7 Most Important Rules Of Golf I Golf Monthly 

There are also mystery rules as yet unexplained - as follows 1. If you play a brand new ball, it will get lost immediately- an old ball, however will last all summer 2. If you play the harder holes well, you will definitely mess up the easier ones 3. If your partner gimmes you a put and you take it anyway - you will miss that put

There are several rules that you can choose to invoke on a "presumably" lost ball. Rule M.41.7 states that if during your 3 minute search, you can drop an identical ball from your pocket without being seen, and shout: "here it is",, you can continue your round and more importantly, avoid a costly penalty stroke. However, before you begin your search, your partner can invoke the "frisk" rule to insure there are no extra balls in your pockets.

In our game, rules are more like guidelines.

1. Don’t talk during someone’s shot. 2. Watch your shadow, do not have your shadow visible to the shooter during their shot. 3. Take the shortest path through the sand and rake up afterwards, put the rake where you found it. 4. Do not walk on the green unless to get to your ball and NEVER walk in front of someone else path on the green. 5. Be someone that others want to play with. Try not to take any handouts, but offer them to your mates(not in a competition obviously). How quickly and how often your mates are willing to advance their game through handouts without offering will tell you a lot about them and if you should continue golfing with them. 6. Wait 10 seconds after someone’s shot to start sh*t talking. (If your with your mates in a light hearted way). Let their emotions settle after a bad shot and you’ll see less silver pheasants(flying golf clubs). 7. Have fun and don’t be a total d*ck.

Great video to watch as a beginner the rules can be quite daunting at times! Thanks

Enjoyed the video but thought you should have explained what the penalty was in each situation e.g. if the ball moved when removing a loose impediment what is the penalty and should you replace the ball or play it as it lies?

2 words: winter rules. I'm not hitting off bare ground when I have hit a drive in the fairway. In the summer, maybe. Edit: I loved when the Rules Czar, Jez, eyeballs it. "Without measuring it out I'll take my drop here." Made my day.

These rules are fine for tournament golf but I don't want to see people who shoot over 100 trying to follow them too closely as it would slow down play considerably and possibly kill the fun a bit.

Great video. Love the way how you break it down to its simplest form. Thank you.

Most important rule is 1.2a Conduct expected of all players.

Thank you , Superb Information for the Beginners in simple Language

“Came out a little bit clean” Oh, I’m using that gentlemanly observation.

Love your videos on the rules of golf

Excellent display of the 7 most important rules. Being quite new at this sport I was riveted to my Tele as you explained in perfect detail. Thank you for this important aspect. I was curious about the 3 minute rule as well and I can now search for my balls with a clear head without the anxiety that accompanied my search before.

Good advice. I liked this video

Great video…thanks guys

most important rule.... have fun! no one wants to play with someone that has a shitty attitude dont be that guy

As a beginner, I was waiting in vain to hear whether the drop from an unplayable ball incurs a one-stroke penalty?

Enjoyed the video. I did have one quick question. For the “Lost Ball” rule, this video assumes the ball was not lost due to a water hazard, correct? If a tee shot is lost to a marked water hazard, the player would not have to retee; rather, they would be entitled to drop at the point the ball crossed the hazard if marked with red stakes or a lateral drop if marked with yellow stakes. Thanks!

Very informative video.

Amazing explanation 👍

enjoy you two. thanks for these rule clarifications. to keep the game moving, if I lose a ball and didn't do a provisional, can I drop where the ball supposedly was lost and drop as long as I don't go closer, and add a stroke?

thanks for the information, learned a lot for of info about the rules of golf

I played in an invitational tourney several years ago at my home course. This older guy in my group that is known for cheating by dropping balls in play that’s not his & playing found balls that’s not his. Anyway, he marked his ball on the 9th green & waited for 3 of us to putt (he was closest). The 10th tee box in right behind the 9th green. He went & tees off on 10 before he even finished putting on 9🤦‍♂️😂! He actually tees off while I was putting... then when we get to 10 fairway he has a ball in his hand & tosses it out of his cart. None of us knew if he even drove the ball in the fair way. Craziest tourney shenanigans ever witnessed 😂. After speaking with the course ranger & tourney mangers he was eventually disqualified at the end of play.

I love nominative determinism.

Such gentleman 👏

good vid this. Had a debate with a fellow golfer about the tee box - i rocked up to the tee, didn't like the lay or condition of the area right by the marker, went back about 2/3 foot and played. Partner said, "that's not right, don't do that in competition" - great to see this rule is to actually legit!

Good to know.

Good video, not many people know what the 'teeing area' actually is.

Thanks that was good. Do you get relief from being up against a boundary fence?

Tappin is the best golf name I have ever heard

I have a question regarding the 'teeing area' and the two club lengths of permissible area behind markers. At times I have seen the markers set so near the rear of the mowed tee box that there isn't a two club length choice, but maybe only a foot or two. Most recently this occured at a scramble tourney where the was a substantial prize for a hole-in-one. There was a person assigned to watch all shots that day to deter any false claims for the prize. So this hole was made a long as possible with no regard for the two club length rule. Any ideas?

I would of liked you to explain the free drop from sprinkler heads or cart paths in more depth, the part about must be dropped at the nearest point of relief regardless if you have to drop in knee high rough. this is always difficult for me.

Beautiful

9 have L4 L5 ,C2 through C7 fusion. Can I golf or just use the green for golf game. I am a brand new golfer.

On the tee area is the two club lengths back measured with the club you are intending to hit or can you use the longest club in the bag?

Neil, excellent review of commonly abused rules. You missed an important one, however, which is showing the correct way to determine the "closest point of relief." This process is very often maligned with a ball laying on a cart path; fairway on one side, rough on the other. I see many players drop on the fairway side even if the ball is closest to the rough side of the cart path. I have tried to explain this rule to several of my playing partners and they can't seem to get it.

Your #4: it says sth. different in my R&A rules app for 19.2. From the spot 3 club lengths to the sides and on the line back use case two to the sides. You say two fro the spot, one from the line. What's correct?

Great information guys! Rules that must be followed certainly in tournament play. Casual play guys take all sorts of improper liberties to create inaccurate handicaps. 🤨

Don't you just love it when someone is 'casual' with the rules and then wants to compare their scorecard with one who plays legitimately.

One more thought, I my ball goes into the drink is it automatically a provisional ball or can I play where it lay and if I do so is the 3 minute rule begin as soon as my knickers are dampened?

What’s the ruling for sprinkler heads. What relief do you get?

#Golf Monthly, can you answer this rule question please?. Let us suppose the ball travels over the back of the green and into a red marked penalty area (for example some bushes). The ball is found but is completely unplayable. Immediately behind the bushes is outside the course. Dropping within 2 clubs is impossible because the ball will either be closer to the hole or be outside the course. Going back along the line of play is also impossible for the same reason. Therefore is the only option to play the ball from the position where the previous ball was played? And if so, bearing in mind that a provisional ball cannot be played if a ball is known to be in a penalty area would you not agree this will almost certainly hold up play?

Hi guys, just a quick question... You speak here about having only 14 clubs in your bag. How do the new rules deal with the old fasioned Bullseye putter. This can be used left or right handed, so is this classed as two clubs.? The same applies to the two sided chipper. I ask this because these clubs are in use at my local golf club, and I have often wondered how they are viewed by the rules comittee...

Whats the rule for water in a bunker and plugged lies (you have hit a ball ind it plugs into a bunker wall for instance). These are really good rules videos.

Is it against the rules to have spectators (particularly friends and family) serve as spotters or if they volunteered to search for your ball on their own?

Pls remember to identify and mark the location of your ball, before lifting it from the ground. You forgot that in the scenario with the covers close to green and before taking a free drop. Furthermore mark your reference point for the free drop.

Ground staff at our club have no idea of the rules, and often place tee markers less than two club lengths from the back of the tee. Sometimes my right foot is down the bank at the back of the tee. As the rules entitle me to two club lengths, what do I do.

What if you play a provisional ball and you still find the first one you played ? Can you play the bestof the 2 ? What about the penalty? I know rtfm but i Am new to golf and at work sooo

very good. in the unplayable example if in the drop the ball ends up 1 or 2 inches outside the 2 club lengths is that incorrect?

How can i get a copy of the rules of golf ( after 2019). I have the normal small revised one that we get from the proshop - this book does not give detail information on all the rules. Thank you

IF we are to carry an opposite handed club in the bag for those awkward occasions, what would we consider to be the most suitable club?

My drive from the tee could not be seen from the tee mount forcing me to play a provisional when I play my provisional 4th shot my caddy found my original ball can I go back and played the original ball as 2nd shot?

Didn’t mention winter rules when playing it where it lies,when we hit a fairway that’s still in bad shape we move it to a piece of grass without penalty

Hi Neil - regarding lost balls, if I cannot find the ball in the bushes but I saw where the entry point was, can't I just take a drop by the entry point? Is it compulsory to go all the way back to the tee box if I did not hit a provisional?

Would have liked more explanations of each situation. For example You talked about not having relief from the second drainage cover for line of shot, but if they were closer to the green you do.

This guy has the perfect name to host a channel like this, I’m an instant fan of Neil Tap-in lol

If i hit a ball from the tee and don't like where it has gone can I immediately declare that I am not playing that ball anymore and put a new ball on the tee and say this is the ball in play ( 3 off the tee) and play that ball and forget the first ball without looking for it?

Realized after watching that I recently carried 15 clubs. Found a wedge left next to a green and stuck it in my bag intending to return to the clubhouse lost & found. Forgot about it and carried it for another round buried beneath my long club head covers. Never used it in play nor intended to use it, the game is difficult enough with my own clubs. Does intent matter in interpretation of the 14 club rule limit?

If you hit a provisional ball and can’t find the first ball off the tee. Does the hitting the provisional count as a stroke. So would be hitting 3 on the 2nd hit of the provisional ball?

The one thing I was wondering is that unplayable lay drop what was the penalty? 1 stroke?

If I’m playing from the yellow Tee box but the White Tee box markers are only one foot behind the yellow marker is the yellow tee box still two club lengths back? Or does the Position of the white Tee box determine the size of the yellow Tee box?

Nothing was worse than in my league championship round this year for golf, I hit an absolute perfect drive right down the middle and my ball was about 4 inches deep in someone’s divot. I could barely even get to the ball.

#7. If required to come back to the tee box due to “stroke and distance”, can you “tee up” your ball? I’ve heard because it is now effectively your third shot, you can not tee it up. But had you declared “ I’m hitting a provisional”. (Which could be construed to to be “potentially “ your third shot, ) you CAN tee it up. What’s right?

So is the foot wedge when your to close to a hazard just to knock it out a little, not part of the rule book?

Can you answer this question. I am unable to find a clear answer in the Rule Book. I was playing recently and as I played my shot the shaft broke in two causing the ball to fly off at an angle. Am I entitled to play the shot again without penalty?

If you have too many clubs can you still carry it but have to declare which club is not to be used?

When moving loose impediments... if you start to remove something and the ball starts to move, if you immediately stop moving it are you safe from penalty?

What’s the best app with all the rules?

A left handed club-good add

I thought a new rule for a lost ball off the tee is you can take a 2 shot penalty where you lost it? Also the dropping of the ball, when going back inline where you hit it from how does that work, ie can you drop it in on the middle of the green if that is backwards?

Question about rules: I find it frustrating when the other 3 people in my foursome don't pay attention to my shot and therefore can't help much if hit it into the rough or the trees - I think they should be obligated to observe everyone elses shots as much as they can (especially off the tee)

So if you have teed up then you find your foot is in a hole, can you re tee the ball?

Didn't mention the change in rules for dropping i.e. knee height not shoulder height anymore and how far to drop from the drainage cover, is it nearest point of relief no nearer the hole or one club length?

Dropping for relief from an obsticle, is that a stroke penalty?

#7 lost ball- can you take a 2-stroke penalty and drop, hitting 4, instead of shooting 3 from the tee? A lot of times with golfing friends, we unexpectedly lose balls having not played a provisional, then we want to drop near to where we think the ball is. We usually have another group behind us so it’s not really possible to go back to the tee. Can the 2-stroke penalty be used here to speed up the pace of play?

As far as stroke and distance is concerned. If you play a provisional and don't find the original is that 2 or 3 of the tee? Cheers 👍 ☺

Neil s'y last name is pretty great for a golfer

In your example of the Play has it lies ball, can't I just call the ball unplayable and take a drop? (and again, is there a penalty?)

Im confused.. is the provisional shot only of you lose a ball from the tee shot or for any shot? So say your second shot goes into a water trap or into some bushes oob or something, must you play a provisional shot from there too?

So on rule 3 can they player declare it unplayable and go back to the drop rule? But it would cost a stroke?

When your buddy hits a bad shot and gets mad and bangs his club on the cart path Just ask him why he’s mad your not that good anyway

If you play a provisional, is it your second or third shot??

Didn’t even list the most important rule of all! There’s no such thing as a mulligan.

You forgot to mention that when taking a drop for an unplayable you will also add stroke for the drop. And I was listening because I wondered why anybody would go back to the tee for both stroke and distance if it’s only one stroke for the drop

Once you have declared a ball lost and head back to the tee to play another, can your playing partners continue searching during the time you head back to the tee?

12:15: Can't you mark the ball, pick it up, remove the loose debris from under it and put the ball back into play?

I have a question. Assuming that you play a ball into the heather and then play a provisional, you then find your first ball but declare it unplayable. Can you then count the provisional ball as the ball in play so that your next shot is your 4th?

JUST TAPPPP IT IN

Rule 7 "stroke and distance" is not really practical on today's golf courses. Speed of play is monitored and any event that holds up play is frowned upon. I don't appreciate people who cheat. Players who always roll their ball to improve their lie is the one that frustrates me the most. When your out for fun, I think it's important is to make a fair attempt to stay within the rules. Staying true to the game helps improve your game. It makes you a better player.

From what my understanding is about number 4, if you had a bad lie as described in number 3 then you could simply state you feel your ball is unplayable and utilize a drop rule (i.e. get a bad lie, say your shot is unplayable and reposition). Not speaking to the morality, but from a technical standpoint, is this logic correct?

If you hit the provisional when you think you have a lost ball. What is the penalty? Are you hitting 3?

What happens with lost balls shot from the fairway or any other non tee situation

So would that still be three off the tee if you said you where hitting a provisional ball, and did lose your first one?

need to do one on a free drop (cart path or GUR) most people i play with think they can drop in the nearest best spot LOL

can 1 of my 14 clubs be a left handed club if I choose? NOTE: I am right handed.

I think it would have been helpful if you had included the procedure and penalty for playing from outside the teeing area.... and explained the difference where there's no penalty in matchplay but that you may be asked by your opponent to tee off again. You only described the teeing area itself. Maybe this comment has already been made...? Enjoyed the video.

Doesn't 7:00 contradict 10:03 a bit? 1. You could even declare a ball 'unplayable' even if it's sitting in a playable area. 2. You don't get relief from 'playing the ball as it lies' (unless the area is marked as 'under repair'). Can anyone clarify the difference, please?

Arent you also allowed to drop a new ball on the fairway, if you cant find it in the i.e rough - for two penalty shots? You can take a direct line to the fairway from the point of entry, eh?

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