Rules
 

One thing about league, it gives you a chance to bone up, or educate people, on the rules.

Last night there were at least three possible infractions in our group.

The first two happened on a par four. My teammate's opponent hits a great drive, has only about 50 yards to the green. He skulls a lob wedge about 80 yards, well over the back of the green and down the hill towards the clubhouse/parking lot. Thinking the ball might be out of play, he hits a provisional. OK. We walk over the hill and see his ball in the grass next to the cart path...in play. He says, "Man, I don't like the looks of that shot, I think I'll take the one shot penalty and play the provisional (which is on the green 10 feet away from the cup)." WTF? You can't decide to hit the provi after you find the original ball. My teammate doesn't say anything, so I finally say, if you find the first ball you have to play it.

Then, his partner stands on the hill next to the green to help him line up his shot. We let that go at the time but reminded him later that was also illegal.

A couple of holes later, my opponent hits into the water hazard, which happens to be dry right now. So he goes down to the ball and moves away a stick and other crap from around his ball. You can't do that in a hazard.

Is it still considered a hazard even if there is no water?

Yup, designated by a red line/stakes around it, in this case a lateral water hazard.

The same is true inside the red boundry even when it's just grass you're playing on.

Same holds true for sand bunkers.

I have to admit I cheated once yesterday. It was OK'd by the group we were playing with since it was their fault, though. I hit over the green into the surrounding woods on my second. They were in the area and marked my ball for me with one of their hats. I play the ball. Turns out when I look at it on the green, wasn't my ball. Should have been penalty, but I blame them since they said it was mine and it was the same brand.

Also, general question on rules:
I had two more balls go DEEP into woods. One took me three strokes to get out. The other I dropped outside at the point of entry without really looking much and ended up bogeying the hole.

So, what are the rules on "how much" you have to look. I could have probably shvaed five strokes off my score if I would have shortened the search.

i know you can't touch anything in the sand, but you can't moves sticks in a hazard such as woods/water? why the hell not?

Because I said so.

If the ball lies in a hazard, the player must not touch or move any loose impediment lying in or touching the same hazard — see Rule 13-4c.

http://golf.about.com/cs/rulesofgolf...es_hazards.htm

didn't know that one.


oh speaking of moving stuff...what's the rule about sprinklers? my ball was about two inches from a sprinkler the other night. i didn't think to move it and swung away with my 56 wedge. shattered the side of it and my hands were ringing but the ball stopped about 6 feet from the pin. no harm no foul i say.

Playing the wrong ball is a bitch. I've done it twice, once in a tournament. I make an effort to ID my ball every time. It's the time you're sure it's your ball that it turns out it isn't.

You have 5 minutes to look for lost balls, I believe. If it is declared lost, you hit the provisional you should have hit after the tee shot, stroke and distance penalty.

If you didn't hit a provi, you get to walk back to the tee box and hit another one in front of the people waiting to tee off. That's the USGA rule.

Our league has a rule that if a ball is lost in the rough, you just drop it where you thought it landed with a one stroke penalty. Speeds up play.

Don't hit them.

Free relief from man-made obstructions, including if your stance is impaired.

i didn't think i was going to. took one helluva divot, wasn't expecting the club to go through the ground that far.

and besides, that's not a 'rule' that's just good ettiquette.


does that really sound like me?

I'm sure switches were involved.

I had a few last night, they actually got warm before a guy could finish them.

that was the 9th hole, so probably about the 6th switch.

mine never get warm, but the thing i hate is when they bounce around in the cart. i always dump the last ounce or two because it's so flat from shaking around.

I'd say this one should be universal for normal play as well as charity golf tournaments....Practicality matters.

Regarding switches. Sometimes we'll go hit the disc golf course in the winter, its fun to brave the cold and occasionally you get the itch to play, but its a bad idea to carry cans because the beer freezes. I'm not sure if it ever happens with bottles, but I've cracked open a few cans that were nothing but slush.

If I ever prove that Jesus was God & man, then I'll be seeing you on the course with a chainsaw.

A few years ago I was golfing with a buddy, and he hit one that stopped about 4 inches to the left of a sprinkler. No problem, the sprinkler didn't come into play for his swing. Expect that on our way up, the sprinkler turned on. Instead of getting drenched, we drove the cart up and parked it over the sprinkler. Problem solved.

disc golf in the winter sounds like a good time.


i think i'd bring some peppy schnapps with though instead of beer.

that's a good idea, i'll keep that one in my back pocket.

I like it because all of the brush is gone and you are less prone to losing a disc. Plus, you are more likely to get through a tree because the leaves are gone and won't knock down your disc.