The Rules Blog
It struck me this week that were four weeks in and we haven’t been on the course yet. So let’s get out there and play some golf. We don’t need to go far before there’s Rules trouble.
Rule 8 – Course Played as it is Found
This is one of the central principles of golf – to “play the course as you find it” and the Rule lists at 8.1a the Actions That Are Not Allowed if they improve the conditions affecting the stroke.
1 Move, bend or break any:
- Growing or attached natural object
- Immovable obstruction, integral object or boundary object or
- Tee marker for the teeing area that you are currently playing from.
The stakes marking the Driving Range as Out of Bounds fall within the definition of boundary objects ( as do all OOB Markers) and they absolutely cannot be removed.
Breach : General Penalty – 2 penalty strokes in stroke play and loss of hole in matchplay.
The Red and Yellow Stakes defining Penalty Areas are Movable Obstructions and can be moved in accordance with the Rule 15.2 – But PLEASE replace them.