A Rules Refresher
IT ’ S SPRING , AND YOU ’ RE READY TO HIT THE COURSE and shake off the Virginia winter doldrums . What better time than now for a quick refresher on the Rules of Golf ?
Below , you ’ ll find nine questions to test your knowledge of the Rules . All questions are courtesy of USGA . org , a solid resource for all things related to the Rules . Visit the Rules Education section under the “ playing ” tab at the USGA homepage to find more quiz questions and sharpen your knowledge .
BASIC
1 . Loose impediments are unattached natural objects such as stones and loose grass . a . True b . False
2 . A ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player , partner or their caddies begin searching for it ; time spent playing a wrong ball does not count in this three-minute period . a . True b . False
3 . Which use of equipment is allowed by the Rules to help play during a round ? a . Processing or interpreting playing information from the round . b . Using equipment to measure wind speed at the course . c . Using powders or other moisturizing or drying agents to help in gripping the club .
INTERMEDIATE
4 . A player plays a provisional ball from the teeing area that appears to come to rest in the same general location as the original ball . The player discovers the original ball out of bounds and cannot find the provisional ball . What is the ruling ? a . The player must return to the teeing area where he or she will be making his or her third stroke . b . The player must return to the teeing area where he or she will be making his or her fifth stroke . c . The Committee must decide since this situation is not covered by the Rules .
5 . In stroke play , a player holes a putt with a club in one hand , while holding the removed flagstick with his or her other hand . What is the ruling ? a . There is no penalty b . There is a one-stroke penalty c . The player gets the general penalty
6 . If a player makes a stroke at his or her ball that lies out of bounds , he or she has made a stroke at a wrong ball and gets the general penalty in both match and stroke play . a . True b . False
ADVANCED
7 . With regard to the line of play on the putting green , which one of the following statements is true ? a . A player may remove leaves or twigs from the line of play by brushing them aside with his cap or towel , provided nothing is pressed down . b . In grounding his club around his ball on the putting green in preparation for the stroke , a player is prohibited from placing his club immediately in front of the ball and touching the line of play . c . A player at his own discretion may remove temporary water that has collected in the hole . d . A player may brush dew off his line of putt with his hand or club , provided nothing is pressed down .
8 . Which one of the following is defined as advice ? a . Asking an opponent which direction a hole goes . b . Telling another player that his ball is
157 yards from the hole . c . Asking an opponent which club he just hit on a par 3 after both players have teed off and their balls are on the putting green . d . A player ’ s caddie telling another player ’ s caddie that the other player is standing too close to the ball on his chip shots , even if the other player ’ s caddie does not inform his player about what he was told .
9 . In stroke play , while taking relief from a cart path , player A borrows a club from another player to measure the club-length . She drops within that one club-length relief area and the ball stays where it first landed , not nearer the hole and makes a stroke at the ball . What is the ruling ? a . A gets no penalty , provided the location on which the ball was dropped would be within the relief area determined by measuring with the longest club , other than a putter in her own bag , otherwise she gets a two-stroke penalty . b . A gets a penalty of one stroke for failing to follow the specified procedure . c . A gets a two-stroke penalty . d . A is disqualified .
Answers 1 . True ( definition of loose impediment ) 2 . True ( definition of lost ) 3 . C ( Rule 4.3a ) 4 . B ( Rules 18.2a ; Rules 18.2b ; Rule 18.3 ) 5 . A ( Rule 13.2b ( 1 ); Interpretation 13.2b ( 1 )/ 2 ) 6 . True ( definition of wrong ball ; Rule 6.3c ) 7 . A ( Rule 13.1c ; Rule 15.1a ) 8 . D ( definition of advice ) 9 . A ( definition of club-length ; Rule 14.3b ( 3 ))
14 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M AY / J UNE 2022
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