Golf News

In this video I give you 5 tips to hit your long irons pure and straight. Do you struggle in golf hitting your long irons? Then this video will help your golf game ...... Read More

Apologies to those of you that have already received this important update from me, because you are also subscribed to my ‘Rhodes Rules School’ series. However, there are a significant number of subscribers to this fortnightly blog who do not receive these other emails from me.

It is obvious that Golf Clubs, Societies, Committee Members, Rules Officials and all serious and recreational golfers, are going to require a lot of information and assistance to properly understand and apply the new Rules of Golf, which become effective everywhere in the world from the 1st January 2019. From different interactions I am having I realise that many golfers are underestimating both the scope and the consequences of the radical changes that will have to be observed, applied and governed in all formats ... Read More

I have been asked this question.

“In a circumstance where a Committee has introduced a Local Rule that modifies a Rule of Golf, can a player choose which one to follow? Do they operate separately or does the Local Rule override the Rule of Golf?”

In most cases the above situation does not arise, because the Local Rule offers additional options to the Rules of Golf. Examples are;

• The Rules do not permit a player from removing stones (loose impediments) from a bunker, but a Local Rule may offer this option for player safety reasons.
• The Rules do not permit a player to prefer their lie, but a Local Rule for 'Preferred Lies' does give the player this option.
• The Rules only permit a player to take relief if a ball is embedded in its own pitch mark in any clos... Read More

No More ‘Rub of the Green’ !

Part of Rule 19-1 states;

If a player's ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. [There are some exceptions].

OK, don’t panic, my headline does not mean that there will be a change to the ruling in this circumstance. The relevant part of the new Rule 11.1a states;

If a player’s ball in motion accidentally hits any person or outside influence:
• There is no penalty to any player. [This Rule goes on to confirm that the ball must be played as it lies and there are similar exceptions to the current Rule].

The point of my headline is that the rather quaint term, ‘rub of the green’... Read More

Mickelson Strikes His Moving Ball
By now most readers will have made up their own mind about the Mickelson incident at the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Some may not have seen this updated statement from USGA PR, which in my opinion shows why there was never any possibility of an alternative ruling;

There appears to be some continued uncertainty about the basis of the ruling with Phil Mickelson during the third round of the 118th U.S. Open, and we would like to further clarify previous statements. During play of the 13th hole Mickelson made a stroke on the putting green at his ball, which was moving. As a result, he incurred a two-stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 14-5; the stroke made at the moving ball also counted. His score for the hole was 10. Rule 14-5 does not include a ser... Read More

So many times we hit good shots just off the putting green and are faced with a bad break. The dreaded hard pan lie. In this video I will show you a great golf tip ...... Read More

By far one of the strangest golf drills I have ever done but one that totally works and will stop you from hitting fat chunk chip shots. This golf tip will transform your ...... Read More

When I finished writing my previous blog, less than two weeks ago, little did I imagine that I would be writing so soon about Phil Mickelson’s professed knowledge of the Rules of Golf. Let me remind you what he said at that time, during an interview with Curtis Strange on Fox Sports (which can be viewed at this link);

 “Look, I don’t mean, I don’t mean disrespect by anybody I know it’s a two-shot penalty. And at that time, I just didn’t feel like going back and forth and hitting the same shot over. I took the two-shot penalty and moved on. It’s my understanding of the Rules. I’ve had multiple times where I’ve wanted to do that. I just finally did.” [My bolding] …
…But I know it's a two-shot penalty, hitting a moving ball. I tried to hit it as close to the ... Read More