How many times have you found yourself in an unusual situation on the golf course where you’re not sure how to proceed properly under the Rules? We have all been there and it’s not just limited to the average golfer. The pros also find themselves asking for rulings far too often. A rather surprising example of a player not knowing the Rules came at this year’s The Barclays tournament, part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Seung-Yul Noh hit his tee shot on hole 11 so far right that it landed on the green of the 3rd hole. Without hesitation, he stepped up to the ball, and hit his approach shot from the green, taking out a chunk of the putting surface in the process. Under Rule 25-3 — Wrong Putting Green, if a player’s ball lies on a wrong putting green, he must not play the ball as it lies. He must take relief by finding his nearest point of relief off the green and drop the ball within one club-length of that point, no nearer the hole. I’m sure most golfers and even some non-golfers who just watch on TV occasionally know that you can’t hit the ball off of the green unless it’s on your own hole. Apparently Seung-Yul Noh did not know this.
His caddie never questioned his actions, nor did his fellow-competitors, who were too far away to see exactly what he was doing. There was also a PGA Tour Rules Official nearby about 30 yards from Noh, but positioned such that he was not sure if Noh’s ball was on the green or just near it. After he realized that Noh had hit his shot from the putting surface of number 3, he had to inform him that he had incurred a two-stroke penalty.
Noh could have easily avoided this penalty by simply reading the Rule book. This could be said about most Rules infractions that happen on the PGA Tour, as well as in amateur competitions. Not everyone has to be a Rules expert, but reading the Rules and having a basic understanding of them can help every golfer. It should be part of the game just like practicing your putting or chipping.
It is amazing how many times you see a Rules official being called over on the PGA Tour on TV. One of the big reasons they might be calling over an official is because they are playing for major dollars and every stroke counts. Also, the number of viewers calling in when they see a Rules infraction has caused them to be extra careful not to do the slightest thing wrong. However, in an amateur club competition, the only people around to consult with are your partner and fellow-competitors. This is when it will pay to be familiar with and know how to properly apply the Rules. The last thing the superintendent wants is for you to commit a big ‘Noh-Noh’ on the green.
