Many events you play in are run by very small groups of staff and more than likely only a few volunteers to help monitor slow play and administer the rules. Understanding the limitations on such a small group, it is very likely that you may encounter a situation that requires an application of the rules and no assistance is immediately available. In this case the player must decide what to do and play on without any unreasonable delay.
So will you know how to proceed?
The process and requirements a player needs to follow are different for match play vs for stroke play.
Quiz time: Which rule of golf covers how to deal with rules issues?? ______________________
Match Play is the simpler of the two because the players in a match may agree how to decide a rules issue on their own via agreement. The agreed outcome is conclusive even if it turns out to be wrong under the rules of golf at a later time because both players are aware of the facts and the outcome of their agreement. The only stipulation is that the players must not agree to ignore any Rule or penalty they knew applied.
Match play requirements: player must request that a ruling be made in time which means: when players become aware of the facts and: during the round before either player makes a stroke to begin another hole, or on the final hole the request must be made before match results are final. If not requested in this time frame the results in question will stand even if the rules were applied incorrectly. In match play a player does not have a right to play two balls.
Stroke Play: players may not agree upon a solution, if uncertainty still exists a player may complete the hole with two balls without penalty. BUT the player must decide to play two balls before making a stroke, the player should choose which ball counts if the rules allow by announcing that choice to his/her marker or to another player before making a stroke. If the player does not choose in time, the ball played first is treated as the ball chosen by default. The facts of the situation MUST be reported to the committee before returning the scorecard, even if the same score was made with both balls. Otherwise what is the penalty??______________
If a player makes a stroke before deciding to play a second ball, the score with that ball will count regardless of a second ball being played.
Just a quick but important process to know about the Rules of Golf. You will notice that I italicized a few key words. These key words are the critical ones that make implementing the rules much easier. Some examples of these key words in the Rules are; may, must, the, and a among others. Being able to pick out these key words gives you a quick way to apply each respective Rule. (Ex. The ball vs a ball. Must do something vs may do something)
Hopefully you were able to answer the couple of questions asked, if not lets open up the book/app and learn.
The Rulesguy
