Pre-Tournament: Know the Rules?

Canadan

You Are Great
Albatross 2024 Club
Staff member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
148,328
Reaction score
105,562
Location
Ohio
Handicap
**
If you are about to play in a tournament, do you brush up on your basic rules knowledge?
Do you speak to someone before teeing off to find out about local rules being applied?

Or do you just roll with what you know and hope that if something comes up there's a rules savant in the group with you?
 
Came into play this weekend during club championship qualifying. I grabbed the local rules sheet that was available at check in. One of my partners benefited after he was able to take advantage of a free drop where seemingly would have been a penalty.

Knowing the local rules is a must for tournament play IMO.
 
Know the local rules for sure as some courses have some funky stuff going on. Apart from that I just wing it
 
I would probably go over the main rules I would expect to run into just to be on the safe side along with check the local rules on tourney day. Rather not run into a situation during a shot where someone thinks I am trying to pull a fast one.
 
Usually just roll with it and rely on my playing group to get us through it all.
 
To be completely honest I have never read the rule book. Most of what I know has come from watching it on TV or from others in the group. I don't currently play in any actual tournaments but maybe if I did I would play more attention
 
It always help to know the local rules before you tee off.
 
I'm a bit of a rules nerd. One of the guys in my league said he liked playing with me, because I almost always know the rule off the top of my head.

Local rules are very important. I played a round last week where the fairway next to 16 was OB, because you could easily turn the par 5 16 into an easy par 4, by short cutting through the other fairway. SO local rule makes that fairway OB to discourage such creativity.
 
Do not play in tournaments but if I did, I would definitely make it a point to have the local rules and brush up on my rule book before hand.

Your club championship was this weekend wasn't it, something happen that brought about the question? (nvm saw other post...)
 
Last edited:
If you are about to play in a tournament, do you brush up on your basic rules knowledge?
Do you speak to someone before teeing off to find out about local rules being applied?

Or do you just roll with what you know and hope that if something comes up there's a rules savant in the group with you?

About 10 years ago Dustin Johnson lost the PGA Championship because neither he or his caddie knew the definition of bunkers at Whistling Straits GC.
I give DJ a pass on not wanting to read the pre tournament Rules sheet. Lots of players prefer to focus on swinging the clubs and playing shots, and for those type players it's really up to the caddie to know the Rules and protect his/her player from incurring penalties. So , my take is that the caddie cost DJ a Major at Whistling Straits.
For amateur play it is on the player to read and understand the Rules. Amateurs don't employ caddies who make $500,000 plus per year.
 
I wouldn't say brush up much but I for sure tr to remember basics of 1 v 2 club length drops ect. I also ask any question before even if I am 98% sure. Example was making sure I can keep extra shafts in my bag as I use them as alignment rods, didn't want any surprises. I also double check local rules before hand, ask for pin sheet ask if GUR and all hazards are painted. I also remember that when in doubt play 2 balls and figure it out at the end of the round.
 
I dont brush up at all but I have a serviceable knowledge of basic rules. Local mini tours usually have a rules guy with a phone just in case, and they give out his number on the local rules sheet.

One rule that threw me for a loop in a tournament was when I accidentally hit my ball during a practice swing and it deflected into a hazard.
Another one that bit me was I once hit a ball into an area that I thought was OB but it was actually a red stake penalty area. I hit a provisional ball for pace reasons and that started a series of events that lead to a DQ. Cant play a provisional from a red stake penalty area apparently.
 
Back
Top