Golf Introduction

The rules of golf are there to guide you, whatever situation you find yourself in. You get much more from the game if you know how to apply them properly.

Golf began as one of the most straightforward of all games; it is now governed by the most complicated set of rules of any sport. Even those who make their living by playing the game - the tournament pros - often call for a ruling from an official when they are in doubt as to how to continue.

The most famous of modern British commentators on the game, Henry Longhurst, always maintained that the essential rules could be written on a postcard and the rest discarded, to everyone's advantage. But the detail of the rules means you can find guidance in any golfing situation, however unusual.

The rules are complex because those who make them have to legislate for a game played over vast areas of widely varying land, in all parts of the world. As soon as you start to play golf, you become aware that a long list of bizarre situations can arise - on almost all of which the rules can help you.

Who makes the rules?
The two bodies responsible for the rules and their interpretation are the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R and A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). The USGA controls golf in North America. The R and A administers the rest of the golfing world - over 60 nations are affiliated to it.

You must come to terms with the rules if you are to play on the golf course. The code states that players may not agree to ignore a rule or a local rule or any penalty incurred. If you do disregard a rule, you are disqualified, under Rule 1-3, whether in strokeplay or matchplay.

You can refer any queries or disputes about the rules to the Rules Committee of the R and A. But they must be submitted through a club or competition secretary - individual requests would swamp an already overworked body.

Courtesy on the course
Golf etiquette is based on common sense and consideration for others. Slow play is one of the bugbears of modern golf - many offences against etiquette are usually involved. For instance, if you are looking for a ball, you should call through any match waiting behind you without delay. Once you have done so, you should not continue play until the players called through are out of range.

Twoball matches have precedence over three and fourball matches and are entitled to pass them. Any match playing a whole round can pass through a match playing a shorter round. If you are a single player, you have no standing on the course and must give way to a match of any kind. If you lose a clear hole on the match in front of you, you have lost your place on the course and should invite any following match to pass.

Rules about dress on the course are nothing to do with the etiquette of golf. Where they exist, they are rules of the club concerned, and your complaints - or congratulations - should be directed accordingly.

Etiquette: Questions and Answers
Slow play

Q
Last Saturday some friends and I were playing a fourball over 9 holes. We had a drink afterwards and, when the match behind reached the clubhouse, the players were clearly annoyed that we hadn't let them overtake us. They claimed that they had precedence over us because they were playing a full round. But, apart from the fact that we were being delayed by the slow match ahead of us, how could we have known that they were playing a full round?

A
Many points of etiquette revolve around slow play. While it's irritating to be chivvied by a match following you, it is correct that full-round match takes precedence over anyone playing a shorter round -even if the delay is not your fault.

As a general rule, be aware of players behind you and, if there's a bottleneck, let them know why they are being delayed. It is impossible to know whether the match behind is playing more holes than you are without asking - which is why communicating with other players is so important.

Raking bunkers

Q
My opponent played from a bunker and put his ball on to the green. I then fluffed my chip from beside the bunker, which meant that my ball rolled back into the sand. When I went to play it, I found that my opponent had failed to rake the bunker, although a rake was provided, and my ball had rolled into a deep heel-mark he had made.

Section 1 of the Rules of Golf states that, before leaving a bunker, a player should carefully fill up and smooth over any holes and footprints he has made. Could I therefore have claimed the hole from my opponent in matchplay?

A
No. The section on Etiquette in the Rules of Golf is a preliminary to the Rules themselves - you'll find that Rule 1 in fact comes nine pages later in the R and A approved booklet.

The section on Etiquette is highly important: note how it is placed at the beginning rather than as an appendix to the Rules. But it is a guide to how players should behave on the course, not part of the Rules of the game. Notice how this section suggests that you 'should' or 'should not' do things, while the Rules direct that you 'shall' or 'shall not' do things.

Your opponent's failure to repair the bunker was deplorable, but did not break a Rule of Golf. It is certainly not the way to win friends! Any prolonged disregard of the code of etiquette should be dealt with firmly by the Committee of the club

Leaning on putters

Q
I’ve seen pros on TV lean on putters when taking their ball out of the hole. Should they?

A
No. Although copying the stars is excellent for improving your game, never follow their example in this area.