RULES
KNOW your
RULES
The latest in our series of situations encountered by everyday golfers, and what the correct procedures are
Golf is one of the most social games you can play, even allowing and encouraging friendly conversation – and banter between competitors. However, there is still a line between what can be said, or what can't be discussed between players.
Deciding your own course strategy and tactics is considered a fundamental part of the challenge of golf. This means, in competition play, there is certain advice that you can't give or receive from your playing partners. In any format of the game, before you hit a shot you must not give anyone advice on what club to hit or ask them for advice on what you should hit. Or how to play the shot.
Unless of course, you have a caddie, with whom you are welcome to discuss club selection and strategy.
The reality is that it's easy to mix up what counts as "advice" and what's just casual talk – and research shows that up to 40 percent of casual golfers are 'guilty'. Players in team competitions, like in fourball or scrambles, are allowed to share club info with their partners, but not with anyone else in the field.
Many think that asking, 'What club did you hit?' is harmless. The reality: in a strokeplay or matchplay event with strict rules, asking for club choice from an opponent or other competitor is considered seeking advice, and that can cost you two strokes or even a hole. But if you're out for a casual, non-competitive round, nobody's going to hassle you about the question.
REAL INCIDENT
At last June's Memorial Health Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, Cole Hammer hit his shot on the par-three 17th. As he walked back to his bag, playing partner Nelson Ledesma's caddie showed Hammer four fingers, as in '4-iron?'. Hammer said that out of instinct he responded by saying '4'.
'It was a heat-of-the-moment thing, and I didn't think a whole lot about it until after the round,' Hammer said later. The next morning Hammer reported it to officials. The upshot was that both Hammer and Ledesma were disqualified for signing incorrect scorecards from the first round.
THE RULE
RULE 10
Preparing for and Making a Stroke; Advice and Help; Caddies
10.2 Advice and Other Help
Purpose of Rule: A fundamental challenge for the player is deciding the strategy and tactics for their play. So there are limits to the advice and other help the player may get during a round.
10.2a Advice
During a round, a player must not:
- Give advice to anyone in the competition who is playing on the course,
- Ask anyone for advice, other than the player's caddie, or
- Touch another player's equipment to learn information that would be advice if given by or asked of the other player (such as touching the other player's clubs or bag to see what club is being used).
Penalty for Breach of Rule 10.2a: General Penalty (two penalty strokes)
In both match play and stroke play, the penalty is applied in this way:
- Player Asks For or Gives Advice When Either Player Is Playing Hole: The player gets the general penalty on the hole being played or just completed.
- Player Asks For or Gives Advice When Both Players Are Between Play of Two Holes: The player gets the general penalty on the next hole.
In strokeplay the penalty is two strokes and in matchplay the penalty is the loss of a hole.
WIN!
Stand a chance to win Cobra Puma footwear. Simply select the correct answer to this question and you’ll go into the draw for this fantastic giveaway.
Question:After searching for two minutes a player finds what they believe to be another player's ball, so they continue to search for their ball. After the three-minute search time ends, it is then discovered that the ball the player found and believed to be another player's ball was in fact the player's ball. What is the ruling?
What is the ruling?
Closing date:
26 March 2026
Question:After searching for two minutes a player finds what they believe to be another player's ball, so they continue to search for their ball. After the three-minute search time ends, it is then discovered that the ball the player found and believed to be another player's ball was in fact the player's ball. What is the ruling?
What is the ruling?
Closing date:
26 March 2026
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Rules competition with cobra/puma golf
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congratulations
Shane Thorne from Jeffreys Bay on winning a pair of Cobra Puma shoes in February's competition.
Question:In Betterball (Fourball) Matchplay, Player A declares that their handicap is 11, when it is really 10. Player B declares that their handicap is 8. Both players play the 1st hole, which has a stroke index of 15. On the 2nd tee Player A realises his mistake and informs his opponent.
- No penalty as they haven’t played the hole which would be affected
- Player A is disqualified
- Both Player A and his partner are disqualified
To feature in the mag, simply email us an interesting tale involving a rule at your club that is worth discussing, and we’ll make it happen. Get in touch with us at contact@thegolfmag.co.za
CARL FOURIE | SHAUN ROY | TYRONE WINFIELD | SUNSHINE TOUR
