rulespin
Paul Kruger is a PGA professional at The
Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia.
by Paul Kruger
test your rules vocabulary
Here is a little quiz to see how
well you know the words used within
the Rules and the Decisions on the
Rules of Golf.
1. In what context is the word
“brick” used? (a) Example of a
movable obstruction. (b) Example
of a type of artificial surfacing of
a road or path. (c) Example of
building one’s stance. (d) Part of an
integral part of the course.
2. Which of these words is
used to describe a type of artificial
surfacing of a road or path? (a)
macadam (b) tar (c) cobblestone (d)
asphalt.
3. Which of these words is NOT
found in the Decisions on the Rules
of Golf ? (a) birdie (b) double bogey
(c) eagle (d) albatross (e) All of the
above.
4. Which of these words is NOT
used to describe the “elements”? (a)
sunlight (b) rain (c) hail (d) wind (e)
snow
5. Which of these words is found
in the Decisions on the Rules of
Golf ? (a) sand trap (b) pin (c) tee
box (d) planks.
6. Which of these plants is NOT
found in the Decisions on the Rules
of Golf ? (a) cactus (b) stinging nettles
(c) poison oak (d) tumbleweed (e)
mushroom (f) poison ivy (g) moss
(h) creeper.
7. Which
fruit
is
NOT
mentioned in the Decisions on the
Rules of Golf ? (a) apple (b) banana
(c) orange (d) pear?
8. Which of these words is NOT
used to describe a person who might
be on the course? (a) marker (b)
forecaddie (c) friend (d) referee (e)
coach (f) parent (g) spectator (h)
sibling or (i) volunteer.
Answers:
1. (c) Decision
13-3/5
[Player Builds Stance But Corrects
Error Before Playing Stroke] states,
in part, “If a player builds a stance
through the use of an object such as
a golf cart, stone or brick, he incurs
no penalty if he removes the object
before playing his next stroke.”
2. (b) Decision
24/9
[Artificially-Surfaced Road or Path]
points out that, “A road or path to
which any foreign material, e.g.,
concrete, tar, gravel, wood chips,
etc., has been applied is artificially
surfaced and thus an obstruction.”
3. (e) The words “par” and
“bogey” appear in the Decisions on
the Rules of Golf in the context of
types of stroke play competitions.
The word “par” also appears
occasionally to denote the par for a
hole, e.g., a par 4.
4. (c) Decision
14-2/0.5
[Meaning of “Elements”] advises,
“Elements include sunlight, rain,
wind, snow and other weather
conditions.”
5. (d) The word “bunker” is
always used instead of “sand trap.”
The word “flagstick” is always used
instead of “pin.” The phrase “teeing
ground” is always used instead of
“tee box.” Decision 24/12 [Wooden
or Earthen Steps] indicates that
“Steps which have been cut into a
steep bank but which have not been
covered with any artificial material
such as wooden planks are not
obstructions.”
6. (c) Decision
1-4/11
[Meaning of “Dangerous Situation”]
notes that plants such as poison ivy,
cacti, and stinging nettles do not
constitute dangerous situations.
Decision 1-2/10 [Player Wraps
Towel Around Self or Places Towel
on Cactus Before Taking Stance]
indicates that it is permissible for
a player to wrap a towel around
himself to protect himself from
cactus needles.
However, it
would be a breach of Rule 1-2
for altering physical conditions
it the player placed a towel on a
cactus for protection. Mushroom
is mentioned in Decision 16-1a/15
[Mushroom Growing on Line of
Putt]; tumbleweed is mentioned in
Decision 18-1/6 [Ball at Rest Moved
by Blowing Tumbleweed]; and
moss and creepers are mentioned in
Decision 13-2/37 [Status of Moss
or Creepers in Tree].
7. (a) For “banana,” see
Decision 23/4 [Fruit Skins]; for
“orange,” see Decision 23/10 [Ball
Embedded in Fruit], and for “pear,”
see Decision 23/3 [Half-Eaten
Pear]
8. (i)
There are numerous
occurrences of the words “marker,”
“spectator,” and “referee” in the
Decisions on the Rules of Golf.
The word “coach” appears in
three Decisions, the word “friend”
appears in two Decisions, and the
word “forecaddie” appears in the
Definitions and in one Decision.
The words “parent” and “sibling”
are found in Appendix I Part B
regarding the Committee’s ability to
restrict whom a player may select as
his caddie.
7