30]

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was "do not touch your ball until you understand all the options you have". Too many times I've seen someone pick up their ball, and THEN realize that the nearest point of relief is in the middle of a bush.

[Mr. Bean]

11 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

You say you have officials to call in so how do you gain a competitive advantage by not? 

 

Referees do not tell you how to make the most of a Rule, they only give you the options you are allowed to take. There's a huge difference.

[Augster]

12 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Wow...

Learning the Rules IS easy. The Rules one will most often use during a round is pretty limited and easy to learn and apply. 
 

Proving the Rule when questioned is much tougher as the book isn’t laid out very well and the search function on the app is almost useless. 

[sui generis]

13 minutes ago, Augster said:

the book isn’t laid out very well and the search function on the app is almost useless

 

I challenge you to write a better Rules of Golf. The app is useless only if you're insufficiently familiar with the Rules to search intelligently. To wit, they're bunkers not sand traps. 😉

[Mr. Bean]

18 minutes ago, Augster said:

Learning the Rules IS easy. The Rules one will most often use during a round is pretty limited and easy to learn and apply. 

 

So what you are saying is not that Rules are easy to learn but it is easy to learn a few Rules. Those two are miles apart.

[Mudguard]

5 hours ago, kiawah said:

Hey all,

To those of you savvy enough to use the rules to your advantage, could you share a situation where you were able to make the most of a shot thanks to knowledge of the rules? Or, share how you studied up on the rules to take advantage of certain rulings? 

 

I was playing a match. My opponent pulled his tee shot on a par five into pine and scrub that runs the length of the hole. I hit my tee shot down the fairway. He then hit his provisional a long way past my tee shot. He's looking at an iron and I'm hoping to reach with a wood/hybrid. 

He sets off briskly towards his provisional. I go into the scrub and find his first ball. He is then unable to take unplayable as the scrub/pine lines the hole so his only option is to return to the tee. Which he declines to do and concedes the hole. Made for a very frosty finish. 

[third-times-a-charm]

I see guys putting a 3 wood behind a ball in the rough to pad it down before pulling out a wedge. Big time PGA move.

 

Also claiming you were going to hit a shot lefty - if you were a righty - because thats "how you were going to play it" to get relief when up against an object or whatever.

 

There's more.

[Hawkeye77]

2 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Referees do not tell you how to make the most of a Rule, they only give you the options you are allowed to take. There's a huge difference.

They are laying out your options, that’s the point - nothing wrong with studying rules but if you have access to rules officials as the OP says he does, where does this “competitive advantage” come in? Call in the official. Choosing among options is always up to the player. 

[Mr. Bean]

8 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

They are laying out your options, that’s the point - nothing wrong with studying rules but if you have access to rules officials as the OP says he does, where does this “competitive advantage” come in? Call in the official. Choosing among options is always up to the player. 

 

Knowing a Rule and using it to your advantage are two different things. I have witnessed hundreds of cases where a player is explained where the nearest point of complete relief is and added that they need to drop a ball within one club-length from that point and they ALL drop very close to that point even though they would get a decent or even big advantage by thinking it over and choosing the best spot within the relief area.

 

That is how one uses Rules to get a competitive advantage and no referee will tell you where to drop to get a maximum relief, no way.

[Augster]

2 hours ago, sui generis said:

 

I challenge you to write a better Rules of Golf. The app is useless only if you're insufficiently familiar with the Rules to search intelligently. To wit, they're bunkers not sand traps. 😉

The search function on the app is useless. 
 

I don’t plan on writing a “better Rules of golf” but I could EASILY reorganize the book to be more functional. Put the Rules people actually use at the front, all the little used Rules at the end. 
 

Like, why are the definitions all the way at the end? It doesn’t make sense. 
 

@Mr. Bean it’s easy to learn the Rules players will actually use. Most players don’t have to spend much time in the foursomes section or the equipment section. It’s not necessary to learn ALL the Rules to play the game. 

 

 

[Mr. Bean]

15 minutes ago, Augster said:

I don’t plan on writing a “better Rules of golf” but I could EASILY reorganize the book to be more functional. Put the Rules people actually use at the front, all the little used Rules at the end. 
 

 

I doubt that would be beneficial to anyone. Currently the Rules from 1 to 24 are in a very logical order and understanding that logic helps immensely finding the required Rule.

 

Afa the location of Definitions in the book is concerned I seldom need those as I have learned them sufficiently well but many times I need to check or show a particular Rule. Thus it is from my pow logical to have them in the end instead of in the beginning. Although I can understand a different view as well, like in snooker Definitions are in the beginning. Then again, in golf there are MUCH more Definitions than in snooker.

[mrshinsa]

I really like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lpv_W5M0Yo

[naval2006]

Cases where the rules will benefit a player are not so frequent. So knowing the rules will not usually get you an edge over your rivals from a competitive point of view. 
 

A golfer who is seasoned competing better know their abcs of the rules, but the ROG are not easy to learn at all.  I’ve often been in Committees and when there’s a rules situation you get in touch with a rules official on the spot. They’ll lead you through the book and tell you how to sanction. This job needs way more expertise than just knowing your options to drop in a red stakes hazard.  
 

A last word on the rules offs in this forum: they make the rules look easy out of their comprehensive knowledge of the ROG.  And they are always handy when needed. That’s the real spirit of rules officials. 

Edited May 7, 2024 by naval2006

[sui generis]

7 hours ago, Augster said:

I could EASILY reorganize the book to be more functional.

 

Let's see it then. What does the Augster Table of Contents look like?

[Mr. Bean]

7 hours ago, Augster said:

The search function on the app is useless. 
 

 

Maybe there is a difference between USGA app and R&A app. Living in Europe I use the latter, of course.

 

Just to test the R&A app I wrote "standing our of bounds" and the app directed me to the correct Rule straightaway. What have you tried to find and failed?

 

P.S. If one knows the Rules well and understands (and remembers) the logic behind the book it is relatively easy to find the correct Rule if for some reason the search function does not give adequate results.

 

P.P.S. In R&A app when you open the search there is a list of Common Situations:

 

Ball lost or out of bounds

Ball unplayable

Playing a provisional ball

Relief from an immovable obstruction

Relief from a penalty area

 

I believe this is what you wanted the Rules to look like. Maybe you should download the R&A app...

 

Edited May 7, 2024 by Mr. Bean

[Mr. Bean]

54 minutes ago, naval2006 said:

Cases where the rules will benefit a player are not so frequent.

 

That depends on how you define benefit. There are several handy tricks experienced players know and those tricks may give a substantial benefit over a player who is unfamiliar how to work with the Rules.

 

I already mentioned use of relief area. It is seldom the best option to drop very close to NPOCR so an experienced player evaluates the entire RA carefully for future lie, direction of play and CATS after the drop before they drop. Another nice trick is how to chain relief procedures, such as preferred lies + temporary water. Once you use one of them you may find it useful to use the other. In ultimate cases you may drop and place two or even more times and before you know you have come out from behind an obstacle on your line of play and you have free line towards the green.

 

Also knowing every single type of ACC can be of immense help. Animal habitats and holes (everything included) just might get you a better line of play or lie in the woods once you have messed up your drive.

 

Edited May 7, 2024 by Mr. Bean

[Hawkeye77]

8 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Knowing a Rule and using it to your advantage are two different things. I have witnessed hundreds of cases where a player is explained where the nearest point of complete relief is and added that they need to drop a ball within one club-length from that point and they ALL drop very close to that point even though they would get a decent or even big advantage by thinking it over and choosing the best spot within the relief area.

 

That is how one uses Rules to get a competitive advantage and no referee will tell you where to drop to get a maximum relief, no way.

 

Again, the OP referenced having a competitive advantage because it would substitute for the need to call in a rules official - I disagree, if you have them available call them in.  And, lol, the OP doesn't want to answer the question which answer probably would have saved us going back and forth.

 

Sure, greater knowledge of the rules is always helpful and there are some pretty basic concepts players should know, no disagreement there, but in general if officials are available then "avail" yourself of their knowledge and services (and avoid making a potentially costly mistake) - with officials available players don't need to know the rules to a point where they know them better than the officials they have access to (although there is nothing wrong with knowing the rules to whatever standard anyone wishes).

Edited May 7, 2024 by Hawkeye77

[596]

You should study the rules if you compete in tournaments.  You'd be dumb not to.  But, just look at the threads of rules questions.  There are always arguments that go on for pages and pages for only one rule/situation.  Know all the rules if you wish but in a tournament you'd better call in an official to CYA.

[davep043]

9 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Knowing a Rule and using it to your advantage are two different things. I have witnessed hundreds of cases where a player is explained where the nearest point of complete relief is and added that they need to drop a ball within one club-length from that point and they ALL drop very close to that point even though they would get a decent or even big advantage by thinking it over and choosing the best spot within the relief area.

 

That is how one uses Rules to get a competitive advantage and no referee will tell you where to drop to get a maximum relief, no way.

What I've noted over the past half-dozen events I've refereed at is that almost all players drop very near the "outside" edge of the Relief Area, which seems to be the opposite of what you've seen.  Still, choosing some place other than the extreme will often be the best choice.

The second underline, I agree that no referee will tell you where to drop in order to merit a second relief situation, potentially getting the player to a MUCH better location.  To me that's the best way for a player to take advantage of the Rules, understanding "what's next".  I see it a lot when there's an Obstruction (often a cart path) near a Penalty Area.  If a player drops near the Reference Point, his NEXT drop (for cart path relief) will be to one side of the path, if he drops almost 2 Clublengths away, his 16.1 relief will be on the opposite side.  The Player will often pick one spot out of habit, rather than thinking the process through.  

 

9 hours ago, Augster said:

Like, why are the definitions all the way at the end? It doesn’t make sense. 

This is where using the app properly makes things dang easy.  All defined terms are in bold italics, and clicking on one takes you directly to the Definition.  The Back button takes you back to the Rule you were reading.  

[betarhoalphadelta]

1 hour ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Another nice trick is how to chain relief procedures, such as preferred lies + temporary water. Once you use one of them you may find it useful to use the other. In ultimate cases you may drop and place two or even more times and before you know you have come out from behind an obstacle on your line of play and you have free line towards the green.

 

 

I think this is one of the big ones as far as "using the rules to your advantage", and frequently is something that would be overlooked by a casual player who doesn't know the rules. 

 

I.e. the relief area includes a cart path. "I'm not playing my ball from the cart path!" Uhh, no, nobody is suggesting you do. But if you DROP your ball on the cart path and then the NPCR from taking relief for the cart path is advantageous to dropping it in the portion of the relief area that's not on the cart path, maybe you do it. 

 

Or as you bring up, "I'm not dropping that ball in the middle of that puddle!" Uhh, no, there's no such thing as a "puddle" on a golf course; that's "temporary water". If you drop there then you get to take relief from temporary water and that relief might put your ball in a better spot than if you tried to avoid dropping in the "puddle". 

 

There was even a post in this forum section after the Zurich (I think) where a pro was taking relief and the relief area was fairly bare/dirt, but in the relief area there was a sprinkler head. If the pro had managed his drop in such a way that the sprinkler head interfered with his stance or swing, he may have had the chance to then take relief again and get his ball onto a fluffier lie. He did not, and his decision or perhaps overlooking that option was looked at as maybe he didn't take advantage of the rules enough. 

[Mr. Bean]

26 minutes ago, davep043 said:

What I've noted over the past half-dozen events I've refereed at is that almost all players drop very near the "outside" edge of the Relief Area, which seems to be the opposite of what you've seen. 

 

This is typical for a bit advanced players, they seem to think that the farther from NPOCR they drop the better. But as you said, it is all about the quality of the lie/lien of play that matters, not how far from or close to the edge you drop.

 

The most experienced players tend to know what they are doing and carefully evaluate where to drop. I wonder if they have studied the Rules and try to take out most if it?

[kiawah]

13 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

I see guys putting a 3 wood behind a ball in the rough to pad it down before pulling out a wedge. Big time PGA move.

 

Also claiming you were going to hit a shot lefty - if you were a righty - because thats "how you were going to play it" to get relief when up against an object or whatever.

 

There's more.

That is my go to. I pulled that one out on Saturday haha

 

Edit for those confused: ball was sitting a foot left of cart path, took my stance lefty because I couldn't make a stance righty. Dropped to right of cart path to the closest point of complete relief no nearer the hole. 

Edited May 7, 2024 by kiawah

[b.mattay]

12 hours ago, Mudguard said:

 

I was playing a match. My opponent pulled his tee shot on a par five into pine and scrub that runs the length of the hole. I hit my tee shot down the fairway. He then hit his provisional a long way past my tee shot. He's looking at an iron and I'm hoping to reach with a wood/hybrid. 

He sets off briskly towards his provisional. I go into the scrub and find his first ball. He is then unable to take unplayable as the scrub/pine lines the hole so his only option is to return to the tee. Which he declines to do and concedes the hole. Made for a very frosty finish. 

That is firmly against the spirit of a "gentleman's game". You don't go Davy Crockett into the wilderness to find a playing partner's ball unless they ask.