What Rule Do You See Broke Most Without Penalty?

[aces_up1504]

From TB thread and a reply about damaging foliage on a backswing, i think this has got to be one of the most broken rules in golf and have seen it from Cat1 to Cat4 golfers and have probably even done it myself at some point.

So what do you think the most broken rule with out penalty in amature golf?

Also do you think there should be a reduced set of rules for club golf to make the game much clearer or rules taken away that clearly hamper amature golf and not pro golf such as playing from divots, they could easily be described as abnormal ground conditions or GUR if the rules changed.

How often do you see a pro finish in a divot, hardly ever as they are always filled in for them.

Also spectators walkways, this really irked me at the Open, the pro can hit a shot so far off line they find a good lie when really they should be 2ft of rough, if it was amature event it would have been lost ball.  For Pro golf Walkways should be treated as a GUR and be forced to drop in to the rough.

[Tin Pot]

From TB thread and a reply about damaging foliage on a backswing, i think this has got to be one of the most broken rules in golf and have seen it from Cat1 to Cat4 golfers and have probably even done it myself at some point.

Didn't see the thread, but it's rarely a rules infringement to 'damage foliage on the backswing'.  Check the new Decisions book.

Otherwise, people don't mark when they pick up, don't know how to take relief and don't know how to take provisional balls or that you can't go back and play a provisional.  Declaring a ball lost is a frequently hear nonsense too.

There is loads.

[Roland]

Dropping incorrectly & moving sand on your backswing are the most common i have seen

[True Blue]

Damaging foliage on practice swings is seen a lot, one guy I played with took it one step further and started hacking hte brances of an overhanging tree until I told him I was adding penalty strokes to his score.

@TP a marked ball can be marked by a blade of grass or mark on the ground so how would you define not marking a ball?

Would definitely agree with TP about players not knowing how to take relief properly as well.

[Stu-Pid]

As I've had to point out far too frequently:

"It's nearest point of relief, not nearest point of convenience."

 

[MisterS3]

Ball moves at address. Should be replaced where it was.

[Keve]

As I've had to point out far too frequently:

"It's nearest point of relief, not nearest point of convenience."

 

Agree with Stu-Pid. I've learned the hard way that you look at you relief options before picking up the ball eg casual water, the nearest point of relief might be in the rough 5 yards away not the fairway 4 yards away.
@ Rob re blade of grass/mark on ground, I don't think so! So you pick your ball up, clean it and remember the blade of grass out of the tens of thousand others that was yours. Me thinks not.

[MisterS3]

@TP a marked ball can be marked by a blade of grass or mark on the ground so how would you define not marking a ball?

Is that what it says in the rules?

[Longshot]

Keve - how can the NPOR be 5 yards away in the rough rather than 4 yards away in the fairway?

Just to clarify your point...

[Tin Pot]

Is that what it says in the rules?

He's either taking the piss, or taking it too far.  The rules do not define what is used to mark the ball, allowing you to use something, but you must use something.  If you claimed to me to have used a blade of grass the only thing you'd be picking up is your teeth up with your elbows.

You can mark with anything - I've used a stone found on the green, or a twig - a leaf but be careful the wind doesn't move it, fine.  But you can't simply claim to recognise it from a visual reference - you must mark it somehow.

[True Blue]

Here you go fellas:

The Note to Rule 20-1 states in part that the position of the ball should be marked by placing a ball-marker, small coin or other small object immediately behind the ball. When the word "should" is used in the Rules of Golf it is a recommendation only and failure to comply does not result in a penalty - see the section entitled "How to Use the Rule Book" at the beginning of the Rules of Golf. The intention is to emphasise that use of a ball-marker or other small object (such as a coin) is considered to be the best way to mark a ball.

A marker should be used but a dark patch next to your ball can be used, or a stone, debris.... maybe the strand of grass was a stretch...

Personally on the green I use a coin but on the fairway will use either a tee or pitchmark repairer.

[Blofeld]

Incorrect taking of relief.

As previously observed...most folks seem to treat this as "taking relief from the obstruction so that you have a clear unimpeded swing from all other obstructions and have a clear sight of the green on a nicely manicured piece of grass"

[Keve]

Keve - how can the NPOR be 5 yards away in the rough rather than 4 yards away in the fairway?

Just to clarify your point...

Doh! But you knew what I meant.

[Tin Pot]

While we're here; in what situation can you drop as far back as you want in line with the pin?

[Keve]

Unplayable lie, as long as you don't go OOB.