Golf Equity

What do you do if your ball is next to a poisonous snake or a child picks up your ball and drops it in the hole? Situations like these are not covered by the rules of golf so you must decide how to proceed under equity.

Golf has the most complex set of rules of any sport. Yet situations still arise which are not covered by this elaborate code. That is why the rules say that if a point is not covered by a particular rule the decision should be made in accordance with equity.

The word equity is defined as an appeal to general principles of justice in cases not covered by the law. In a golfing context equity exists to provide justice where the rules do not lay down a procedure.

Know your rules
The main point you must be sure of before resorting to the concept of equity is that the situation you are dealing with is not in fact covered by the rules.

Bear in mind that a decision in accordance with equity is a rare thing, since the rules are as comprehensive as possible. It's unlikely that the situation you confront is not covered by them.

Nevertheless, there are bound to be occasions when a problem can be solved in no other way than under equity - so it pays to know what to do.