With all sports there can be rules that you don't necessarily need to follow, and golf is a prime example.  It can be a good idea to have a good understanding of some basic rules.  We have started off with four that novice golfers need to know in 2021.

Count your Clubs

Now this one is straightforward but for those golfers heading off in a competition and eager to get onto the course, sometimes novice golfers forget to check the number of clubs in their bag before teeing off. The rules allow you carry up to 14 clubs in your bag. Having more than 14 in your bag can result in a penalty of two stokes for each hole where the rule was broken. So make sure an extra putter doesn’t find its way into your bag, as this can be costly.

Ian Woosnam the overnight leader at the 2001 Open Championship can tell you all about it when he was deducted two strokes after having one too many in his bag. It can happen to the best of us, try not to commit the same mistake.

The teeing area

Your first ever tee shot in front of the club house is extremely daunting but knowing where to tee off from is one of the most important things to know when starting the game. It can be broken by over keen players trying to shorten a hole. Here is what you need to know:

The teeing area is a rectangle marked by the two tee markers and two-club lengths back, often around 40 square feet. It’s easy to overlook these basic parameters and tee up the ball outside the box. The appropriate markers usually are coloured white for medal tees, yellow for men, red for ladies - and within two club lengths. In this case, you’ll need to hit it again from within the box – and if you’re playing Stroke play, you will likely get a two-stroke penalty.

Search time

When you are a novice the chances of losing your ball can be higher than most regular players. You now have just three minutes to locate a potentially lost ball (previously was 5) with the clock counting down from the moment you reach the search area. This rule doesn’t apply if its another player looking for your ball. When the countdown reaches 3 minutes the ball is considered lost.

When starting out, some recommend purchasing high visibility yellow balls that make it easier to spot. Srixon and Titleist are the leading suppliers of these.

Green Ruling

Once you have reached the green, there are a couple of key Rules of which you need to be aware. Once the ball comes to rest on the putting surface you may mark it with a coin, or disk, lift and clean it but remember to replace in the exact spot.

Golfers are now allowed to repair almost any damage on the green, such as spike marks, ball-marks, indentations from a club or flagstick, and animal damage.

However, golfers are not permitted to repair aeration holes, natural surface imperfections, or natural wear of the hole.

For additional rules we would recommend reading the full article on Golf Magic listing the full 10 basic rules a golfer needs to know in 2021.

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