TheRules
BY DANIELA LENDL
The Story
Behind Dropping
GOLF IS A COMPLICATED GAME. No matter how low your
handicap, you will still occasionally end up in a situation where you are
dropping a ball. Sometimes dropping can benefit your situation, such
as when you get free relief from a condition on the golf course that is not
meant to be there (like temporary water or a cart path). Other times,
you are dropping because you are in a situation where you cannot or
do not want to play your ball as it lies (such as in a penalty area).
In 2019, the dropping procedure underwent a major overhaul when
it shifted from shoulder height to knee height. However, this was not
the first time that this procedure saw a major pivot. In 1984, the Rules
of Golf went through another significant reorganization which, at the
time, was considered the biggest in the history of the game. While the
Rules of Golf had been written jointly by the USGA and The R&A since
1952, each organization was still issuing separate Decisions on the
Rules. In 1984, the two organizations came together to write a truly
unified code with a single set of Rules and a single set of Decisions.
To take a drop prior to 1984, you were required to stand facing the
hole and drop your ball over your shoulder and behind you. Effective
in 1984, the Rules of Golf shifted to the shoulder-height drop that we
are all familiar with.
DROPPING OVER THE SHOULDER
The over-the-shoulder drop was arguably one of the longest-standing procedures in the Rules
before it was changed in 1984. At least three variations of this procedure were in existence since
the early beginnings of the game:
• Throw the ball over the head, with no provision on how far (1776 Bruntsfield Links).
• Face the hole and drop the ball over the head (1809 Honourable Company).
• Drop the ball over the shoulder (1825 Perth).
While the first universally accepted set of Rules was published in 1899, the over-theshoulder
drop was not officially over the shoulder until 1909. Before the Rules specifically
mentioned dropping over the shoulder, they required a player to drop over his or her head.
Given the issues you could encounter using this procedure, the length of time it
remained in effect was impressive! Let’s take a look back at the over-the-shoulder drop
and the main challenge it created.
A player who was dropping had no way to see what was happening behind him or her.
Normally this would not be an issue, but the Rules of Golf did have the requirement to
re-drop in certain cases. If the player did not correctly complete the dropping requirements
on the second drop attempt, the ball needed to be placed on the spot it struck the course on
the second drop. This required the player to quickly turn around to see where the ball was going
to strike the course.
What happens if the player is dropping in a less than ideal location? If you are facing the hole when dropping
and can’t see where the ball is dropped, it’s possible that the ball will be lost in long grass or elsewhere.
USGA, ILLUSTRATIONS BY MELANIE SCHUMACHER
14
V IRGINIA G OLFER | S EPTEMBER/O CTOBER 2020
vsga.org