RULES OF GOLF SEMINAR Study Guide

Transcription

1 RULES OF GOLF SEMINAR Study Guide

2 HOTELS / LODGING Listed below are hotels near to each seminar s location that may be convenient. We do not recommend any one hotel over another, but these are ones we have used or will be using. There are many other hotels available in each region. Please note rooms are all subject to availability, we do not have room blocks. Valley (Spring Creek GCC) Fairfield Inn & Suites Modesto Salida 4342 Salida Blvd. Salida, CA (209) Daly City (Lake Merced GC) Hampton Inn 2700 Junipero Serra Blvd. Daly City, CA (650) Courtyard San Francisco Airport 1050 Bayhill Dr. San Bruno, CA (650) Alamo (Round Hill CC) Courtyard Marriott San Ramon San Ramon Valley Rd. San Ramon, CA (925) Sacramento (Granite Bay GC) Courtyard Roseville 1920 Taylor Rd. Roseville, CA (916) Pebble Beach (NCGA Headquarters) Hotel Abrego NCGA Member Rate: Call for Rates 755 Abrego St. Monterey, CA (800) Lone Oak Lodge NCGA Member Discount Available 2221 N. Fremont St. Monterey, CA (831)

3 Table of Contents 1. Preparation Tips 4 2. Test Taking Strategies 9 3. Using the Rule Book Exercise True/False Exercise Know the Definitions Exercise Decisions on Index Exercise Multiple Choice Questions Based On the Decisions Exercise Six Holes With The Rules of Golf - Exercise Multiple Choice Closed Book - Exercise Multiple Choice Open Book - Exercise Answer Sheets 44 3

4 RULES SEMINAR TEST PREPARATION TIPS As you begin preparation for the NCGA Rules Seminar, the following tips are simply ideas and recommendations to help you get started. As no two people study the same way what works for one person may not work for another. The following are general techniques that usually produce good results. Before you even begin it s helpful to develop a schedule as a means of allocating your time. After developing a schedule...follow it! Timing when to study is critical. Be sure you are rested and alert. Outlining studies have shown that when key points are highlighted rather than underlined they are more easily remembered. Making notes in your own words is also helpful. The more active the learning is, the more you will remember. Research Look it up! Whether you re playing golf, watching it on TV or discussing it with friends whenever a rules question comes up, take time to research the rule. It may be slow at first, but the experience will accelerate your personal learning curve. Practice One of the difficulties with taking a Rules Exam is the time constraints. If you practice by doing practice quizzes or working through the Decisions book, you will be able to move more quickly during the exam. There are four important steps to becoming more fluent in using the Decisions Book: 1. Know the Rule Numbers and Headings. There is no way around it, if you don t know the numbers and headings you will waste valuable time during the exam. 2. Know the Definitions. As stated below, the importance of knowing the Definitions cannot be understated. The less time you spend sifting through various Decisions when the answer is in the heart of a Definition, the more time you have to ponder difficult test questions. 3. Consult the Index Contents and become familiar with the list of headings. Being familiar with the Index headings is one of the keys to successfully navigating the Index and finding Decisions more quickly. 4. Practice. Practice means more than just answering the questions, follow up and find the references, use the Index even when you can find the Decision without it so you are more prepared when you need the Index. 4

5 RULES SEMINAR STUDY SCHEDULES PHASE I DEFINITIONS It is impossible to understand the Rules of Golf without first understanding the definitions. There are 61 definitions in the rules book. Definitions are terms that define areas of the course, objects and playing situations that confront golfers. In order to properly interpret a rules situation, it is necessary to refer to the definition to correctly understand and apply the relevant rule. Memorize definitions Create flashcards for definitions. Put topics on one side of the card, answers on the other. Flashcards will enable you to test your ability to not only recognize important information, but will increase your ability to retrieve information. Understand the differences between key words Must, Should and May are critical as you study the definitions as are A Ball, His Ball or The Ball. For instance, A Ball allows for substitution of a new ball The Ball' is the ball currently in play. Begin reading the 'Rules of Golf Book Become familiar with the rules by their numbers. Be sure to read and understand the Notes and Exceptions listed under a Rule. EXERCISES 1. Check out the USGA s website at and click the Rules tab. In addition to a Rule of the Day with a related question, there are online quizzes. 2. Royal Canadian Golf Association website at 3. Check out the R & A s website at You may notice some slight spelling differences. 4. Check out the NCGA s Rules Resources page and the Aid to Memorizing Rules document. OTHER TOOLS/READING MATERIALS: The Rules of Golf in Plain English -Jeffrey S. Kuhn & Bryan A Gamer Golf Rules Illustrated Available at under publications. PHASE II Review: The following should be completed. Definitions committed to memory Rules of Golf book read several times USGA online 'basic' quizzes mastered Rules of Golf in Plain English and Golf Rules Illustrated completed 5

6 PHASE III Read: Decisions on the Rules of Golf over the next three weeks in small increments. The Decisions are interpretations of the Rules as a result of questions from golfers and golf organizations from around the world. Become familiar with the Contents of Index. Spend time reading the Decisions book and become familiar with the questions. It is important to identify 'key' words in the situation/question and find the appropriate reference(s). Example Situation: On the tee of a par four, a player asks his opponent which club he used. Key word: Advice look it up in the Contents of Index. Each decision starts with the Rule number such as 10-2/1. First number: Second number: Third number: (10) is the Rule (2) is the subsection of the Rule (/1) is the Decision number on a particular subsection of a Rule If you cannot find the exact Decision you are looking for find one that is similar and then check the cross-referenced Decisions at the bottom of the Decision before you go back to the index. HINT: Keep your Decisions book where you watch TV. Mute the commercials and read a decision or two. You will be amazed at how much you accomplish. Break up your reading of the Decisions into groupings. One suggested method is to group like Rules together: The Game o Rule 1 - The Game o Rule 2 - Match Play o Rule 3 - Stroke Play Clubs and the Ball o Rule 4 - Clubs o Rule 5 - The Ball Player's Responsibilities o Rule 6 - The Player o Rule 7 - Practice o Rule 8 - Advice o Rule 9 - Information as to strokes taken Order of Play and Teeing Ground o Rule 10 - Order of Play o Rule 11 - Teeing Ground Playing the Ball o Rule 12 - Searching for and identifying Ball o Rule 13 - Ball Played as it lies o Rule 14 - Striking the Ball 6

7 Rule 15 - Substituted Ball; Wrong Ball Putting Green Rule 16 --The Putting Green Rule 17 --The Flagstick Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped Rule 18 - Ball at rest moved Rule 19 - Ball in motion deflected or stopped Relief Situations and Procedures Rule 20 - Lifting, dropping and placing; playing from wrong place Rule 21 - Cleaning Ball Rule 22 - Ball assisting or interfering with play Rule 23 - Loose Impediments Rule 24 - Obstructions Rule 25 - Abnormal ground conditions, embedded ball/wrong putting green Rule 26 - Water hazards Rule 27 - Ball lost or out of bounds; provisional ball Rule 28 - Ball unplayable Other Forms of Play and Administration Rule 29 - Threesomes and foursomes Rule 30 - Three ball, Best Ball and four ball match play Rule 31 - Four-ball stroke play Rule 32 - Bogey, Par and Stableford competitions Rule 33 - The Committee Rule 34 - Disputes and Decisions Phase IV It s time to test your knowledge and understanding of the rules and prepare for the test at the completion of the NCGA Rules Seminar. The following exercises, test taking tips and strategies are intended to assist you in preparing for Rules School. Recommended Activities USGA website at - take the advanced/random mix quizzes NCGA Rules Resources Page - review Robin Farran s Key Points documents Rules and Decisions Videos (Rules of Golf Explained) R & A online rules quizzes at WHAT IS THE RULING EXERCISE? To answer any questions on the Rules you must first establish the facts of the case. 7

8 To do so you should identify: 1. What is the form of play (match play or stroke play; single, foursome or four-ball)? 2. Who is involved (the player, his partner, or caddie, an outside agency)? 3. Where the incident occurred (on the teeing ground, in a bunker or water hazard, on the putting green, or elsewhere on the course)? 4. Where is the ball? 5. What were the player s intentions (what was he/she doing and what does he/she want to do)? 6. When did it happen? Does the player have an opportunity to correct or has he/she teed off at the next hole? 7. Why is a ruling necessary? (Did the player proceed under a correct rule? If not, what is the applicable rule)? 8. What are the subsequent events that have taken place (has the player turned in his/her score card or has the competition closed)? Example: Your friend has invited you to play as his partner in his club's invitational four-ball stroke-play competition. On the final hole of the round, your partner flubs his tee shot towards a lateral water hazard 20 yards in front of the tee. You hear the ball hit a small tree but do not see the ball after it hits the tree. The area between the fairway and the hazard is covered by heather and six inch rough. After searching for five minutes, your partner assumes that the ball went into the hazard. He drops a ball behind the hazard at a spot that conforms to Rule 26-1b and plays that ball onto the green. As he was walking to the green, he found his original ball in the hazard. Has he proceeded correctly? If not, is there a penalty? Who: Your partner but has no bearing on answer What: Four-Ball Stroke play Stroke Play Where: Ball may be in hazard or lost from a tee shot. Area where ball may be has heather and thick rough. When: No time issues - not a serious breach Why: Player can't find ball, needs to take correct relief. When player dropped the ball under the water hazard rule was it the applicable Rule? Was he entitled to take relief? NO Rule 26 requires virtual certainty that the ball is in the hazard ~with the tall rough and the fact that a ball hit the tree and could have gone in any direction, there is NOT VIRTUAL CERTAINTY (see Decision 26-1/1). Therefore, we must find the applicable rule. Do we know where the ball is? NO. Consequently, the only rule that applies is Rule 27 - Ball Lost or Out of Bounds. Therefore, the player was not entitled to assume that his original ball was in the hazard and the fact that it was subsequently found in the hazard is irrelevant. When the player dropped and played another ball behind the hazard, it became the ball in play and the original ball was lost. The player was required to proceed under Rule In playing the ball dropped under Rule 26-1, he played from a wrong place. He incurred the stroke-and-distance penalty prescribed by Rule 27-1 and an additional penalty of two strokes for a breach of that Rule. While it may seem unfair to make the player proceed under the lost ball rule, when his ball actually turns up in the hazard, it is important to remember that the player searched for 5 minutes and didn't find the ball, therefore the ball was lost (Definition of Lost Ball). Also, he was never entitled to assume that it went in the hazard when there were many other places the ball might be (tall rough and heather). Once we know that the player should proceed under the lost ball rule, we know that he must go back to the teeing ground to hit his next shot. He did not do this, so he played from a wrong place and incurred a penalty of two strokes under the lost ball rule (see penalty statement under 27-1 and 20-7). Don't forget to add the 1 stroke penalty for a lost ball. 8

9 TEST TAKING STRATEGIES Learning good test taking strategies and techniques is an important component to your success on the Rules of Golf test. Test Taking Tips: 1. Key words: objective tests usually contain one or more key words. Underline key word(s) in the test question to help formulate the answer. A key word or group of words are those on which the truth or falsity of a statement hinges. Learn to spot the key words in the statement that define the meaning. If a statement contains two clauses, one of which is false, the whole statement is false. 2. Multiple choice questions: multiple choice questions are essentially true-false questions arranged in groups. Usually only one alternative is correct. Your job is to pick the alternative that is more nearly true than the other. Read multiple choice questions the same way as true-false. Eliminate obvious false choices. 3. Options: Cover the options, read the questions, and try to answer. Select the option that most closely matches your answer. Eliminate options you know to be incorrect. Mark words or alternatives in questions that eliminate the option. Give each option of a question the "true-false test:" This may reduce your selection to the best answer. Question options that grammatically don t fit with the key word(s). Read the question with each option. Treat each option as a true-false question, and choose the most true. Certain verbs in test questions require specific types of answers; analyze test questions for 1) the verb denoting the answer required, and 2) key words that will help the focus on the information needed. Strategies to answer difficult questions: Question options that contain negative or absolute words. Try substituting a qualified term for the absolute one, like frequently for always; or typical for every to see if you can eliminate it. 1. All of the above: If you know two of three options seem correct, "all of the above" is a strong possibility. 2. Look alike options: One is probably correct; choose the best but eliminate choices that mean basically the same thing, and thus cancel each other out. 3. Double negatives: Create the equivalent positive statement and consider. If two alternatives seem correct, compare them for differences, and then refer to the questions to find your best answer. In-Test Strategies for Multiple Choice: With all these characteristics, it is no wonder that multiple choice tests are both under-estimated by some students and revered by others. Here are a series of in-test strategies: START WITH QUESTIONS YOU CAN ANSWER READILY. Do not waste time laboring over troublesome questions at the start. Be sure to get credit for items you know well. 9

10 SET GOALS FOR TIME AND PACE YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY. Allocate your time according to the relative worth of questions. READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY TWICE IF NECESSARY. Avoid jumping to conclusions about what you think the question asks. CIRCLE OR UNDERLINE KEY WORDS IN QUESTIONS. Multiple choice tests examine your ability to read carefully and thoughtfully as much as they test your ability to recall and reason. Watch for words like "all," "always," "never," "none," "few," "many," some," "sometimes." SOMETIMES ALTERNATIVES DIFFER BY ONLY ONE OR TWO WORDS or in the order of one or two terms. These can seem very confusing. It helps sometimes to read the stem of the question (that's the question part) with an alternative while covering up the others. By methodically thinking through the alternatives this way, you may be able to make more sense of the options by labeling them true or false and eliminating those that do not correctly complete the question. TRANSLATE DOUBLE NEGATIVE STATEMENTS into positive ones. Examples like "Not lacking" or "not none" become "having" and "some" and this can reduce confusion. OVERALL, remember that you are looking for the best answer, not only a correct one, and not one which must be true all of the time, in all cases, and without exception. 10

11 USING THE RULE BOOK EXERCISE Instructions: Identify the Rule number and sub-section that cover the following situations. Example: A player announces that he will play a provisional ball A player breaks a growing branch interfering with his stance. 2. A player puts salve on his ball to reduce spin. 3. A player signs and returns a score lower than actually taken on a hole. 4. A player replaces his ball on the putting green, but has not removed the ball-marker. 5. With no local rules in effect, a player uses a laser range-finder. 6. Prior to a match, a player practices chipping near the first putting green. 7. Without saying anything, a player plays a second ball from the teeing ground. 8. A player touches his line of putt while removing a broken tee. 9. A player bends his club purposely to adjust the loft. 10. A player s stroke from the fringe strikes an attended flagstick. 11. In four-ball match play, a player hits his partner s ball. 12. A player wishes to lift a ball that may interfere with a fellow-competitor. 13. In stroke play, a player plays from the wrong teeing ground. 14. A player s ball in motion is accidentally deflected by his fellow-competitor s bag. 15. In stroke play, a caddie accidentally kicks his player s ball that was at rest. 16. A player drops his ball through the green and it rolls into a bunker. 17. On the putting green, a player s ball fails to come to rest when replaced. 18. In match play, a player tells his opponent he lies 4 when he lies In foursomes stroke play, a player plays when his partner should have played. 20. In stroke play, a player is unsure how to proceed in a doubtful situation. 21. A player s club touches water in the water hazard where the ball lies. 22. A player moves his ball in a bunker accidentally while recreating the lie after a search. 23. A player s stance is in a puddle of water. 24. A player anchors his club intentionally during a stroke. 25. A player s ball is lost in a large pump station. 11

12 Instructions: TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE RULE BOOK- EXERCISE Using the Rule book, answer each question either true or false. 1. If a player uses a weighted donut during a round, he is disqualified. 2. A player should put an identifying mark on his ball. 3. The Committee may limit a Referee s duties in stroke play. 4. A substituted ball is the ball in play even if the substitution is not permitted. 5. If a player plays a stroke from the previous spot, he has proceeded under stroke and distance. 6. A player may deem his ball unplayable in a water hazard. 7. A player may anchor his forearm against his body to play a stroke with a long putter. 8. In stroke play, a player may play two balls when doubtful of a procedure. 9. A fellow-competitor s caddie is an outside agency. 10. A player may replace a club damaged in the normal course of play, even if it is not unfit for play. 11. A wall defining out of bounds is an obstruction. 12. A player may have his caddie hold an umbrella over his head during a short putt. 13. A ball is in a water hazard if it is touching the stake defining the margin of the hazard. 14. If a player has addressed the ball and it then moves, he is deemed to have caused the movement. 15. A player who lifts, drops and plays his fellow-competitor s ball has played a wrong ball. 16. A player may repair a ball-mark, even if her ball does not lie on the putting green. 17. A pile of manufactured ice is casual water. 18. In match play, a player who plays the first two holes with 15 clubs loses the first two holes. 19. In match play, a player may overlook a breach of the Rules by his opponent. 20. A ball is embedded if it is nestled in a tangle of thick grass, but has not broken the surface of the ground. 21. If a player s ball strikes his opponent s caddie, he may cancel and replay the stroke. 22. A re-dropped ball strikes the player. The player now must place the ball where it first struck the course. 23. A hole dug by a local dog is an abnormal ground condition. 24. A replaced ball is in play even if the ball-marker has not been removed. 25. A stray ball lifted, dropped and played under the unplayable Rule is a wrong ball. 12

13 KNOW THE DEFINITIONS - EXERCISE Instructions: Name the applicable definition(s). Note - A described object/person may or may not have the status of the applicable definition. 1. A player drops and plays a stray ball. 2. A player s ball strikes a moving cart. 3. A pile of branches is intended for removal. 4. A fellow-competitor tells a player his options for water hazard relief. 5. A player plays a second ball under stroke and distance and then finds his original ball. 6. A ball comes to rest in a tree branch overhanging a lake. 7. A player has interference from a cart path deemed to be an integral part of the course. 8. Grass adhering to the golf ball. 9. A ball oscillates but does not change position. 10. A player drops a ball with virtual certainty the original is in a water hazard. 11. Wind moves a player s ball. 12. A player wishes to drop in the fairway when the ball originally lay in the rough. 13. A player has replaced a ball but has not removed the ball-marker when her ball moves. 14. A hole dug by a bird. 15. The ball moves while removing manufactured ice from around the ball. 16. A player believes his ball may be lost outside a water hazard and wants to save time. 17. A player plays from outside the teeing ground when proceeding under stroke and distance. 18. A player plays his provisional ball after finding his original. 19. A ball strikes a rake held by a caddie. 20. A sprinkler head is leaking and water is visible on the surface of the ground. 21. A player finds his ball six minutes after beginning to search for it. 22. A large building is both in and out of bounds. 23. A fellow-competitor stands in line with the hole during a player s stroke to show the way. 24. A player determines the reference point for relief from an immovable obstruction. 25. A player checks his downswing before reaching the ball. 13

14 USING THE INDEX IN THE DECISIONS ON THE RULES OF GOLF - EXERCISE The purpose of this Exercise is to familiarize yourself with the Decisions Book index. Each question below describes an incident and the task is to identify the relevant Decision number using the Index and also list all of the Index headings under which that Decision appears. Each question indicates how many headings the relevant Decision will be listed under. Example: A player holds the flagstick with one hand and putts out with the other hand. Decision 17-1/5 Headings 1. Flagstick 2. Holed and Holing Out 3. Putting Green 4. Stroke 1. A player plays what she believes to be her ball and hits it out of bounds. She plays another ball under Rule 27-1 and then discovers that the ball she hit out of bounds was a wrong ball and that her original ball is lying in bounds. How must she proceed? Decision Headings A player has a chipper he purchased on-line and wants to know if it conforms with the Rules. Decision Headings A player s ball has come to rest in its pitch mark which is filled with casual water. What are his options? Decision Headings A player s ball hits his caddie and goes out of bounds. Decision Headings

15 5. A player moves a tee-marker before making her first stroke on that hole. Decision Headings A player s ball lies in casual water within an area defined as ground under repair. What are his options? Decision Headings A s caddie is attending the flagstick. The caddie suggests that the player aim at his foot. Decision Headings A and B are partners in a four-ball competition. A is practicing putting on the previous green when B drove from the next tee. Decision Headings A player and his marker sign the card in the wrong boxes. Decision Headings A player drops his towel and the wind blew it onto the player s ball, moving it. Decision Headings

16 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE DECISIONS ON THE RULES OF GOLF EXERCISE The purpose of this exercise is to translate practice using the Index into answering Rules questions. During the open book portion of the test, it is extremely helpful and highly recommended to reference a Rule or Decision and write it with your answer. When you review your answers prior to returning your answer sheet, having the Decision reference in place will help you clarify any possible questions you still have about your answer. Example: Q. A player, unable to find his ball, puts another ball into play. He then discovers that his original ball is in the hole. What is the ruling? a. The player must continue play with the second ball put into play. b. The score with the original ball counts. c. The player has played a wrong ball. A. b. Decision 1-1/2 1. A player smooths footprints five yards forward in a bunker on his line of play for a 150-yard approach shot. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty. b. There is a one-stroke penalty. c. The player incurs the general penalty. A. 2. A player finds a ball within the five-minute search period but does not identify it until after the period has elapsed. What is the ruling? a. The original ball is lost if it is not identified within the five-minute period. b. The original ball is in play if it is identified as the player s ball. c. Since the ball was not identified within the five-minute period, the player may choose to play the found ball if it is identified as his or may proceed under stroke and distance. A. 3. A player uses the same alignment rod on each of his tee shots on the first three holes. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty. b. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty. c. The player is disqualified. A. 4. A player fails to include the penalty for grounding his club in a hazard on three separate holes during the round and this is discovered prior to the close of competition. What is the ruling? a. The player is disqualified. b. The player incurs the applicable penalty strokes on the three holes and an additional two-stroke penalty added to the total score for signing an incorrect score card. c. The player incurs the applicable penalty strokes on the three holes and an additional two-stroke penalty on each of the three holes that were incorrect. A. 16

17 5. A player assumes his original ball to be in a water hazard, despite the absence of knowledge or virtual certainty. He proceeds under Rule 26-1a by proceeding under stroke and distance. He then finds his original ball outside the water hazard. What is the ruling? a. The original ball is lost and the other ball is in play under penalty of stroke and distance. b. Since it was not virtually certain the ball was in the water hazard, he proceeded incorrectly and must continue play with the original ball, and incurs two penalty strokes. c. Since it was not virtually certain the ball was in the water hazard, the player incurred two penalty strokes for playing from a wrong place in addition to the penalty stroke prescribed by Rule 26-1 and must continue with the dropped ball. A. 6. During a stroke, a player s long putter inadvertently touches his chest. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty. b. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty. c. The player is disqualified. A. 7. A player s ball came to rest on an upslope in a closely-mown area. He makes practice strokes that strike the ground ten yards away. Two minutes later, while surveying the stroke while his fellow-competitors play, his ball rolls down the slope. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty, and the ball must be played as it lies. b. The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. c. The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. A. 8. A player, approaching his ball on the putting green to lift it, drops his putter and moves the ball. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty as he was in the process of lifting the ball. b. The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and must replace the ball. c. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty and must replace the ball. A. 9. A player s ball in motion strikes a hole-liner pulled out and moving with the flagstick after a stroke from the putting green. What is the ruling? a. The ball must be played as it lies without penalty. b. The stroke must be canceled and replayed without penalty. c. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty for striking an attended flagstick. A. 17

18 10. A player correctly determines the nearest point of relief from a clearly defined cart path and drops the ball within the area prescribed by Rule 24-2b. However, when the player makes the stroke he uses a longer club which results in him standing on the cart path. What is the ruling? a. There is no penalty. b. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty. c. The player incurs a two-stroke penalty and the error must be corrected. A. 18

19 SIX HOLES WITH THE RULES OF GOLF -EXERCISE Aaron and Kelly are fellow-competitors in a stroke play competition. In particular we are going to follow Aaron around six holes of the course and you have been appointed by the Committee to be his marker. On each hole, Aaron encounters a number of Rules situations. Each situation requires you to give a Rule number or Decision number (as indicated) and indicate the number of penalty strokes incurred in that situation see Example Hole and Sample Answer below. Please note that the situation may not actually involve any penalty strokes. EXAMPLE HOLE: 370 YARDS PAR 4 1. Aaron hit a good drive down the middle. However on arriving at the ball he found that it was embedded in a closely mown area in its own pitch-mark. Aaron lifted, cleaned and dropped the ball as near as possible to the spot where it lay, but not nearer the hole. 2 Aaron s second shot went slightly to the right and his ball finished in a greenside bunker. Before attempting a stroke Aaron removed a tin can which was lying in the bunker near his ball. 3. Unfortunately, he played a bad shot. The ball hit the bunker face before coming to rest against Aaron s foot, still in the bunker. When he removed his foot the ball rolled into his footprint. Aaron replaced the ball on the spot at which it came to rest against his foot. 4. Then he played a good recovery shot to eight feet from the hole. He pushed the ball into the hole with his putter. Example Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Rule Rule Decision 19-2/ Rule HOLE 7: 400 YARDS PAR 4 1. Prior to his tee shot, Aaron asked Kelly how far away the bunker was. 2. After hitting the ball in the bunker, Aaron removed a pine needle in the bunker from behind his ball and played to the green. 3. Aaron s approach came to rest down a hill below the putting green and could not see the hole, so he asked Kelly to indicate the location of the flagstick by holding it directly over the hole. Kelly did so, and continued to hold the flagstick over the hole during the stroke. 4. Aaron s ball came to rest on the putting green. He asked Kelly to attend the flagstick, but when Kelly removed the flagstick the hole-liner stuck to it and was completely removed when Aaron s ball rolled into the unlined hole. 19

20 Hole 7 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Decision 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Decision HOLE 8: 397 YARDS PAR 4 1. Aaron hooked his tee shot which hit a tree and bounced off of the beverage cart deep into the forest. 2. Aaron found his ball, but believed the ball may have become cut. Without saying anything, he marked and lifted the ball. The ball is visibly cut so he replaced a new ball from where he lifted the original and plays. 3. His ball landed on the putting green but rolled onto the fringe behind the green. When he arrived at the green, Aaron fixed the ball-mark that was on his line of play. 4. Kelly then asked Aaron if he would like him (Kelly) to repair the spike mark damage on his line of play as well and Aaron accepted. 5. Aaron chipped onto the putting green and marked his ball by scratching an X in the surface. He did not test the surface in the process. Hole 8 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Decision 5. Decision HOLE 9: 519 YARDS PAR 5 1. Aaron hit his tee shot out of bounds and then realized he had played from outside the teeing ground. He then played a ball from within the teeing ground to the fairway. 2. Aaron s next shot went left toward the trees. He was near some tree roots so he probed the area to make sure he wouldn t hit a root during the stroke. 3. Aaron played the ball toward the water hazard fronting the green. He correctly dropped and played a ball under the water hazard Rule because he was sure the ball was in the water hazard. He crossed the hazard and found the ball in a divot in the fairway just outside the hazard. 4. Unsure what to do, Aaron played the original ball as well and (eventually) completed the hole with both balls. 20

21 5. Aaron s stroke after the drop came to rest just short of the putting green. During his chip stroke he struck the ground, moving the ball, and the club then bounced into the ball striking it in motion. 6. Aaron's first putt came to rest near the hole and he anchored his putter to make the stroke. Hole 9 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Decision 2. Decision 3. Decision 4. Decision 5. Decision 6. Rule HOLE 10: 514 YARDS PAR 5 1. At the turn, Aaron stopped on the practice putting green and hit a few practice putts, but he did not delay play as there was a back-up at the 10 th tee. 2. Aaron s tee shot came to rest directly in front of Kelly s ball. Kelly requested Aaron to lift the ball for interference. Aaron marked the position of the ball, lifted it, without cleaning the ball and replaced it after Kelly made his stroke. 3. Before Aaron replaced the ball he removed some pine needles that had been lying directly underneath the ball prior to lifting it and then plays. 4. Aaron s next stroke came to rest barely outside the greenside bunker. He grounded his club lightly on the sand in order to play his ball to the green. 5. Aaron s stroke from just outside the bunker came to rest near the hole. Unsure whose turn it was, Aaron measured the distance with his putter and in doing so accidentally moved his ball. It was determined Aaron was away, so he replaced the ball and putted into the hole. 6. Before Kelly putted, Aaron noticed the edge of the hole was ragged (but not out of shape) and repaired the ragged edge so that it would not interfere with Kelly s putt. Hole 10 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Decision 4. Decision 5. Rule 6. Decision 21

22 HOLE 11: 148 YARDS PAR 3 1. Aaron could not find a tee, so he created a raised surface in the ground with his club and played the ball to the fairway. 2. Aaron s tee shot came to rest in a greenside bunker. When he arrived at the bunker, he could not find the ball. He used his club and a nearby rake to search through the sand to find his ball. Once found he recovered the ball leaving just a small part of it visible. 3. The bunker was covered with pine needles. While approaching the ball in the bunker from behind his line of play, Aaron moved several of the needles that had come to rest in the bunker. His stroke from the bunker comes to rest between the bunker and the green. 4. A fly is crawling around Aaron s ball so he blows on the ball to scare the fly away, without moving the ball. 5. Aaron s chip runs five feet past the hole and next to an old ball-mark. He repairs the ball-mark and accidentally moves his ball in the process. He replaces the ball and holes out. Hole 11 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Decision 4. Decision 5. Rule HOLE 12: 410 YARDS PAR 4 1. At the twelfth tee, Kelly had the honor, but Aaron was ready and decided to play first. 2. As a left-handed player, Aaron teed the ball so that he had to stand outside the teeing ground in order to gain a better angle on the hole. The ball was teed within the teeing ground. 3. Aaron s ball comes to rest on the cart path in a position where he would be likely to use a pitching wedge. He determines his nearest point of relief and takes relief with reference to the pitching wedge stroke and after relief he was able to use a seven iron for the actual stroke to the green. 4. Aaron s ball came to rest just on the putting green. He marked, lifted and set aside the ball about a foot away so he could see the ball from the other side of the hole. He forgot to replace the ball and played it from where he set it aside. Kelly questioned the procedure. 5. Aaron realized the mistake, picked up and replaced the ball on the correct spot but then made a croquet-style (feet astride an extension of the line of play behind the ball) stroke at the ball which ran about two feet past the hole. 6. Aaron s ball-marker was in a position to assist Kelly s putt, and Kelly requested that the ball-marker be left in place. Aaron objected and spanned the marker one putter-head to the side. 7. However, Aaron somehow forgot to span the ball-marker back before he replaced the ball, played from the new location and missed. He then realized the error, picked up the ball and replaced it on the original spot and putted it into the hole. 22

23 Hole 12 Rule/Decision Penalty Strokes 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Decision 4. Decision 5. Rule 6. Decision 7. Decision 23

24 Closed Book Practice Examination Questions 1) In a stroke-play competition the Committee has NOT established any pace of play guidelines or a modified penalty structure for pace of play. Between the play of the 9 th and 10 th holes, a player goes to the club s parking lot and makes a phone call. When he gets to the 10 th tee, his two fellow-competitors have played from the tee and are waiting for him. The group behind arrives at the 10 th tee at the same time as he does. The Committee becomes aware of the incident before the player completes his round, what is the ruling? (A) The player incurs no penalty. (B) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty. (C) The player incurs a two-stroke penalty. 2) Which one of the following is an immovable obstruction? (A) An out of bounds stake. (B) A tree or shrub indicating 150 yards to the putting green. (C) A bridge over a water hazard. 3) In stroke play, a player played his first stroke on a hole from outside the teeing ground, and his ball came to rest out of bounds. Which one of the following is the correct ruling? (A) The player must put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance. He must drop a ball and make his third stroke from where he last played from outside the teeing ground. (B) The player must put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance. He will also incur a penalty of two strokes for playing a ball from outside the teeing ground. He will be making his fifth stroke from within the teeing ground. (C) The player incurred a penalty of two strokes for playing from outside the teeing ground. The fact that his ball came to rest out of bounds was irrelevant, and the stroke itself did not count. He must make his third stroke from within the teeing ground. 4) Which one of the following statements is true with respect to out of bounds? (A) The margin of out of bounds extends vertically upwards, but not downwards. (B) When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. (C) When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes, the out of bounds line is determined by the outside points of the stakes at ground level. 5) In four-ball stroke play, players A and B are partners. A started the round with 13 clubs. He damages his putter in anger after missing a short putt, changing the playing characteristics. B started the round with 10 clubs. Without penalty, A may: (A) share B s putter for the remainder of the round. (B) without unduly delaying play, retrieve an extra putter from B s car and use it for the remainder of the round. (C) repair the damaged putter as best he can and use it only for the remainder of that stipulated round. 24

25 6) In which one of the following is the original ball lost? (A) Spectators have searched for five minutes and the ball has not been found when the player and his caddie arrive in the area where the ball is likely to be. (B) The player has dropped but not played a ball under Rule 25-1c (Ball in Abnormal Ground Condition Not Found) when it is NOT known or virtually certain that the ball, which has not been found, is in an area of ground under repair. (C) The player has put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance. 7) During a stroke from through the green and without penalty, a flagstick may be held up to indicate a target (A) directly over the hole. (B) over the line of play between the ball and the hole. (C) never, it must be moved away from the hole or line; or it must be replaced in the hole before the stroke is made to avoid penalty. 8) In four-ball match play A and B are partners. A holes out in 4 strokes, and B lies 2 on the fringe of the putting green. Both their opponents, C and D, have holed out in 4 strokes. While B plays his stroke from the fringe (through the green), A s caddie stands on an extension of the line of play behind B s ball to block distractions. B holes his third stroke. What is the ruling? (A) The hole is halved. (B) A and B win the hole. (C) C and D win the hole. 9) In stroke play, if a competitor is doubtful of his rights or the correct procedure during the play of a hole he may, without penalty (A) complete the hole with two balls. (B) play a provisional ball. (C) discontinue play, return to the clubhouse and get a ruling. 10) In stroke play, which one of the following results in a SINGLE two-stroke penalty for player A? (A) On the second putting green, A realizes one of the 14 clubs in his bag which he has not used is non-conforming (bent shaft). (B) On the 5 th tee, A realizes he started the round with 15 clubs in his bag. (C) On the 8 th hole, A inadvertently uses B s wedge to make a stroke from the fairway onto the putting green. 25

26 11) Before making a stroke from the fringe of the putting green (through the green), the player incurs the general penalty if he (A) taps down spike marks two feet beyond the hole. (B) removes sand from the putting green. (C) repairs a pitch-mark on the putting green that was created on his line of play before his ball came to rest. 12) A player s tee shot on a par-3 hole landed on the putting green, then rolled back into a water hazard (yellow stakes) that was between the teeing ground and the putting green. The player may, (A) under penalty of one stroke, deem the ball unplayable and drop a ball on the putting green. (B) under penalty of one stroke, drop a ball on the putting green provided that point is within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard. (C) without penalty, play the ball as it lies. 13) In stroke play, a player plays a new ball from the teeing ground and it comes to rest in the fairway. He then skulls the second shot to the fringe of the putting green. Upon arriving at the ball, he sees a huge cut in it. Without saying anything, he marks the position of his ball prior to lifting it, substitutes a new ball for the cut ball and completes the play of the hole. Which of the following is true? (A) The player incurs no penalty. (B) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty. (C) The player incurs the general penalty. 14) With respect to match play, which one of the following is TRUE? (A) A side is dormie when it is as many holes down as there are holes remaining to be played. (B) A player may concede a hole to his opponent at any time prior to the start or conclusion of the hole. (C) Concession of a stroke may be withdrawn if the player who conceded the putt misunderstood the number of strokes his opponent had taken. 15) Which one of the following statements is TRUE? (A) Casual water is a temporary accumulation of water anywhere on the golf course. (B) Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are either casual water or loose impediments at the option of the player. (C) A pile of manufactured ice is casual water. 16) In a handicap single match with an assigned starting time and without a referee, the players MUST: (A) determine their respective handicaps before starting the match. (B) start at the time established by the Committee. (C) know the Rules and the penalty for any breach of a Rule of Golf. 26

27 17) In stroke play, while waiting to play from the 10 th tee, a competitor practices putting on the nearby practice putting green. Which of the following is correct? (A) He incurs no penalty. (B) He incurs the general penalty, applied to the 10 th hole. (C) He must add two penalty strokes to his score on the 10 th hole for each practice stroke taken. 18) On a calm day, a player grounds his putter behind his ball in play. Immediately thereafter, his ball moves. What is the ruling? (A) He incurs no penalty and must play the ball as it lies. (B) He incurs a one-stroke penalty and must play the ball as it lies. (C) He incurs a one-stroke penalty and must replace the ball. 19) In a single match, a player makes a stroke and his ball is accidentally deflected by the cart he is sharing with his opponent. At the time the opponent is driving (moving) the cart to a spot behind the putting green. The player s ball comes to rest in the moving cart. What is the ruling? (A) Neither player incurs a penalty and the player may either cancel the stroke and replay it or the ball must be dropped directly under the spot where it came to rest in the cart. (B) The player incurs a penalty of one stroke and the stroke must be canceled and replayed. (C) The opponent loses the hole. 20) Which one of these balls is in ground under repair? (A) A ball is caught up in the branch of a tree rooted outside the ground under repair but overhangs an area of ground under repair. (B) A ball that comes to rest in a pile of discarded grass clippings. (C) A ball which is touching the white paint line designating ground under repair. 21) A ball is deemed lost if: (A) the player finds his ball in an unplayable lie after a three minute search. (B) the player s first stroke from the tee comes to rest in a water hazard and a second ball is teed, but not yet played. (C) a new ball has been dropped under Rule 26-1b (Relief for Ball in Water Hazard) when the player s original ball has not been found but is known to be in the water hazard. 22) Which one of the following is the player s equipment? (A) A towel carried by the player s caddie. (B) A tee used to mark the area in which the player will drop. (C) The player s ball in play. 27

28 23) A group of players in a stroke-play competition think it is too dark to play and discontinue play five minutes before the Committee sounds the signal to suspend play for darkness. What is the ruling? (A) No penalty to anyone; the players are entitled to discontinue in such circumstances. (B) To avoid possible penalty, the players in the group must report to the Committee as soon as practicable. (C) The Committee MUST disqualify all players in the group. 24) The player incurs a penalty under Rule 16 (The Putting Green) in which one of the following? (A) He repairs damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball and in the process causes his ball, that is just off the putting green, to move. (B) He touches the line of putt in measuring to determine who is away. (C) Before putting out, he repairs damage made by a caddie in the previous group when the caddie carelessly replaced the flagstick in the hole. 25) The player makes a stroke from within the teeing ground; his ball deflects off a moving maintenance vehicle and comes to rest out of bounds. The player MUST: (A) cancel the stroke and replay from within the teeing ground without penalty. (B) drop a ball as near as possible to where the original ball struck the maintenance vehicle without penalty. (C) proceed under penalty of stroke and distance. 26) The player has NOT played a wrong ball if he makes a stroke at: (A) his original ball that has been lifted from the putting green and set aside. (B) a stray ball that he lifts and drops in a bunker under Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable). (C) his four-ball partner s ball in play. 27) A player is taking relief from a cart path. He leaves the original ball on the path and drops a second (substituted) ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. Before making a stroke at either ball, which ball is in play? (A) The original ball on the path. (B) The substituted ball. (C) Both balls. 28) Which one of the following statements is TRUE about searching for a ball in a water hazard? (A) If the player moves his ball while searching for it under leaves in a dry portion of the water hazard there is no penalty. (B) In searching for a ball covered by leaves on the bank of the water hazard, a player may remove as many leaves as will enable him to see a part of the ball. (C) If a player moves leaves covering his ball in a water hazard while searching for his ball, he is not required to replace them. 28

29 29) In a stroke-play competition with no Local Rules or Conditions of the Competition in effect, a competitor is penalized two strokes if, during the stipulated round, he (A) puts powder on his hands to dry them before every stroke. (B) wraps a towel around the grip of his putter. (C) makes practice swings with a weighted donut on his club between the play of the 9 th and 10 th holes. 30) Which one of the following are loose impediments? (A) Leaves and twigs that are still attached and/or growing. (B) Loose blades of grass that are adhering to the ball. (C) Plugs of compacted soil produced through aeration of fairways. 31) Which of the following is TRUE with regard to the nearest point of relief? (A) To determine this point, the player MUST follow a specific procedure, i.e., use the club with which he would have made his next stroke if the condition where not there to simulate the address position, direction of play and swing for such a stroke. (B) It is the point not nearer the hole and nearest to the ball s original location, where if the ball were so positioned, no interference (as defined) would exist. (C) It is the point not nearer the hole and nearest to the ball s original location, where if the ball were so positioned, the player would have a playable lie. 32) Which one of the following is defined as advice? (A) Asking an opponent which direction the hole goes. (B) Telling a fellow-competitor that his (the fellow-competitor s) ball is 157 yards from the hole. (C) A player s caddie telling a fellow-competitor s caddie that the fellow-competitor is standing too close to the ball on his chip shots, even if the fellow-competitor s caddie does not inform his player about what he was told. 33) Which of the following must be FALSE in order for a player to incur a penalty under Rule 1-2 (Exerting Influence on Movement of Ball or Altering Physical Conditions)? (A) The player MUST have intention to influence the movement of a ball or alter physical conditions to affect the play of the hole. (B) No other Rule must apply to his actions. (C) The action MUST actually influence the movement of the ball or affect the play of the hole through the altering of physical conditions. 29