Golfers - What unusual golf rules have you learnt while playing? Please share.

[Cockahoophappy]

I had a rules issue while on the course today; luckily I knew the rule and was confident even though my playing partners were doubting me (it was friendly Sunday golf so it really didn't matter on this occasion.)

I'd love to learn more rules, especially weird wacky ones.

Please share any that you know.

I'll start.

Tee shot lands in the bunker, horrible lie, right up close to the back wall which is high. Even Rory would struggle to get it out. You have 4 options.

Back on the line relief, ball stays in the bunker - 1 shot penalty
Lateral relief, ball stays in the bunker - 1 shot penalty
Extra relief option, back on the line relief out of the bunker - 2 shot penalty
Stroke and distance relief, i.e. back to the tee - 1 penalty shot

Please share any you've learnt.

Friendly golf - two goes at getting out of the bunker, then chuck it out and giggle.

Otherwise, I’d probably have tried chipping it out back towards the tee.

We weren’t worried about the ruling today; the situation merely started the conversation and we realised that we had different takes on what the ruling would be if we were in match play or competition, hence why I checked it out and started this post.

Thoroughly recommend the R&A app for on course debates like this. One rule I was pulled up on when a very new golfer was the need to literally say the words “I am taking a provisional” after very obviously putting my first drive deep into a wood. To me it was very clear I had to take another but because I hadn’t said the magic words my partner said I was guilty of playing from the wrong place or something🙄

Thanks for your post VCA.

I had a similar incident with a provisional.

I remember, as a very new golfer, being told to make sure I said it really loudly too because "a lot of people who play golf are very old and therefore a bit deaf". This was said by a woman who I then discovered was 82!