Rules the Pro's break...

slave1

I know we all break the rules from mostly ignorance I hope but it really is unforgivable when the pros do it because this is their job, they should know the rules and also they have a caddy there with them.
But when they break the rules it's a good opportunity for us to learn or brush up. Might be a good idea for a thread?

Anyhow, what leads me to make this post is Poulter's penalty yesterday, I don't understand the way it's laid out in this article, quoting

Having driven way right into trees, Poulter had to take relief on a cart path before he could take a drop away from it. While he was entitled to two club-lengths for the initial drop onto the path, he mistakenly took two lengths again for his free drop away from the path when only one was permitted.

Ha, now I read it back again I think I understand, he must have taken a penalty drop himself (two lengths), and dropped onto a path where he gets free relief but free relief is always one length so that's where he messed up because he took two lengths in error. Yes/No?

Felexicon

Yeah that's my understanding of it.

I think it's unfair to expect golfers to have perfect knowledge of the rules. They are constantly being updated and tweaked.
Sure during the Masters a player asked for a ruling and the guy had to double check the answer. Turns out the guy he asked was the head of the R&A rules committee. If he has to check then what hope do players have

slave1

Perfect knowledge fair enough but a lot of the rule breaks seem to be the more basic ones like Poulter above or Rory brushing sand off the green when he was off it, incorrect drops seem to be the biggie...

SnowDrifts

Yeah you have it correct there slave1. In fairness to Poulter, he fairly slated himself on twitter and invited followers to draw cartoons demonstrating how he was an idiot.

Ian Poulter @IanJamesPoulter

I'm such a ¥#%$¥+€ helmet, the most simple Rule that I had been given the day before, Drop in second club length. Errr wrong 2 shot penalty.

I didn't think it would be difficult to drop a golf ball, but today I managed to make a complete $€$%^#¥= arse of it. Basic Rules. #Nobhead

The funniest cartoon picture of me taking an illegal drop today wins a signed Ryder cup photo & @ijpdesign goodies. follow & use @ijpdesign

John Divney

Not sure I understand the article myself.

So he's on a cart path, entitled to relief from an immovable object.
That is on one side one club length from the nearest point of relief, and the other he takes a notional stance not touching the path, puts a tee where the nearest pint of relief is, ie the spot where the ball would be adressed, and he had one club length from that spot.

Where does two club lengths come into anything like the article says?

Sorry if I'm being thick.

SnowDrifts

John Divney wrote: »

Not sure I understand the article myself.

So he's on a cart path, entitled to relief from an immovable object.
That is on one side one club length from the nearest point of relief, and the other he takes a notional stance not touching the path, puts a tee where the nearest pint of relief is, ie the spot where the ball would be adressed, and he had one club length from that spot.

Where does two club lengths come into anything like the article says?

Sorry if I'm being thick.

I presume he was taking an unplayable first which is obviously 2 club lengths under penalty. He then dropped onto the path which he is entitled to free relief within 1 club length of his nearest point of relief. He must have measured 2 club lengths for his free drop too and this was his error.

John Divney

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I presume he was taking an unplayable first which is obviously 2 club lengths under penalty. He then dropped onto the path which he is entitled to free relief within 1 club length of his nearest point of relief. He must have measured 2 club lengths for his free drop too and this was his error.

Cheers, that article is atrociously written if that is the case.

slave1

John Divney wrote: »

Cheers, that article is atrociously written if that is the case.

Yeah, confused the bejassus out of me but when I finally understood the events it made sense, just badly worded

GreeBo

I didn't see the incident, but wouldn't his free drop have been back on the direction of the unplayable ball?

SnowDrifts

GreeBo wrote: »

I didn't see the incident, but wouldn't his free drop have been back on the direction of the unplayable ball?

I don't think anyone saw it and any articles on it are very sketchy in terms of details so it's hard to know what happened. His free drop, distinct from his original unplayable drop (if it was indeed an unplayable), should have been nearest point of relief from where it finished on the path (provided it didn't roll more than 2 club lengths from where it struck the path).

slave1

GreeBo wrote: »

I didn't see the incident, but wouldn't his free drop have been back on the direction of the unplayable ball?

Don't believe there would have been enough room, he could drop his ball all right but he would have been standing on the path which brings us into Rory's mistake a few months back where he did not take full relief...

GreeBo

slave1 wrote: »

Don't believe there would have been enough room, he could drop his ball all right but he would have been standing on the path which brings us into Rory's mistake a few months back where he did not take full relief...

Thats ok though as he was not taking an unplayable from the path, you only need full relief from the thing you are taking relief from...

Its only for the free 1 club length that he needs to be totally off the path.

GreeBo

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I don't think anyone saw it and any articles on it are very sketchy in terms of details so it's hard to know what happened. His free drop, distinct from his original unplayable drop (if it was indeed an unplayable), should have been nearest point of relief from where it finished on the path (provided it didn't roll more than 2 club lengths from where it struck the path).

Yep exactly, and looking at the path I would have assumed the nearest point was back on the same side (Im actually guessing he would have ended up placing it on the path to prevent it rolling more than 2xclublengths and/or closer to the hole)

snaphook

When in doubt, call the referee. That's what they're there for.

Even the pro's know that the rules are confusing.
Better to be safe than getting shots deducted for not being 100% sure.