Pros Advice

Must-know rule reminders!


Rob McNicholas

04 April 2022


Have you ever been called out on a rules error, or seen a playing partner bending the rules? If you haven’t, trust us when we say that you want to keep it that way! Make sure you’ve got the knowledge to let your golf do the talking.
 

Search time

You certainly don’t want to be the one holding everybody up, but with the 2019 rule change dropping your search time from five to three minutes, this shouldn’t be a problem. It also means you can nudge your playing partner to keep things moving a couple of minutes earlier.

Taking a drop

If you’ve just hit a tee shot and you know your ball is lost to the world, your best option may be to take three off the tee. However, if you find the ball but can’t play it then you have two options: take a drop two club lengths from where the ball is in any direction except closer to the flag, or drop backwards on the same line as far as you like. Choose wisely!

Loose impediments

There was a famous moment in the 1999 WM Phoenix Open when fans moved a giant boulder for Tiger. You (probably) won’t have a Tiger-like fanbase if that happens to you, but the general rule of being able to move loose impediments such as twigs and rocks interfering with your shot does apply, so long as you don’t disturb your ball in the process. Beware, though, as this can be subject to local rules.

We hope these pointers help you in the 2022 season, but by all means feel free to come and have a chat with us for any advice. If you’ve ever been caught out or unsure in a sticky situation, make sure it doesn't happen again - we’re always happy to pass on any knowledge that may help you.

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