Golf Tips: Review Local Rules Before Play

I've been saving this Tuesday Tip for PGA Championship week.  It is wise to study the scorecard or talk to the pro shop before play to find out if there are any "local rules." A local rule is a special rule which is specifically for a course, implemented because of a local condition or because a local committee has voted to have an addition or modification to the regular rules of golf.  There are a few reasons for a rule like this, mainly to help the player, protect the golf course or speed up play. Examples The relevance to the PGA Championship goes back to last year's "bunker gate" when Dustin Johnson grounded his club in a bunker damaged by the gallery on the final hole.  Had he read a special local rule the PGA implemented, he would have known that despite the fact that a sandy area like that looked like a waste bunker and had no rake, it was still to be treated like a regular bunker.  Not knowing that rule ruined Johnson's chances at winning his first major championship. The 17th hole on a course the Frog plays has a strange local rule.  There is hazard down the left side and OB right.  But because of the houses right of the hole, any tee shot which goes OB or in the hazard is required to drop in a drop area some 175 yards closer to the green.  This is to curtail house damage. A similar house damage rule is in play at another course.  Houses line both sides of the fairway.  Each side is OB.  Balls on this course which go OB from any point may drop from the point of entry, rather than the point the ball was last played. Another local rule I remember is on a course which has many power poles winding throughout the course.  This local rule gives the player the "option" to replay the previous shot with no penalty if that shot hits a power pole.  In a tournament, a player was not aware of this rule.  He hit a pole from the tee and the ball came back nearly to his feet.  He played that ball for his 2nd shot.  Had he known about the local rule, he could have replayed his 1st shot from the tee with no penalty. Conclusion Paying attention to local rules can be a big advantage and save you strokes in the long run.  If you're a tour pro, it could even mean winning a major championship!