Frequently Asked Questions by the Beginner Golfer

Do you know your mulligan from your slice? Do you know where to place a penalty shot after hitting into the water? I sometimes think golfers speak in an entirely different language to the general population. It’s not enough to learn all the intricacies to hit the ball, there’s all the terminology to learn as well.  We have created a list of essential Golf FAQ’s, explained in simple language.

There are 37 rules in golf, and each has between two and seven sub-rules. During most rounds of golf, there has usually been at least one point where the rules of golf come up. It could be when you’ve hit out of bounds or in an area that is GUR (ground under repair)

Knowing the rules has a direct impact on your scoring. As an example, I once took a penalty stroke when hitting into GUR and lost the round by one stroke. Imagine my frustration when I googled the rule later and discover you are allowed a free relief in GUR.

Another example is hitting into the water and knowing how far away you can drop your ball for your next shot. I had always taken a drop close to the water-hazard and only discovered recently, the rules allow a distance of two club-lengths. And it’s any club in your bag, so that means two driver lengths, with the driver being the longest club in the bag. Take a look at our Golf FAQ’s below for more details.