The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.
My friend hit his approach shot long and left, the ball coming to rest on a practice putting green. It was impossible to putt from there with any hope of reaching the green — and our greenskeeper would skin a person alive if he discovered you’d taken a divot with a wedge from his practice area. Any remedy other than putting to an area where you could then safely use a wedge? —John S. Payne, via email
John, it sounds like club members might need to use a wedge to save their skin from this, er, deeply committed greenskeeper….
As it happens, not only is there a remedy, but your superintendent would be happy to know (if he or she doesn’t already) that you’re in fact required to take relief off of the practice putting green under Rule 13.1f.
The practice putting green is a wrong green, and as such you must take free relief so that you have no interference from it.
The procedure is to find the nearest point of complete relief in the same area of the course as where the ball originally lay — usually the general area, since a wrong green is part of the general area — and drop within one club-length no nearer the hole.
Rules Guy: Does hitting a stray range ball during a round count as practice?
For more practice-related guidance from our guru, read on …
On our league course, there’s a par 3 with several walnut trees near the green. If you hit your ball over there in late summer or early fall, many walnuts, a bit larger than a golf ball, are scattered on the ground. Can I practice chipping them while waiting my turn? — Tony Brajdic, Sarver, Pa.
There are no nutty Rules questions, just nutty answers.
This one is simple: Walnuts, almonds and pecans are legal to chip; peanuts, cashews and macadamias are not… kidding!
Interpretation 5.5a/1 tells us that striking a natural object with a club isn’t considered a practice stroke and thus would be allowed.
Common sense tells us that chipping walnuts, while easier than chipping pistachios, will no more improve your short game than asking a squirrel for putting tips.
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Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.