During the past few Ryder and Solheim Cups, the controversy of conceding short putts makes the news. For some reason, players think that putts of certain distances should be given regardless of the situations. Or golfers thought the tap in putt was conceded, when in fact it was not. Of course anytime a golfer breaches a rule there is a cost and in Match Play it usually results in the loss of a hole. Therefor, conceding a putt is a big thing and is at the sole discretion of the person or team not putting.
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Rule 16.3 – Embedded Ball Relief
In 2019, one of the major rule changes dealt with an embedded ball. Many players still do not understand this rule, but it is important to navigate what a player can and cannot do when their ball is embedded. I came across a great video involving Patrick Cantlay which goes through the steps required to take relief from an embedded ball. This rule is very important in my location because of the wet conditions in the spring and fall. I might be of help to you.
Continue readingHanging On The Edge Of A Cliff
Have you ever had your ball sit on the edge of a hole hoping it would drop? This probably happens about 5 times a year and those few seconds of anticipation can be filled with elation or sorrow. I am not sure if you know, but there is a rule in golf that outlines the process or procedure you follow when waiting for your ball to drop. To highlight my point, Si Woo Kim lived this scenario recently and I think we should see what happened because I do not agree with the ruling!
Continue readingAccidently Hitting Your Ball On The Putting Green
Accidently hitting my ball during my practice stroke as happened maybe once or twice over the years, but I do not remember it happening to me. However, I won a golf tournament because my opponent did this on the last hole of play. It was a very small local military event and nothing to brag about it for sure. Regardless, I was shocked to see him do this and under the old rules, it was a 1 stroke penalty. Under the new rules, a player can replace their ball without penalty because intent is a factor guiding the new rules. Matthew Wolff found this our a few short days ago.
Continue readingReplacing a Cut or Scuffed Golf Ball
For many amateurs, like myself, who pay for their golf balls, I try to play my them for as many holes as possible. It is not that I am really cheap, but $5.50 Cdn a golf ball can get expensive if I willy-nilly change my golf all. This propensity to use my golf ball as long as possible leads to a less that favourable playing condition for my white gold. Hence, I pay attention to when I can replace my ball and when I cannot. Not surprisingly, there is a rule that covers this topic and one that if you are in competition is very important.
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The Grateful Golfer 