The rules of golf are difficult! Luckily we have the guru. Our Rules Man knows the book from cover to cover. Do you have a question? He has all the answers.
I often stop with a big, fat stogie in my mouth. Can this be considered a well aid? If I’m honest, it helps me keep my head from moving when I think about it, but I don’t use it on purpose for that reason. —David Fatula, via email
David, Rules Guy sees this as an offshoot of the ever-popular “cigar smoke for wind direction” question.
Why are you putting that big, fat cigar in your mouth? (Page Swing Doctor Freud….)
When it comes to smoking the cigar, that’s not a problem. If you did it specifically to keep your head still, then we’ll take a chance Rule 4.3 Territory. But is it an infringement in itself? No, of course not. Unless it’s a Cuban cigar, in which case…just kidding!
For more advice from our guru, read on…
When putting, after I finish my backswing, can I rest the clubhead on the ground for a split second before making the forward stroke? Can I eliminate the backswing completely and start my forward swing after placing the clubhead behind the ball on the ground or in the air? My friends say they’ve never seen anyone do it, so it must be illegal. – Ed Chapman, via email
Ed, we’re going crazy just reading your question. Rules Guy believes that if you’ve never seen anyone do anything on Tour, there’s a reason for it, namely IT. DO. NOT. WORK.
That is of course separate from legality. The rules require that you do not push, scrape or scoop the ball. Strokes like the one you describe, without a traditional backswing, are not automatically one of these illegal actions, but they do increase the chances. The key is that you must hit the ball fairly with the head of the club so that there is only momentary contact between the club and the ball.
If that’s what you do, you’re clear. If not, you will incur a general penalty of two penalty strokes in stroke play and loss of the hole in match play for violation Rule 10.1a (and the stroke itself counts, whatever the outcome).
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Do you have a question about the Rules? Ask the rules man! Send your questions, confusion and comments to ruleguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.
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