I’ve had a request from a student to put together a list of rules that beginners should know…so these are my top 10.
10. Count all your strokes, even the ones that you swing and miss (if you swing at it and try to hit it, IT COUNTS even if the ball goes 0 inches)
9. When starting a hole you must tee the ball behind the tee markers or it is a one stroke penalty and you must re-tee.
8. If you hit the ball out of bounds you must rehit your ball and add two strokes (if you hit it in the house on the right with your first one, that’s one stroke, then get another ball out of your bag, that’s another one, place it on the tee and hit again, you are hitting 3.
7. If you hit the ball in a water hazard, it is a one stroke penalty added to the next shot and you drop the ball from shoulder height no more than two club lengths from the spot your ball entered the hazard,
6. In a sand bunker you are not allowed to touch the sand with your club until you strike the ball (no practice swings touching the sand or resting it on the sand behind the ball before you swing). If you ground your club in the sand when you are not hitting the ball you add one stroke to your score at the end of the hole.
5. Order of Play/Pace of Play: Order or play;The person the farthest from the hole has the honor to go first. In stroke play (normal golf played with friends or most PGA Tour events) if you hit out of turn it’s not a penalty, but when you are playing a match play event (one-on-one) if you hit out of turn your playing partner has the right to ask you to hit it again after he hits. Pace of play : if you are taking more than 20 seconds to hit a shot you can be penalized for slow play…in a tournament it happens a lot but in day to day play with your friends, it’s just good to not take too long to hit a ball. WATCH YOUR PACE OF PLAY be ready to play when it’s your turn!
4. GREEN ETIQUETTE: These things are not a penalty but good for the game. If you make a ball mark indention in the green, fix it. You do this by pushing the grass into the center of the indention until it is flat. (coming from the son of a greenskeeper, fix your ball marks and one more that you see)
3. Don’t step in someone’s intended putting line when on the green. This isn’t a penalty either but very important that’s why it’s in my top 5
2. Maximum of 14 clubs in your bag. If you play with more than 14 clubs you will be penalized 2 strokes every hole you have that extra club.
1. Play the ball as it lies this is the oldest and most sacred of golf rules…don’t bump the ball it count’s as a stroke, even if you accidentally bump the ball it counts you must accept the shot and add it to you score. (only exception is when you tee it up at the tee box and you accidental bump it off the tee while lining up, you simply place it on the tee and swing away with out penalty)
Hope this helps Steve and anyone else who is just starting!!! (Stephanie M)
