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In this video, Neil Tappin is joined by rules guru Jeremy Ellwood to look at some of the most surprising golf rules. For one reason or another these are all rules that golfers sometimes get wrong or don't fully understand. Neil and Jeremy explain exactly what they are and how to proceed in each of these scenarios. Whether you're a regular golfer or just getting started these 7 rules are all well worth knowing.
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00:00Hello everyone, Neil Taplin here from Golf Monthly and welcome to the London Club and this video on
00:04the seven most surprising golf rules that could potentially catch you out. Now these are all
00:10rules of golf that you will encounter during the course of a normal 18 holes that there is a little
00:15bit of confusion around and we're going to try to make sure that we clarify the situation so that
00:20you don't incur any penalty shots. Now the advice in this video comes courtesy of Jez Elwood, he's
00:25a qualified rules official, he'll explain everything you need to know. Right, as I mentioned we're here
00:29at the London Club, let's get started.
00:41Oh that's nice, that looks about the right club. Okay so this one is all about the information
00:49that you are allowed and are not allowed to gather before you play. Now Jez I believe you've
00:55not broken the rules here. I have not. But there's a fine line isn't there between doing
00:59something that you're allowed to do and then breaking the rules. What is it?
01:02Well the fine line is that I can't ask you what club you've just hit unless you were my
01:06partner in a pairs match. Yes. I can look in your bag to try and work out what club you've
01:11just hit. Right, so you can see that I've hit a four iron by noticing it's the only club
01:15that's missing. I was having a good look there to try and work out what you're hitting. Obviously
01:17a shot like this is quite important. What I can't do is actually, let's say your head cover was lying
01:23across the clubs or a towel or you had the bag cover on. I'm not allowed to touch your
01:27equipment. Right. And that is prohibited under rule 10.2 which is the rule that covers advice.
01:32If I were to touch your equipment I would be penalised under that rule and a penalty would
01:36be the general penalty. So if this was a match I've just lost the hole. If this was a stroke
01:41play competition I've just incurred a two shot penalty. So it's a fine line just be very careful
01:45on that one. Now something that you are allowed to do, you are allowed to ask what the yardage
01:49is. So if I've already got my laser out and zapped the yardage you're allowed to say to me,
01:52so what is that? I don't have to tell you. You don't have to tell me now. I probably would
01:56otherwise that might be seen as being a bit rude. I guess that sort of thing helps speed
01:59up play, doesn't it? It would do, yes. And I personally at the moment don't have a laser
02:04and sometimes that can just help a little bit but you're obviously not obliged to tell me.
02:08I may have to sit there and work it all out for myself. Yeah, so there you go. That's what
02:11you are
02:11and are not allowed to do when it comes to gathering information before you play.
02:19OK, so this one is all about something called backstopping. And backstopping is a term that
02:24came to prominence I think probably a couple of years ago through a few incidents that took
02:27place on tour. Jez, what is backstopping? Well it's effectively, as it implies, leaving
02:33a ball there that could act as a backstop to a shot played from off the green to stop it
02:38going
02:38as far past the hole as it otherwise might. OK, so this ball here, let's say you've chipped
02:43up and you've left your ball there. I'm off the green chipping on. Yes. You're about to mark
02:47that and I say to you, just leave that there Jez, that might come in handy, stop my ball
02:51from drifting off to about here. That's not allowed. That is not allowed. As you see in
02:57the clip there, I could at that point and said no, I am going to mark it and then the
03:00situation
03:00was dealt with. But in that clip, you'll see that I agree to leave that in there. So the
03:05two of us have agreed between us to leave that ball there as a backstop potentially help you.
03:09So the question is, who gets the penalty and how bad is that penalty? OK, well, in this scenario,
03:15both players that have agreed to leave the ball there as a backstop get a two shot penalty.
03:19So you get a two shot penalty as well? I get one as well, yes. Ouch. So it really isn't
03:23worth it.
03:24And it's only in stroke play. So this is a rule, it's 15.3a in the book and it's only
03:29in stroke play.
03:30Yeah, I can see how it doesn't necessarily need to apply in match play because you would always mark that
03:34in match play.
03:34Yeah, you wouldn't want to help your opponent. But there is also an important distinction here to make between
03:40if my ball was on the green versus if it's off the green. If it's off the green, this becomes
03:45rule 15.3a.
03:48But if my ball is on the green in this sort of scenario. Yes. So if both balls are on
03:51the green and your ball strikes mine,
03:54then you are penalised two shots for striking another ball at rest on the green from a shot played on
04:00the green.
04:00And that's rule 11.1a. But I wouldn't get a penalty in that scenario.
04:04So there you have it backstopping. It's a little bit complicating. It is a little bit fiddly, but it's one
04:08well worth remembering
04:09because it could potentially catch you out on the golf course.
04:17OK, so as you can see, my ball has come to rest and right on the line is a sprinkler
04:22head.
04:23Now, anyone who's played golf with me before will know that I would be desperate to putt this, avoiding using
04:28my wedge to chip it at all costs.
04:30But, Jez, I think the surprising thing about the rules of golf here is that you don't automatically get relief
04:35in a scenario like this.
04:37You don't automatically get to drop away from the sprinkler head, do you?
04:39No. Explain what people need to look out for.
04:42OK. Well, there's a difference here between the sprinkler head actually interfering with where your ball is lying,
04:48where your stance is or the area of your intended swing.
04:51Yes. So if your foot was on that or your ball was on that, then yes, you do get relief.
04:54So if I'm stood here, fine, or the ball's on it, fine.
04:58Yeah. But for a sprinkler head near the green that is simply on your line, you don't get automatic relief.
05:03You need to check that there's a local rule in force.
05:06Yeah. Back of the scorecard, have a look to see.
05:08And usually the rule, the local rule will be whether this sprinkler head is within two club lengths of the
05:14green.
05:15Is that right?
05:15Yeah. Within two club lengths of the green and your ball is within two club lengths.
05:19Of the sprinkler head.
05:20Which must be directly on your line.
05:21Right. So if my ball was here, I wouldn't get relief if it was slightly off.
05:25Yeah. Yeah.
05:26You would be hard pushed to justify that.
05:28Yes. So I think the advice here is always check the back of the scorecard in a situation like this.
05:33Don't just proceed under what you think is the rules of golf because it could potentially catch you out.
05:38I'm going to have to chip this, am I, Jez?
05:40Well, we need to check if there's a local rule there, which I'm hoping there won't be,
05:43so I can witness you chipping this.
05:46Let me have a go with the chip.
05:50Safety first.
05:50Actually making a bit of a fuss about nothing.
05:53There we are.
05:54I think I'd have done better with the putter, but as I say, this one's one to keep an eye
05:57out from.
05:58Be careful with it. It could potentially catch you out.
06:05This one is about what happens if you hit a shot and the ball ricochets back and hits you.
06:10And I think there are two most likely scenarios where that would happen.
06:14Filling one into the face of the bunker, ball comes back and hits you.
06:17Yeah.
06:17Or maybe you're trying to chip out through the trees.
06:20Again, you go for a risky shot and the ball comes back and hits you.
06:23Yeah.
06:23And Jez, the surprising thing here is what?
06:26Well, the surprising thing is that from 2019 onwards, there is no penalty for that scenario.
06:31Yes.
06:31As long as it's accidental.
06:32So if the ball comes back towards you and you do a bit of nifty footwork to nudge it forwards.
06:36Definitely can't do that.
06:37Then that's not accidental.
06:38But if it's a genuine, hits the tree, comes back at you, hits you, there is no penalty.
06:42Now, people might be surprised by that because way back when, I say way back when, not that long ago,
06:47this used to be a two shot penalty, didn't it?
06:49Yeah.
06:49Two shot penalty until 2008.
06:52And some viewers may remember Jeff Maggott incurring that two shot penalty when he was
06:57brutal.
06:57When he was vying for the Masters in 2003, came back off a bunker face and hit him.
07:03So from 2008, it was downgraded to one shot.
07:07And then from 2019, no penalty if the ball ricochets or something comes back and hits you accidentally.
07:13Yeah.
07:13So in this scenario, if one of your playing partners tries to add a penalty shot to your score, just
07:18be sure to tell them, actually, there is no penalty in this scenario.
07:21Right.
07:21I'm going to have a go at this, Jez.
07:22Try not to thin it into the face.
07:24Well, it's a long bunker shot, so like that.
07:27There is potential.
07:33Sit.
07:34So you've just wasted one of your finest shots ever for a video.
07:38Damn it.
07:43Right, so we've all been in the following scenario where you're preparing to hit a tee shot, Jez,
07:47and you're about to go waggling the club and then suddenly you nick the ball off the tee.
07:52Yes.
07:52Now, what happens in this scenario in terms of the rules?
07:56Well, after someone has inevitably said one, what happens in the rules is you do exactly
08:01what you've done.
08:01You put the ball back on the tee and then play it.
08:04No penalty because the ball isn't in play at that point.
08:07And I think we've seen Zach Johnson become a bit of a master at snicking the ball on his
08:11practice swings.
08:12Yes.
08:13And there is no penalty for that.
08:15There is no penalty.
08:15On the tee.
08:16Because the ball is not yet in play.
08:18But I think the confusion here and the surprising thing here is that you do get penalised for
08:23doing exactly this thing if you did it on the fairway in the rough bunker penalty area.
08:28Yes.
08:28Because your ball is in play.
08:31Your ball is in play and if you accidentally or anyway move your ball in play, you are penalised.
08:36And I think a lot of people think you're not.
08:39Partly because of the tee thing, partly because, as we'll come on into a minute, the putting green
08:43and partly because they know that you're not penalised if you stand on your ball when searching for it.
08:48Now, I think they've kind of extrapolated from that and thought there's no penalty for accidental movement.
08:53But there is.
08:53So if you accidentally move your ball on the fairway with a practice swing or when you're setting the club
08:57down behind the ball,
09:00you will be penalised and you must then replace the ball to where it was before playing your next shot.
09:04And as Jez has mentioned, there is another exception and that relates to when you're on the putting green.
09:09And I think in this scenario, it's because the greens are so closely mown.
09:13They're so fast in a lot of places.
09:15Often you're getting situations, especially on tour, I think, where players were taking their stance, getting set up, ready to
09:21play the ball.
09:21And then the ball would move and they would get previously under the rules.
09:25They would have been penalised in that scenario, but not anymore.
09:27No, I think there was a Harrington incident in the Masters, wasn't there, a few years ago, that kind of
09:31triggered a call for change.
09:33And that change did come into effect.
09:35And now, rather than splitting hairs, they've just decided any accidental movement on the putting green is no penalty.
09:43Whether that's through putting your club down behind the ball and the ball moving or through catching it on a
09:48practice swing.
09:49And what you must do is replace the ball where it was and then carry on penalty free.
09:55Yes. So there you have it. That's hopefully all you need to know when it comes to accidentally moving your
09:59ball on the golf course.
10:15All right. So in match play right now, Jez, we would have quite an interesting scenario, I think, because I
10:22would be tempted to come along and just sort of try and tap that in.
10:25Yeah. But you've not given me the putt, have you?
10:28I haven't, because it's over three feet.
10:30Yeah, and I'm likely to miss it.
10:31Yeah. So why is this a slightly iffy scenario?
10:34Well, you could go ahead and tap that in, if that is a tap in.
10:40And you're not allowed to do that in match play because you'll be playing out of turn because my ball
10:45is lying farther from the hole.
10:46Yeah. And I think the important thing to say here is that in match play, there's so many different elements
10:50to the sort of tactics that go on, the pressure that you're able to put your opponent under.
10:55If you just go up and straight up and hit that, you're sort of taking a little bit of the
10:59pressure off your own shoulders.
11:00Because if you make that, Jez, my putt suddenly becomes more difficult, doesn't it?
11:04I would think so. And that is the whole point of the rule. You know, there's that psychological element to
11:08match play. You've got a three footer, you'd think you're going to make it eight times out of ten, nine
11:13times out of ten.
11:14If I make that, that might come down to six times out of ten.
11:17Yeah. Because suddenly you have to make it.
11:18Of course, in truth, in this scenario, it can create a bit of a sort of frosty atmosphere between players.
11:23My feeling is that it's really down to the player who's just hit the putt, i.e. me, in this
11:28scenario, to make sure that I don't put you in an awkward position.
11:31Yeah. Because if I do hole it, Jez, you have a difficult decision to make, don't you?
11:35Well, yeah, as you say, it depends on a lot of factors. But I could just say, I'm sorry, you've
11:39played out of turn.
11:41There's no penalty for doing so other than that I could ask you to play the putt again.
11:46And then if I hold mine and you miss yours, suddenly you've lost a hole and that's a completely different
11:52complexion going to the next two.
11:54Yeah, exactly. So just one to be wary of. Try to avoid finding yourself in that situation in match play.
12:04This one is all about identifying your ball on the golf course.
12:07Now, Jez, there's certain things here that players may have taken for granted that they are or are not allowed
12:12to do, that they get wrong in my experience.
12:14My ball is just here. I can't see any identifying marks. I can't see the logo and I can't see
12:19my mark on the ball.
12:20So I'm going to need to find out whether that is actually my ball.
12:23Yes.
12:24What am I allowed to do? What am I not allowed to do?
12:26Okay, well, rule 7.3 allows you in this scenario to lift the ball to make a positive identification.
12:31Okay.
12:32But what you must do, and this is what people I play with all the time don't do in competitions
12:38as well as in friendlies, is mark the position of the ball first.
12:42I'm going to use a T-peg. So what you can't do, pick it up, oh, that's mine, and then
12:46put it back down again. You need to use a T-peg.
12:48Do you have to call over your playing partner to watch you go through that process?
12:51You don't anymore. You used to have to. Now you don't. So that part of the rule is gone, but
12:57the marking its position first before you lift it remains.
13:00And if you fail to do that, you will get a one-shot penalty.
13:02Yeah. Ouch. So remember, if you're identifying your ball, always use some form of marker to mark the position of
13:09the ball and you won't go wrong.
13:10So there you have it. That's our look at the seven golf balls that are surprising that could potentially catch
13:15you out.
13:16I hope you found that video interesting. If you do have any questions, please leave them below.
13:20We'll try and get back to as many people as we can. But that's it for now from The London
13:24Club.
13:24Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time.
13:26Bye.
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