1. You Can Move Loose Impediments Anywhere
Many golfers think you can only move leaves, sticks, or stones on the fairway.
Truth: You can remove loose impediments anywhere on the course — fairway, bunker, penalty area, or putting green — as long as your ball does not move.
2. You Can Ground Your Club in a Penalty Area
Under the old rules, grounding your club in a water hazard was a penalty.
Truth: Since 2019, you can ground your club, remove loose impediments, and take practice swings in penalty areas. Just be careful not to move your ball.
3. No Penalty if Your Ball Accidentally Moves on the Green
Some golfers still add a stroke when their ball moves due to wind or while being marked.
Truth: There is no penalty if your ball accidentally moves on the green. Simply replace it on its original spot.
4. You Don’t Always Have to Re-Tee After an Out of Bounds Shot
Many think they must return to the tee after hitting out of bounds.
Truth: A local rule allows you to drop in the fairway (with a two-stroke penalty) instead of replaying the shot from the tee. Check if your course uses this rule.
5. Double Hits Count as One Stroke
Older rules penalized you for hitting the ball twice in a single swing.
Truth: Today, if your club accidentally hits the ball twice in one stroke, it only counts as a single stroke.
6. You Can Repair Almost Anything on the Green
Many players still think they can only fix ball marks.
Truth: You can repair ball marks, spike marks, animal damage, and almost any surface irregularity on the putting green before putting.
7. Dropping Procedure Has Changed
Golfers often drop from shoulder height.
Truth: The ball must now be dropped from knee height. Dropping from higher can result in a penalty if not corrected.
8. Searching for a Ball Is Limited to Three Minutes
Some players still search for five minutes out of habit.
Truth: The search time was reduced to three minutes in 2019. After that, the ball is considered lost.
9. You Can Take Free Relief from Embedded Balls Anywhere
Some think relief only applies on closely mown areas.
Truth: You are entitled to free relief for an embedded ball anywhere in the general area, except in sand.
10. You Can Touch the Line of Putt
Older rules discouraged touching the line of putt.
Truth: You may now touch the putting line to indicate a target line — just avoid improving the conditions that affect the stroke.
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