Does telling a player they’re teeing off from the wrong place constitute giving advice?

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.

Does it constitute advice or merely information if you notify a player that he’s about to tee off from the wrong tee box? Can one be penalized in that circumstance? — Tosin Shaba, Lagos, Nigeria

It constitutes being a mensch.

Information in the Rules of Golf on the location of things on the course is not considered penalty-worthy advice.

Indeed, Rules Guy encourages players to do the right thing by speaking up and helping out.

For more advice-guidance from our guru, read on …

Rules

A member at a club where I recently worked was advised that she couldn’t ask a match-play opponent, “Would you like me to move my mark?” because such an act of politeness could perhaps be interpreted as an indication of the line of putt. In fact, the opponent insisted that the member concede the hole for providing advice on the line. Please, please tell me this isn’t an infraction.
— Andy Boone, Delaware, Ont.

If Canadians can’t be polite without being penalized, what the heck is this world coming to? Thankfully, simple questions don’t count as giving advice, and this courteous competitor from the Great White North is in the clear.

Had she instead said, “You should be aiming two inches outside the hole to the left, so I’ll move my mark,” we might have a different story on our hands. But we don’t. We have civility. Let’s all stand on guard for it, eh?

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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.