The Rules of Golf : Where to Start ? by Chris Lang
RELEASED IN 2019 , the most recent Official Guide to the Rules of Golf covers more than 500 pages worth of rules , interpretations , definitions , and model local rules . It ’ s an intimidating book , for certain . So where does a novice who is looking to gain basic , useful knowledge of the Rules even begin ?
A ball rests on the cart path during the 2022 U . S . Amateur Championship .
Not everyone who studies the Rules is looking to score 100 on the Rules of Golf exam . ( Though it ’ s an admirable goal !) Perhaps you just want to know exactly where to drop your ball when getting relief from a cart path . Or maybe you just want to know the difference between a penalty area that ’ s staked red and one that is marked by yellow stakes .
The next set will go into affect on January 1 , 2023 , continuing the modernization that began with the release of the 2019 Rules . We ' ll take a deeper look at those changes in the January-February 2023 issue of this magazine .
Before diving into any of the 24 Rules of Golf ( soon to be 25 ), it ' s best to familiarize yourself with two key subjects — the five defined areas of the course , and the definitions .
Knowing exactly where you are playing your ball — the teeing area of the hole being played , a penalty area , a bunker , the putting green of the hole being played , or the general area — will help you properly apply the Rules . The general area covers the entire area of the course except for the other four defined areas of the course noted above .
The Rules will make little sense unless you have strong knowledge of the many definitions that pop up in the Rules book . When reading a Rule , you ’ ll notice certain words are italicized .
Here ’ s an example from Rule 13.1b — Marking , Lifting and Cleaning Ball on Putting Green :
“ A ball on the putting green may be lifted and cleaned ( see Rule 14.1 ). The spot of the ball must be marked before it is lifted and the ball must be replaced on its original spot ( see Rule 14.2 ).”
The terms putting green , marked and replaced can all be found in the definitions section of the Rules book , and your knowledge of those terms will help with your reading and the application of the rule . The best advice I received in breaking into advanced Rules knowledge was to learn the definitions before even trying to decipher a specific Rule . Everything Rules related makes much more sense once you have a firm grasp of the definitions , so study those before diving into the rest of the book .
From these starting points , we can move into the Rules themselves . Each rule begins with a purpose statement , which provides a broad overview of what the rule covers .
For example , Rule 6 covers how to play a hole — such as the specific Rules for teeing off to start a hole , the requirement to use the same ball for an entire hole except when substitution is allowed , the order of play ( which matters more in match play than stroke play ) and completing a hole .
So let ' s look at a common Rules situation most of us will deal with at some point — your drive settles in bounds on a cart path . You ’ ve familiarized yourself with the definitions , and you know that a ) your ball is in the general area and b ) the cart path is an immovable obstruction and c ) you ’ re entitled to free relief in most cases . With those three pieces of information , you can find your way to the section of the Rules book dealing with free relief ( Rules 15 and 16 ). You ’ ll see in the purpose statement that Rule 16 covers immovable obstructions , and you ’ ll be able to find the proper Rules application from there .
There is no denying that the Rules of Golf are complicated and nuanced . But knowing the proper place to start will help you hone your knowledge of the most common situations we find ourselves in on the golf course . Head to the definitions , study up , and begin your Rules journey today .
The VSGA and Middle Atlantic PGA will host multiple half-day Rules of Golf workshops in early 2023 . Check
VSGA . org for dates , locations , and how to register .
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