Encinitas Golf Shop

Don’t Play if You Don’t Know the Rules

            It’s not a well-kept secret that most golfers who play for personal reasons never take the time to learn the precise rules of the game.  But the rules of golf help make you a better player.

            There are many issues you need to know when studying the rules of golf.  Some of them affect you – such as what to do when your ball is situated right behind a man-made hazard like a stake in the ground.

            Other situations will affect your playing partners – like if you’re in the middle of a game and you find the lost ball he’s searching frantically for.  Do you have to spill the beans and clue him in on where it’s at?

            There are too many golf rules to list here, but you can always download the rules, access the on the ‘net, or buy a pocket-sized golf rulebook to carry with you on the course. 

            Some of the rules will affect whether or not you get to replay a shot without having to suffer an extra stroke.  Or you might discover you can save points knowing what to do if your ball is lodged in the branch of a tree.

            When you’re playing on a golf course, you’ll notice markings that will have an impact on your play.  Stakes or lines that are red, white, or yellow all have different meanings – do you know what they are?

            If you have to drop a ball, it can get confusing to understand what it means to get relief or drop a certain number of club lengths without going closer to the hole.  Learning the rules helps you keep up the ace with other golfers who are waiting for you to do the right thing.

            Sometimes you have to take golfer’s etiquette into account – even if the rules say otherwise.  For instance, getting back to the issue where you find an opponent’s ball and you face the question of whether or not to tell him, the answer isn’t black and white.

            According to the United States Golf Association, you’re not obliged to tell him.  But golfers know this is sneaky, and it’s highly unusual for a fellow golfer not to tell his opponent if he finds his ball.

            With golfers, the key is not to win because you got away with something – it’s to win because your shots were better and fewer than everyone you played against.  It’s okay to continue playing as you learn the rules of golf.  You don’t have to hold up your play, but if you get into a situation where you’re confused, ask your fellow golfers to fill you in on what to do.