Most people who read my articles are, most likely, serious golfers who understand that the game is governed by 34 Rules. These same people probably play some tournament golf where Rules Officials are present to assist players in playing by the Rules and interpreting Rules situations. Not all players of the game are serious golfers who abide by the Rules. Many are “recreational” players who tend to play by “winter rules” or “preferred lies” on a year round basis. The term “preferred lies” is one of the most misunderstood concepts in golf.
In areas of the country where winter weather can be brutal and in turn create negative effects on golf courses, some courses will post signs saying “winter rules” or “preferred lies in effect today”. This means that golfers may improve their lies in certain areas of the course that may been effected by the weather conditions. Those areas are usually limited to the fairway. This could mean that if your drive is in the fairway and it comes to rest on patch of bare ground where the grass has died or is dormant, winter rules allow you to move the ball onto grass.
Sometimes, golfers interpret “winter rules” or “preferred lies” to mean an assortment of things, mostly because golf course fail to explain what the term means. Without an explanation, we will see golfers improve lies in sand bunkers, water hazards, and in general, in all areas of the golf course. There is no Rule that covers “winter rules” or “preferred lies” in the Rules of Golf, but there is an explanation in Appendix I, Part A, Local Rules that says: “Adverse conditions, including the poor condition of the course or the existence of mud, are sometimes so general, particularly during winter months, that the Committee may decide to grant relief by temporary Local Rule either to protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant play. The Local Rule should be withdrawn as soon as conditions warrant”.
Even if you are a “recreational” golfer I would still encourage you to play the game in the traditional fashion which is to play the ball as it lies. Here’s hoping that you are “Playing By The Rules”.
Every so often, I will get a question that goes something like this: “I hit my ball into a sand bunker and I don’t know how to hit out of a bunker. Can I declare my ball unplayable and go back to the spot where I last hit to replay the shot”. A player who is terrified of the sand might think that a one stroke penalty is worth it to get out of the sand. Professional golfers would not think that way because they are not willing to take the penalty stroke.
A player can declare any ball unplayable, at any time, for any reason, and anywhere on the course other than in a water hazard. The penalty is one stroke with three options to proceed under. Those options are:
*Return to the spot of the previous stroke and play again
*Drop within two club lengths, not nearer the hole
*Drop behind the spot, going back as far as you would like, keeping the original spot between the hole and the new place where you drop
If you declare a ball unplayable and use the second or third option, you must drop in the bunker. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable. For a more extensive explanation, read over Rule 28 Ball Unplayable.
The Kevin Na slow play phenomenon at the Tournament Players Championship has everyone in the golf community talking about slow play. Na has become the poster-boy for slow play and has been torched in the locker room and in social media. He was put on the clock in the third round of the tournament and then recorded a bad time, which means by PGA Tour Pace of Play guidelines, he is likely subject to an automatic fine.
Rule 6-7 in the Rules of Golf covers Undue Delay; Slow Play. The Rule states: “The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish. Between completion of a hole and playing from the next teeing ground, the player must not unduly delay play.” Note 2 under this Rule says: “For the purpose of preventing slow play, the Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), establish pace of play guidelines including maximum periods of time allowed to complete a stipulated round, a hole or a stroke.”
The normal penalty for a breach of Rule 6-7 would be two strokes in stroke play. In stroke play, the Committee may, in such a condition, modify the penalty for a breach of this Rule as follows:
First offense – One stroke
Second offense – Two strokes
For subsequent offense – Disqualification
In Michigan PGA events, we define undue delay as taking more than 40 seconds to play a stroke. Other than on the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke will begin when he and his caddie have had a reasonable opportunity to reach his ball, it is his turn to play, and he can play without interference or distraction. Time spent determining yardage will count as time taken for that stroke. On the putting green, timing will begin after a player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to lift, clean and replace his ball, repair his ball mark and other ball marks on his line of putt and remove loose impediments. Time spent looking at the line from beyond the hole and/or behind the ball will count as time taken for that stroke. Our Pace of Play Policy has been adopted from USGA and PGA Tour events.
If you have any questions on the Rules of Golf you can submit them to “Ask The Pros” @new.mikefaygolf on Twitter or you can contact me direct at [email protected] I hope you are “Playing by the Rules.”
We will continue our journey through the principal Rules changes introduced for 2012 by discussing Rule 20-7c Playing from Wrong Place; Stroke Play. Note 3, under Rule 20-7c has been amended so that if a player is penalized for playing from a wrong place, in most cases the penalty will be limited to two strokes, even if another Rule has been breached prior to his making the stroke.
Note 3 now states: “If a player incurs a penalty for making a stroke from a wrong place, there is no additional penalty for:
(a) Substituting a ball when not permitted;
(b) Dropping a ball when the Rules require it to be placed, or placing a ball when the Rules require it to be dropped;
(c) Dropping a ball in an improper manner; or
(d) A ball being put into play by a person not permitted to do so under the Rules”
If you would like to learn more about the Rules of Golf please follow me on Twitter @fgcards. I usually Tweet out some Rules and Decisions on the Rules of Golf each day.
Rule 19-1, Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped by Outside Agency, now includes an expansion to the Note to prescribe various outcomes when a ball in motion has been deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency. To quote the Rule Book:
“Note: If a player’s ball in motion has been deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency:
(a) After stroke from anywhere other than on the putting green, the spot where the ball would have come to rest must be estimated. If the spot is:
(i)through the green or in a hazard, the ball must be dropped as near as possible to that spot;
(ii)out of bounds, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1; or
(iii)on the putting green, the ball must be placed on that spot.
(b) After stroke on the putting green, the stroke is cancelled. The ball must be replaced and replayed.
If the outside agent is a fellow-competitor or his caddie, Rule 1-2 applies to the fellow-competitor.
(Players ball deflected or stopped by another ball – See Rule 19-5)”
Formerly, Rule 19-1 provided that if a players ball was “purposely” deflected or stopped by an outside agency (eg: a spectator), the principles of equity were applied to determine the point from where the ball was to be played. A number of rules decisions provided guidance. The new note to 19-1 clarifies this situation. Thomas Pagel, the Senior Director of Rules of Golf for the USGA, explained that these changes were driven by a desire to add more certainty to the rule.
One question that I am often asked is: what club should I use around the green for a particular shot. Which is usually followed by me asking them this: Do you think you should chip this shot or pitch this shot? The following are some tips on what you should do in certain situations:
The difference between a pitch and a chip is this: a chip is where the ball is on the ground longer than it’s in the air, a pitch is the opposite: the ball is in the air longer than on the ground.
Now, here’s the question: which do I do when? There are a number of factors that determine this:
Lie-The worse the lie the more you should pitch it. That usually means using a sand wedge or lob wedge.
Space-How much room do you have to land the ball? Pitch if there’s less room, chip if there’s more room.
Landing Area-Determining the flattest part of the green where the ball will roll straight when it lands. The closer to the pin that is, the more you should pitch, the less you should chip.
The backswing is the only difference between a chip and a pitch. The backswing in a chip has no wrist cock because you want the ball to run when it hits the green. The backswing in a pitch has wrist cock because you want to add loft to the shot.
I hope these tips help you decide what to do. Picking the right shot will get you closer to the hole and help you get up and down.
Mike Fay
PGA Director of Instruction
With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of golf instruction. Everything from cutting edge social networking techniques to having his own podcast, Mike has helped to change the face of teaching golf. He currently is the Director of Instruction at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
