Rule 2. Match Play
Definitions
All defined terms are in
italics
and are
listed alphabetically in
the Definitions section — see pages 5-18.
2-1. General
A match consists of one
side
playing
against another over a
stipulated round
unless otherwise decreed by the
Committee.
In match play the game is played by holes.
Except as otherwise provided in the
Rules,
a hole is won by the
side
that
holes
its ball
in the fewer
strokes.
In a handicap match,
the lower net score wins the hole. The state of the match is expressed
by the terms: so many
“holes up”
or
“all square,” and so many “to play.”
A
side
is
“dormie” when it is as many holes up as there are
holes remaining to be played.
2-2. Halved Hole
A hole is halved if each
side holes
out in the same number of
strokes.
When a player has
holed
out and
his opponent has been left with a
stroke
for the
half, if the player subsequently incurs a
penalty, the hole is halved.
2-3. Winner of Match
A match is won when one
side
leads by
a number of holes
greater than the number remaining to be
played.
If there is a tie, the
Committee
may extend the
stipulated
round
by
as many holes as are required for a match to be won.
20
Rule 2
Rule 2 21
2-4. Concession of Match, Hole or Next Stroke
A player may concede a match at any time
prior to the start or conclusion of that match. A player may concede a
hole at any time prior to the start or conclusion of that hole.
A player may concede his opponent’s next
stroke
at any
time,
provided the opponent’s ball is at rest. The opponent is considered
to have
holed
out with his next
stroke,
and the ball may be removed by either
side.
A concession may not be declined or withdrawn.
(Ball overhanging hole — see Rule 16-2.)
2-5. Doubt as to Procedure; Disputes and
Claims
In match play, if a doubt or dispute arises
between the players, a player may make a claim. If no duly authorized
representative
of the
Committee
is available within
a reasonable time, the players must continue the match without delay. The
Committee
may
consider a claim only if the player making the claim notifies his opponent (i)
that he is making a claim, (ii) of the facts of the situation and (iii) that
he wants a ruling. The claim must be made
before any player in the match plays from the next
teeing ground
or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players in
the match leave the
putting green.
A later claim may not be considered by the
Committee,
unless it
is based on facts previously unknown to the player making the claim and he
had been given wrong information (Rules 6-2a and 9) by an opponent.
Once the result of the match has been
officially announced,
a later claim may not be considered by the
Committee,
unless
it is satisfied that the opponent knew he was giving wrong information.
2-6. General Penalty
The penalty for a breach of a
Rule
in match
play is loss of hole
except when otherwise provided.
Some pointers on Match play:
You do not have to keep score: only holes
won, lost or tied.
No penalty to tee up outside teeing ground
but one can ask or be asked to replay the shot.
NEVER play out of turn. No ready golf here.
Furthest from the hole goes first even when on the green and opponent is off
the green. The side that wins the hole has the honor on the next tee. No
penalty for playing out of turn but one can be asked to replay
shot.
Can concede putts or hole at any time.
A player must not give wrong information to
her opponent as to strokes taken (including when giving yourself a penalty).
Penalty: loss of hole. See rule # 9
A player may practice on the course before
competition. One may practice putting or chipping on or near the green last
played, any practice putting green and the teeing ground of the next hole.
Mostly, Just play your game. Penalties do not
come into play very often. NEVER give up. Do not be intimidated by other
players. They may have a long game but the game is still won and lost with
the short game. Keep an eye on what your opponent is doing, it may
influence your decision how to play the hole.
Rule # 5. The Ball.
A Ball is unfit for play when it is visible cut ,cracked or out of shape.
Having dirt,scratches,or scrapes or paint that is damaged, does NOT make the ball unfit for play.
If the player has reason to believe the ball is unfit for play she may lift the ball to determine
whether it is unfit. First announce to your opponents you like to inspect the ball and mark the position of the ball.This is one of the times the ball can NOT be cleaned. If
the ball is substituted ,there is no penalty.
One may borrow a ball from another player.(also tees,gloves,towels).The PGA plays with the ONE ball
rule and in that case the player has to borrow the same brand and type of ball.
Rule #6. The Player.
Most importantly ,the player is responsible for knowing the rules,and for playing the proper ball. One
SHOULD put an identification mark on her ball.
Many tournaments have been lost to payers that could NOT identify their ball when looking for the
ball. Just saying it is a Topflite is not enough. Get in the habit of having some ID on the ball.
It is the player’s responsibility to make sure the correct hole by hole score is on the card.
If she returns a scorecard with a score for any hole LOWER than actually taken,she is DQ.
If she returns a score HIGHER than actually taken , that score counts.
It is the committee’s responsibility to add the scores.
The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guide lines that the
Committee may establish. Between holes there can not be any undue delay.
Rule # 7.Practice.
One may not practice on the course BEFORE any competition round.
DURING a round ,the player may NOT make a practice stroke exept that she may practice putting or
chipping on or near
- the putting green of the hole last played
-any practice putting green
- the teeing ground of the next hole to be played, provided the practice stroke is not made from
a hazard and does not unduly delay play.
The Committee may prohibit this practicing.This happens on the PGA tour.No practice putting
allowed,unless it is matchplay.
Couple of questions that came up recently.
Unplayable lie in a bunker:
There is NO free way out.
If the ball is declared unplayable in a bunker the player may:
1) go back to the spot from which the last stroke was made.
2) drop behind where the ball lay in a line with the hole
3) take 2 club lengths
If choosing # 2 or 3 ,the ball MUST be dropped IN the bunker.
Provisional ball
Decision 27-2/1 :
Q: May a player announce that a second ball she is going to play is both
a)
a provisional ball in case the original ball is lost (outside a water hazard or out of bounds) and
b)
the ball in play in case the original ball is unplayable .
A: NO.
Rule 28 talks about Ball Unplayable.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker the player may:
A: play from the spot from which last ball was played
B: drop a a ball behind the point where the ball lay,keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball
is dropped.
C: drop a ball within 2 clublengths of the spot where the ball lay,not nearer to the hole
IF THE BALL IS IN THE BUNKER ,THE PLAYER MAY USE OPTION
A,B, OR C .IF CHOOSING B OR C, A BALL MUST BE DROPPED IN THE BUNKER.
As you read one does not get any chance to get out of the bunker in an easy way.Only option is to get to last spot played or drop
IN the bunker.
Rule # 2: MATCH PLAY
As we are not playing Match play at Eisenhower, I will not get into it. Just be
aware there are some different rules from Stroke play. If ever playing match play, be sure to read rule # 2.
Rule # 3: STROKE PLAY.
Not too much about this rule. Just make sure to hole out. No
gimmies here.
If in doubt about a rule, play two balls and get a ruling at the end of the
round. One has to tell the fellow competitors which ball she would like to count. For instance, player hits a ball in a flower bed. Player is not sure if there is MANDATORY
relief from the flower bed or not. Player has a good lie in the flower bed and would like to play that ball. In accordance to the rules player takes relief just in case there
is mandatory relief from the flower bed, and drops a ball. Player tells fellow players she would like the ball that is in the flower bed to count.
Player plays both balls and finds out at the end of the round there was NO
mandatory relief. Therefore the ball that was in the flower bed will count for the score. Even if that score is higher then the ball dropped outside the flower bed.
Rule # 4: CLUBS
The players clubs must conform to the specifications listed at the end of the
rule book. There are many regulations for shaft lengths, degrees of loft, size of club head and grip. Only a putter can have a non circular grip. A chipper is considered an
iron club according to decision 4-1/3.
When a club gets damaged during NORMAL
course of play, the player may:
1) use the club as-is or
2) without
delaying play repair it or have it repaired
3) replace the damaged club, but ONLY if the club
is unfit for play. The replacement must not delay play and can not be borrowed from any other person playing on the course. This means that one can go to
the car or pro-shop on the turn and get an other club.
If a club was damaged other than in normal play, as in throwing a club, the club
must not be used anymore nor can it be replaced.
Can a player replace a putter LOST during play?
NO. A lost club is not one which has become unfit for play in the normal course
of play.
One may have only 14 clubs. If started with less than 14 clubs, the player may
add a club as long as it is not borrowed from any other person playing on the course.
The player can declare a club out of play after discovering she
carries more than 14 clubs. A penalty of 2 strokes is given for each hole the breach occurred with a max of 4 penalty strokes.
The decisions of the rules clearly state one can NOT on the first tee have 15
clubs and declare one out of play without penalty. Take the club out of the bag and put it in your car otherwise there is a 2 stroke penalty.
Section 3 of “The Rules of Golf “book is “the rules of play."
For most players it is the most boring reading possible. For others it is like a
puzzle, trying to find the right answer. The rules seminar, some of us went to last week was extremely helpful and entertaining. Besides the “rules of golf” book the USGA also
publishes the “decisions on the rules of golf”. This book answers all kinds of questions, some of them very funny.
Rule 1 is “The game”
1-1
Pretty simply stated, the game is playing a ball from teeing ground into the hole.
One has to tee up within the teeing ground. Not in
front of the markers and the teeing ground extend 2 club lengths behind the markers. The markers are considered fixed The feet are allowed to be outside the tee markers .In
stroke play it is a 2 stroke penalty when playing from outside the teeing ground and the mistake has to be corrected.
I hope anyone would be sportsmanlike and make your
competitor aware they are teed up outside the teeing ground. That is what friends are for. Just remember the play of the hole is completed when the ball is holed.
Q: Player played to a hidden green. Player gets to the green and putted what he thought to be his own ball. Come to find out original ball is in the hole and that the
ball he had putted was a wrong ball. Any problem?
A: No penalty, as the play of the hole was completed when the original ball
was holed.
1-2 A player must not take any action to influence the position or the movement
of a ball
Something we see fairly often is this scenario:
Annie is on the green and is ready to putt. She removes the flagstick and places it behind the hole and Annie putts and hits it a little too firm. Mary believes that
Annie’s ball might strike the flagstick. Mary picks up the flagstick allowing Annie’s ball to roll beyond where the flagstick had been placed .Sounds familiar?
Kindness does not pay in this case. Mary will get 2 penalty strokes. Annie incurs no penalty.
1-3 Players must play by the rules.
As Arnold Palmer says: This is the rule most often disregarded. In a noncompetitive round it is very common to “give”
a putt, but be realistic. Some players consider “inside the leather” fair. But how often have we missed a two foot downhill, side hill lie putt? I have missed many. Also when
getting used to not having to putt the short ones, it will be more difficult to make them when in competition.
1-4 Any points not covered by the rules should be made in accordance with equity.
Q: A ball comes to rest in or near a birds nest. Does the player get relief?
A: Yes, in equity the player may, without penalty, drop at the nearest spot not nearer the hole which allows her to play the ball without damaging the cute birds. If
the ball is in a hazard, the ball must be dropped in the hazard.
Last week I talked about etiquette, pace of
play etc. This can all be found in Section 1 in the Rules of Golf book. There are three sections in the rules book:
1. Etiquette
2. Definitions
3. The rules of play
Section 2 are the definitions and without reading these
first, the rules are very hard to understand. They make it easy by having all definitions in the rules section in
italics. It is amazing when reading just the
definitions how some rules suddenly make sense. When reading any rule it is advisable to refer back to the definitions for all words in
italics.
For example rule 16 talks about touching the
line of putt
(in repairing ball marks, removing loose impediments, and more).
This seems to be straight forward till reading the definition, where it states line of putt does not extend
beyond the hole.
The most often referred to definition is probably
stroke.
“It is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing before the club head reaches the ball
he has not made a stroke”. A few weeks ago John Daly was distracted by a camera and was able to stop his swing during the downswing and the movement was not a stroke.
Unfortunately Daly had so much force, he pulled
some muscles in the process.
On a rainy day (and we have had plenty),
perhaps you like to take an hour reading one section of the Rules of Golf, and probably the must rewarding is the Definitions segment.
