You had jokes. A sampling:
“Having to count every stroke.”
“You can’t attempt another shot after a bad one.”
“All of ’em.”
Funny!
“’Em” was referring to rules, as the quips came in response to this question, asked this week across GOLF’s Instagram, Facebook and X accounts: What is the most annoying golf rule? There were serious answers, though. A lot of them.
And one was said often. One reader even wrote their answer again and again, 12 times in all.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.”
We hear ya. Notably, and perhaps sympathetically to the person above, the topic of fairway divots, and specifically the lack of relief from them, came up this week at the highest level. After the first round of this week’s Bermuda Championship, Cameron Percy posted the following on his X account:
“Whoever had 71 yards to the front on 9 today up left middle of fairway should be ashamed to call themselves a pro for leaving the divot l finished in.”
Percy went on to double-bogey the hole at Port Royal Golf Course.
With that, here are some of your (slightly edited) responses, taken from Instagram, X and Facebook. From each of those, we’ve broken up answers into two categories: divot rule (to give you a sense of the frustration there) and non-divot rule (to give you a feel of the variety).
What is the most annoying golf rule? Instagram
— Divot rule
“Divots [hand-clap emoji] should [hand-clap emoji] be [hand-clap emoji] ground [hand-clap emoji] under [hand-clap emoji] repair [hand-clap emojis].”
“It’s playing out of a divot in the fairway. We’ve all decided that’s it. Y’all can stop asking the question as if it’s up for debate.”
“I second all the comments about divots. You should NEVER be penalized for hitting a shot down the center of the fairway.”
“Fairway divots should be GUP.”
“I want to know who actually hits out of a divot, in a non-competitive round. You’re playing for fun or practice. Move the damn ball. That comment should be banned because I know no one else is hitting out of a divot at their local muni. Also I wouldn’t be mad if OB was played like a hazard instead of reloading from the same spot.”
“Seems like playing out of divots wins [hand-clap emoji]. Now to get the rule change.”
“The only answer is playing from a divot in the fairway. It’s absolute trash that you can stripe one down the middle but have to play from some other clown’s divot. Easily the worst rule in golf and will remain the worst rule in golf until that’s changed. Ask any professional, and they’ll say the same.”
“Fairway divots … a tale as old as time.”
“Defo divots, or ball in a footprint in the bunker.”
“Divots in fairways should be free relief. You should not be penalized for a good shot!”
— Non-divot rule
“That the LPGA plays for such small purses compared to PGA. Oh seems like an unwritten rule, but it’s truth to me.”
“Buying drinks after getting an ace!”
“OB. Just make everything play like a lateral hazard.”
“Having to count every stroke.”
“Why should I be getting an extra penalty stroke because I lost my ball? I didn’t gain an advantage AND I now lost a ball. I swear only golf gives you penalties when you actually did something to disadvantage yourself.”
“Divots in fairways not being GUR is definitely No. 1, but balls being stroke and distance when lost in the rough or leaves is close. Having to go back and take stroke and distance is a horrible rule for regular golfers without spotters, cameras and spectators to find your ball. If it’s not clearly hit into the hazard or OB, you should be able to drop at the closest point to where you last saw the ball.”
“Slow play. It’s not enforced by many.”
“Not knowing the rule.s”
“Out of bounds stroke and distance”
“No relief when stance/swing are impeded by OB boundaries (human construction), especially fencing.”
What is the most annoying golf rule? X
— Divot rule
“Playing from a divot in the fairway.”
“No relief from a divot.”
“Perfect drive and ball lands in a divot. Should be a drop. Also OB should be abolished. Just make everything a red-stake hazard and you have to drop two club lengths, with a one-shot penalty.”
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.
“Fairway divots.”
“No relief from ball in divot.”
“No relief from divots in fairways.”
“The ball in a fairway divot to be played as is.”
“Playing from a divot in the fairway.”
“Not being able to get relief from a divot.”
“Not able to get free relief in the fairway when your ball finds a divot.”
— Non-divot rule
“At no point should 20-plus handicappers be penalized stroke and distance. Should speed up play big-time. Take a drop down the fairway.”
“Driver length and putter anchor ban.”
“That an animal print in a bunker has to be to an animal hole in a bunker to get relief. I play on a course full of kangaroos that leave deep footprints but don’t dig holes. Insane rule!”
“Lost ball where you swear it’s right here. Gotta walk back to the tee while adding two damn strokes to your score.”
“Stroke and distance penalties. Not sure what they should be, but something close to loss of stroke only. Lost ball? Just re-hit No. 2 from the original spot instead of No. 3. OB? Same thing, or if you find the ball, treat it like a red hazard. If not, hit No. 2 from the last spot.”
“All of ’em.”
“OB. Make it just like red stakes. Two club lengths from where it entered with a stroke penalty. Now you’re hitting three from there (after a tee shot).”
“The lost ball rule (when the ball is clearly in play and not in some type of hazard or wooded area) needs to be reconsidered. The punishment for hitting a ball OB and the punishment for hitting it into long rough/a leafy area and not finding it shouldn’t be the same.”
“Lift. Clean. Place.”
“OB. It’s not even close. Play it where it lies.”
What is the most annoying golf rule? Facebook
— Divot rule
“Play from a divot in the fairway should get a drop.”
“Not being able to take a ball out of a fairway divot!”
“Having to play a ball in a divot.”
“Playing in a divot.”
“I have to agree with most here, re: not being able to move your ball out of a divot in the fairway!”
“Playing from a divot in the middle of the fairway.”
— Non-divot rule
“Difference in penalty for a bad shot. Out of bounds is stroke and distance. In the water, you have the option of getting some distance from the shot.”
“Out of bounds.”
“I can’t make my own rules as the round goes!!!”
“Water hazards with red and yellow stakes! One rule please.”
“That I can’t make up my own score.”
“You are required to play another ball after hitting overhead power lines. You should have the option to play another or take the ‘lucky’ bounce if that’s the case.”
“Rules? There are rules? Not in my game!”
“You can’t attempt another shot after a bad one.”
“Out of bounds. I’m always there.”
“Having to count every stroke.”
“All of them.”
“Counting every stroke.”
“Keeping score.”
“Having to count all of your shots! Where’s the fun in that?”
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Nick Piastowski
Golf.com Editor
Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
