The new Rules of Golf are in effect. And we love them. Or at least some people love them. And a lot of people (still) hate them.

Sometimes, you will be told that you are in breach of the Rules, when you are not. Below I will tell you about a few of these situations so that you can avoid accepting other people saying that you are in breach. And you might even want to do some of the things it purposely to try to shake an opponent in match play.

1. Use your putter to measure with

When taking relief, it is perfectly OK to use your putter to measure with. I repeat: It is perfectly OK to use your putter to measure with.

“That is incorrect,” you might want to respond. But it is not. One club-length in the Rules is defined as the length of the longest club you have brought, other that your putter. So the length is defined…. but not what you must use to measure with. Thus you can measure with whatever club you want. or even … It is perfectly OK to measure a relief area with your putter… as long as you drop within the correct relief area (the size of which depends on the length of your longest club, not being a putter).

Therefore next time you are taking relief, use your putter. Well, no, sorry, a correction: Before you do it, state very loud to your fellow player that you intend to measure with your PUTTER, and maybe even show to him (and tell him!), how long it is. Then measure with the putter, and drop your ball (remember to drop it inside the correct relief area).

I will assure you that you will get some kind of reaction from him/her. But you have done nothing wrong under the Rules of Golf.

2. Drop farther away than two-club-lengths

You could also do the opposite (than taking a long putter). Next time you are measuring (e.g. two club-lengths) when taking relief, use a short club, e.g. a wedge. When you are done measuring, state loudly to your playing partner: “I don’t think two club-lengths is enough, so I will drop a ball a bit farther away than that!” Then drop a ball clearly farther away than the two wedge-lengths.

That is perfectly OK…of course presupposing that you drop within two club-lengths, i.e. typically within two driver-lengths.

Again: I am sure you will get some kind of reaction from your fellow player.

3. Play a provisional without saying “provisional”

Did you know that you can actually play a provisional ball without saying the word “provisional.” The rule states, that you must either a) say the word or b) in another way make it clear, that you are playing a provisional.

Another way could be this:

– “I’m playing a ball under Rule 18.3.”
– “I’m going to play another just in case.”

Thus, next time you are playing a provisional ball, tell your fellow player that you play a ball under Rule 18.3. He will probably think you are nuts. But you are not (at least not because of this). You did fine played perfectly in accordance with the Rules.

4. Drop right next to the “line”

When you take “back on the line relief,” there is a new procedure in 2019, e.g. when you played from the fairway or rough. You don’t have to drop exactly on the “line” anymore (the line = the extension away from the hole of the line between the hole and the point e.g. where the unplayable ball lies).

Example: You play from the semi-rough, and your ball ends out of bounds. Your club does not have the new Local Rule in operation (allowing players to drop ahead with two penalty strokes), and thus you play a ball with a one-stroke penalty. You then must drop a ball in a relief area that is one club-length from a point on the “line,” that you chose (not closer to the hole). If you are so lucky that this one club-length area is partly on the fairway, it is perfectly Ok for you to drop on the fairway!

That is important to know. One “club-length” is typically a bit more than 1 yard, and therefore the area is typically more than two yards from one end to the other. And you are free to choose the best spot available within that area — also if you thereby come from the semi-rough to the fairway (as in the example).

5. Mis-hit in the teeing area: Just put it back up on the tee again!

Have you ever mis-hit the ball from the teeing area? You know, one of these strokes, where the ball merely falls down from the tee? Of course you haven’t! But I have. Well, guess what: I have some good news for you. you just put the ball back up on the tee again without penalty (remember that the stroke counts, so it will be your second stroke).

But this is only possible if, after the mis-hit, the ball was still lying inside the teeing area (two club-lengths). Therefore when you play bad, I will encourage you to play really bad! Thus, if the ball in a mis-hit rolls three yards forward, you don’t have the option to put the ball back up on the tee again without penalty (you must then a) play it as it lies or b) with a one-stroke penalty play again from the teeing ground i.e. stroke number three).