What do you do if your playing partner steps on your ball? That was the situation I found myself in when playing with my father-in-law a few years ago.
I’d hit my drive into some medium rough left off the tee. When I got to where I thought my ball should be it was nowhere to be seen.
My father-in-law, who was playing in my group, came over to help me find my ball. In the process of searching he accidentally (or so he says) stepped on on it. Nobody in our group had a rule book, so we had to guess at the right ruling.
I figured I had 2 options: (1) play it from where it lay – now partly buried; or (2) lift and place the ball in the position it would have been in before being smothered by my father-in-law’s size 10. What penalty, if any, should apply?
I briefly considered penalizing my father-in-law a couple of shots, but decided better of it…….it was bound to get back to my wife. In the end I placed my ball next to it’s recently created impression and took a 1 shot penalty.
After the round I consulted my rule book, which for some reason was on a book shelf at home, instead of in my golf bag (I do keep my street directory in the car). I discovered that I did the right thing by replacing the ball, but shouldn’t have incurred the penalty shot. If it was my playing partner, caddy or my equipment that made contact with the ball, I would have incurred the penalty.
Make use of online resources
I don’t think I’m the only one who doesn’t have a complete grasp of the rules of golf. Here are some tips and resources to help you avoid guessing the correct ruling.
Firstly, if you don’t have a rule book in your golf bag, you should get one. If you are a member of a golf club, they will normally provide you with one. If not, you can probably buy one from your local golf shop or buy one of a number of versions online at Amazon.
The official Rules of Golf are written and maintained by the USGA and the R&A in St Andrews, Scotland. I don’t think you need to go much further than their respective websites to find great information about the rules and how to interpret them. Here is a summary of what each site offers:
- USGA
- Browse the rules online
- Video content showing the rules in action
- Rules FAQs
- Rules of Golf Quiz
- R&A
- Browse the rules online
- Video content showing the rules in action
- Video footage of incorrect application of rules in actual tournaments
- Rules FAQs
- Rules of Golf Quiz
- Download PDF version of the Rules of Golf
Check Out YouTube
YouTube is also a pretty good source of information on rules interpretation. Here’s a clip featuring Phil Mickelson. Mickelson appears to have benefited from a very loose interpretation of this particular rule!
Let me know if you’ve found any other good online resources that make applying the rules of golf less hit and miss.
