TheRules
Rule the Course
Using the Rules to your advantage by JAY ROBERTS
ISTOCK
Ask golfers how the Rules of Golf impact their round, and almost all will say that they add strokes to their score. It’ s not an unreasonable perspective. We are conditioned, especially in sports, to view rules as things to avoid breaking so we won’ t be assessed some sort of penalty.
Yes, there are penalizing elements of the Rules of Golf, but that’ s not the end of the matter. Knowing the situations where the Rules can be used to your advantage can save you from difficult predicaments, and it’ s a great way to enhance your golf experience and maybe even lower your score.
Are you taking advantage of these scenarios when you tee it up?
Right-handed player taking relief for playing a left-handed shot The scenario: An errant tee shot comes to rest beside a tree that impedes your ability to take your normal swing. You decide your best option is to punch the ball back into play using a left-handed swing but in doing so, you’ re now standing on the cart path. The question: Since a left-handed swing is not your normal stance, would you be allowed to take free relief from the cart path? The answer: Yes, because using an abnormal swing doesn’ t preclude you from taking relief as long as the stroke you’ re trying to make isn’ t clearly unreasonable. Proceed by finding the nearest point of complete relief using a left-handed stroke. From that spot, you get a one-club-length relief area to drop the ball in. The best part? After completing the relief procedure, you are then free to use a normal right-handed swing.
An immovable obstruction that’ s in a penalty area The scenario: Taking aim at the flagstick, your shot sails over the green and avoids the penalty area, but a bridge that’ s in the penalty area is interfering with your next swing. The question: Do you get free relief from this obstruction even though it’ s in the penalty area? The answer: You’ re allowed free relief from immovable obstructions anywhere on the course except when your ball is in the penalty area. If the ball were in the penalty area, there’ d be no free relief from the bridge. But since this ball is not in the penalty area, free relief would be allowed.
It’ s not about the location of the obstruction— it’ s all about the location of the ball.
Accidentally moving your ball while trying to find it The scenario: You are searching for your ball off the fairway— and you inadvertently interfere with the ball while doing so. The question: Is it a penalty if I accidentally move the ball while looking for it? The answer: If you or anyone else accidentally moves your ball anywhere on the course while trying to find or identify it, there is no penalty. Simply replace the ball on its original spot. If you’ re unsure of the exact spot, use your best judgment to estimate and play on.
Taking relief from the rough to the fairway The scenario: You draw a bad lie in the rough, but a sprinkler head interferes with your stance. You wisely decide to take free relief. While your nearest point of complete relief is in the rough, you realize that your one club-length reaches the fairway. The question: Are you allowed to take free relief from the rough and drop it in the fairway? The answer: Absolutely! In fact, this is the exact scenario used in Clarification 16.1 / 1 in the Rules of Golf to illustrate that this is permissible. The rough and fairway are part of the same area of the course— the General Area— and if taking relief results in you getting better conditions, then it’ s your lucky day. Feel free to drop and take your next shot.
Roberts is the Senior Manager, Rules— Technology, Content & Education for the USGA. This is an excerpt from a story that appeared on USGA. org. To read the full piece, please scan the QR code. vsga. org N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2025 | V IRGINIA G OLFER
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