Lake Kiowa WGA Learning more about the “Rules of Golf” July 2014

1. Lake Kiowa WGALearning more about the “Rules of Golf”July 2014

2. Why do we learn the rules of golf, because golf is a game of honor Golf is unique in that it is the only sport where players call infractions and penalties on themselves. It instills a certain quality of honesty in the game that has been followed for centuries.

3. The Spirit of the Game Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

4. “To find a man’s true character, play golf with him” – P.G. Wodehouse

5. Are you the golfer who …. • Watches a player remove the OB stake and not tell her before she hits her ball that this is not allowed? Then you call her for a 2 stroke penalty. • Doesn’t remind a player she had moved her ball marker before she putts? Then you call her for a 2 stroke penalty. • Watches a player change her ball before she tries to hit over the water. Then you call her for a 2 stroke penalty because she didn’t play the same ball from tee to green? • Verbalizes your unsolicited advice when a playing partner is not playing well that day.

7. Or, are you the golfer who… • Encourages and builds up your playing partners. • Gently educates your playing partner of the rule violation before they commit the error. • Makes sure you are 100% absolutely correct about a rule violation BEFORE you call it on your playing partner.

8. You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. - Plato

9. Lake Kiowa Women’s Golf Association Object: The object of the LKWGA shall be to promote interest, enthusiasm and improvement in golf among the ladies of Lake Kiowa and to participate in LKWGA events, to understand and abide by the USGA and Local Rules of Golf, to get acquainted with the members and to enjoy the game of golf.

10. Out of Bounds

11. “Out of bounds’’ is beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked by the Committee. When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points at ground level of the stakes or fence posts (excluding angled supports). When both stakes and lines are used to indicate out of bounds, the stakes identify out of bounds and the lines define out of bounds. When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards and downwards.

12. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. Relief is not given from objects which mark out of bounds.A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds.NOTE: removing out of bounds stake is NEVER permitted. (2 stroke penalty)

14. If your ball is lying out of bounds, you only have one option—to take a drop on the site of the last stroke (tee up on the teeing ground,) and a 1 stroke penalty.However, if you have already played a provisional ball this now becomes the ball in play with a 1 stroke penalty. You will be then be hitting 4 (original shot, out of bounds penalty and provisional shot)

17. Movable and Immovable ObstructionsLoose Impediments

19. Movable Obstructions A player may take relief, without penalty, from a movable obstruction. • If the ball does not lie in or on the obstruction, the obstruction may be removed. If the ball moves, it must be replaced, and there is no penalty, • If the ball lies in or on the obstruction, the ball may be lifted and the obstructionremoved. The ball is then dropped at its original position. • The ball must through the green or in a hazard be dropped, or on the putting green be placed, as near as possible to the spot directly onto the place where the ball lay in or on the obstruction, but not nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule. Local Rule: Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions. NOTE: removing out of bounds stake is NEVER permitted. (2 stroke penalty)

20. Immovable Obstructions

21. Immovable Obstructions • Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance, area of intended swing, or the ball’s lie. Free relief is given in these instances. • Free Relief is not given from out of bounds stakes. • If the player’s ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction on the putting green intervenes on the line of putt. • Otherwise, intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference under this Rule. Local Rule: All hard surfaced cart paths, pavers, flower beds, and water control boxes shall be treated as immovable obstructions.

22. Loose Impediments • “Loose impediments’’ are natural objects, including: • stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like, • dung, and worms, insects and the like, and the casts and heaps made by them, • provided they are not: fixed or growing, solidly embedded, or adhering to the ball. • Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green, but not elsewhere. • Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player. • Dew and frost are not loose impediments

23. Relief from Loose Impediments • Except when both the loose impediment and the ball lie in or touch the same hazard, any loose impediment may be removed without penalty. • If the ball lies anywhere other than on the putting green and the removal of a loose impediment by the player causes the ball to move, Rule 18-2a applies. • On the putting green, if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of the player removing a loose impediment, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the removal of the loose impediment. Otherwise, if the player causes the ball to move, he incurs a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a. • When a ball is in motion, a loose impediment that might influence the movement of the ball must not be removed. • Note: If the ball lies in a hazard, the player must not touch or move any loose impediment lying in or touching the same hazard – see Rule 13-4c. • PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE: • Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes

24. Local Rules Local Rule: Railroad ties shall be treated as integral parts of the course. Free Relief is not given from objects declared an integral part of the course. Local Rule: Line of play relief may be taken for fixed sprinklers on or within 2 club lengths of the green when the ball lies within 2 club lengths of the sprinkler head. Local Rule: Take free relief from ALL staked trees.

25. Have Fun, Play Better Golf Golf can be a game of opposites. It’s supposed to be fun, but often we do not make it that way. We are supposed to play the game to relax, but often we get frustrated and mad. If you try hard to succeed, it will often result in disaster. So…let’s turn that around and have some fun and play better. Did you ever see the movie, Patch Adams, with Robin Williams? It was about a doctor that dressed in clown-like clothing to make his patients feel better about their illnesses. It was about a real doctor. My dad was a long-time doctor, and he had an attitude that if you looked positive on things, it likely helped your illness. He often told the old Hennie Youngman joke…”I gave a guy 6-months to live…he didn’t pay his bill, so I gave him another 6-months.” Golf can be exactly like that. Take a look at David Duval. He had many outstanding years on tour and was ranked as the top player in the world at one time. But as his game went south, it looked like he was depressed, never smiling, and even wore black most of the time. He looked like Darth Vadar, and played like him. I would encourage you to just laugh off your bad shots. Don’t dwell on the bad shot because it may cause a problem on the next few holes as well and make things worse for your round overall. If you laugh it off, I suspect you will be more relaxed and not tighten-up your neck muscles or your grip pressures. These are big keys to hitting a proper golf shot. I have a good friend who stands over the putt too long, thinks about it too much, and you know the result. Quite often he misses the putt and gets mad. When we were kids, he and I would fool around on the practice putting green by lining up the putt, then as you came up to the ball, you would putt it while you were still walking. We made more putts than you would think. We called it the “Barry Shuffle…” It addresses the fact that you can have fun and make putts. Don’t stand over your putts so long thinking too much and you will almost surely make more putts. Tiger Woods often seems playful when he hits some of those wacky shots from trouble, making very animated follow-throughs. If you think back, he usually pulls those shots off with amazing success. I suspect a lot of this is the result of playing with his friends, and not being afraid to try some wacky shot from the trees. So what if it hits the tree, you get to go hit it again. He likely looks at the result he wants, thinks about the positive result, and then goes at it. If you stand there thinking about all of the bad things that can happen…it will probably go exactly that way. Many of us have been at meetings or heard talks about the power of positive thinking. Well, that can apply to golf too. So pick your poison. Do you want to be Patch Adams or Darth Vadar? Golf gives you what you take from it, and it can be the most enjoyable game ever if you let it be that way. Or, you can become a miserable curmudgeon that nobody wants to play with and you’ll go home and kiss the dog and kick the wife. You make the right choice and you’ll play better. ---Hooked on Golf –The World of Golf from inside the Ropes