No. 15
Touching the sand in a bunker Whether you are a newbie or a pro golfer, getting your ball in a bunker is one of those situations that you just cannot avoid.
In case you find yourself stuck in a sandy bunker then do yourself a favor and do not attempt to test the condition of the sand with your club.
If you touch the sand immediately in front or behind the ball during a practice swing or a backswing, it’ll be counted as a penalty under Rule 12.2b(1).
Doing this will cost you a loss of hole penalty in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play.
This even happened to Patrick Reed’s when he received a two-stroke penalty at the Hero World Challenge 2019.
No. 14
Dew wiping If you are a morning person who likes to hit the links early in the day, you might want to remember this rule! Dew-covered grass is a common sight at the course in the morning and most of the time, many golfers tend to wipe the dew off with their hands or towels to improve the lie of the ball or the line of play.
But according to Rule 13-2, dew-wiping is a two-stroke offense. You are only allowed to remove dew, frost or water from the tee box before hitting the ball.
No. 13
Undue delay You might be enjoying a round of golf and have just finished playing a hole. As you move to the next hole, you notice that you have left your putter at the previous hole.
Now you have to return back to get it. This might seem like harmless forgetfulness but it can earn you a penalty.
Under Rule 6-7 this will be counted as undue delay and will cost you a loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play. You don’t want to fall victim to this rule.
No. 12
Unable to identifying your ball This is a pretty common scenario on the green. You play with an unmarked ball and you hit it to the green.
Your opponent does the same and his ball lands close to yours. When you reach the green, you see that both the balls are unmarked.
How do you determine which ball is whose? No matter how good your shot must have been, under Rule 12-2 both the balls will be viewed as lost.
It can cost you one stroke and you will have to return to the location of your previous shots. To avoid this, always mark your balls before you play.
No. 11
Ball Moving in Water With water hazards in a course, there are high chances of the ball falling into it.
But what should you do if that happens? If you hit a ball into a creek and the ball begins to move, you are allowed to make a stroke at the ball under Rule 14-6.
If you try to delay the shot and wait for the current to improve your ball’s position, you will be penalized. This is one of those rare occasions when you ARE allowed to hit a ball while it’s moving.
No. 10
Water-filled bunkers You might face bunkers filled with water while playing on a rainy day. Bunkers on their own prove to be a challenging obstacle and water-filled ones might just make your game worse.
According to officials, the only relief you are allowed to take with a water-filled bunker is to drop the ball without penalty at the nearest point of relief, not closer to the hole, within the bunker.
Even when the entire bunker is filled with water. Breaking this rule will definitely cost you a penalty! Keep that in mind the next time you head out to play after rain.
No. 9
Penalty for moving your ball on a practice swing In the common area of the course, or in a penalty area, you will still be penalized if you move your ball even by accident.
This may occur while you are on a practice swing, so it’s important to pay extra attention to not move the ball. Under Rule 9.4b, it will cost you a one-shot penalty and you will have to replace the ball to where it was before playing.
Many golfers get confused by the introduction of the no penalty rule for accidental movement on the putting green. This rule specifically covers the general and penalty areas.
No. 8
The clubhouse rule While playing golf, the ball can land into a water hazard or a bunker. If luck is not on your side, it might even get stuck on a tree.
But what happens if the ball lands up in the clubhouse? Don’t worry the USGA’s rule book has that covered too! According to Rule 24-2b/14 if a shot ends up in the clubhouse, and the clubhouse is not out-of-bounds, you are allowed to open a door or window and play the next shot wit
No. 7
You hit your golf buddy With obstacles like trees on a golf course, there are chances of the ball ricocheting off and then hitting you back or hitting another player.
No matter how unusual that sounds, it is not unheard of! In case a ball you played hits you back or another player, you won’t be penalized for it.
Under Rule 11.1a golfers earlier were given a 2 shot penalty. It was later revised to a one-shot penalty in 2008 and finally in 2019, the penalty was lifted.
However, Jeff Maggert was one of the unlucky few to face a two-shot penalty. His ball ricocheted back off a bunker face and hit him in the 2003 Masters.
No. 6
If the club’s head falls off According to Rules 14/2 and 14-3 if your clubhead falls off during your downswing and you miss the ball, it will count as a stroke.
But the other part of the rule states that if your clubhead falls off during your backswing and you miss the ball, it won’t count as a stroke.
Both parts of the rule are completely different from each other and it’s important to not confuse the two!
No. 5
Ball won’t stay at rest Sometimes a ball might end up in a steep tier in a putting green and it might not remain at rest when you try to replace it after marking it.
In such cases, you are allowed two chances at replacing the ball. But remember, you cannot push it into the putting surface.
If it doesn’t remain at rest even after both the tries, you can find the nearest point where it does. You can’t move the ball closer to the hole.
Depending on the slope and angle, this can make or break your game. Under Rule 14.2e the nearest point can either be on the putting green or in the general area.
No. 4
A prankster moves the flagstick If a prankster moves the flagstick away from the hole. Even though, you really can’t do anything about it.
According to Rule 1-4/3 you must accept it irrespective of the advantage or disadvantage that comes with it.
You are not allowed to replay the shot in such scenarios. As a player, all you can do is play your shot and move on to the next one. Now we have reached the top 3 lesser-known rules. Number 1 can completely change your game.
No. 3
Snakes on the golf course What if you encounter a snake on the course? What does the rule book say about it? Well, if you encounter a live snake, according to Rule 23/6 you can’t move it before you continue to play.
Rule or no rule, it’s better to not try to move the snake. Finding snakes at golf courses is more common than you think and if you manage to find one, now you know what you can and cannot do.
But what happens if you find a dead snake on the course and it is in your line of play? Under Rule 23/6 dead snakes are treated as loose impediments and it allows you to remove them from your way.
No. 2
Ball falls into a hole made by a burrowing animal Divots and holes are probably two of the most important parts of the game.
So what happens if your ball lands into a hole on the course? It depends on who made it! If your ball falls into a hole made by burrowing animals like groundhogs or rabbits, you will be allowed relief and you can reposition your ball under Rule 16.
Holes made by burrowing animals are considered as abnormal course conditions similar to immovable obstructions and temporary water.
However, things change when the hole is man-made. As you cannot move a golf ball out of a divot hole even when that divot is on the fairway.
You can declare the ball unplayable and drop it however it will cost you a one-stroke penalty.
No. 1
Signing a wrong scorecard Be it golf or any other sport, players do everything in their best efforts to avoid getting disqualified.
In golf, if you commit a penalty that comes to light only after the scorecard is signed you will directly be disqualified from the match.
Whether it was unintentional or malicious, you will not get a two-stroke type of mercy. Signing an incorrect scorecard comes with harsh consequences.
This is a mistake that you should definitely avoid! Make sure that you point out any missed penalties you might have had before you sign the scorecard.
