Showing 1 - 10 of 59
Free relief, OB stakes and the one-club drop
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 11/02/2026
» Please allow me to try and explain what is an immovable obstruction once more. They are basically artificial, fixed objects like cart paths, sprinklers, or fences -- they allow for a free, one-stroke relief drop if they interfere with a player's lie, stance, or swing. Relief is not permitted for line-of-sight interference. Players must find the nearest point of complete relief, not closer to the hole, and drop within one club-length.
When a sprinkler raises its head
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 14/01/2026
» Sprinkler heads are immovable obstructions, and you get free relief if they interfere with your stance, swing, or lie, but for line-of-play interference (when it's just in the way of your shot direction), you only get relief from this predicament if a local rule is in effect, requiring the sprinkler head and ball to be within two club-lengths of the green and the green's fringe (fairway height or shorter). Without the local rule, you must play it as it lies or take penalty relief.
Penalty or no penalty? These tricky scenarios will test you
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 12/11/2025
» Let's see how good you know your golf rules; Here's some questions that will get you thinking -- You and your opponent are using the same type of ball in a match and inadvertently play each other's ball into the green. You're not sure who played a shot with the wrong ball first, so you finish out the hole as if nothing happened. Penalty or no penalty?
From divots to bunkers: Clearing up rules
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 10/09/2025
» Feedback always comes back thick and fast when l mention the rules of golf as our rules can be confusing for many. Last week, l discussed the situation of if your ball embeds itself and from the feedback came the helpful comment that there's no relief if your ball comes to rest in another pitch mark or divot.
Old tricks and new science in green reading
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 27/08/2025
» I have to be honest and say that the 'Feet Feeling Method' for finding the break in a putt has never excited me. This involves using your feet to feel the slope of the green while you walk around it. The Plumb Bob Method in finding the line of any putt involves using your putter as a plumb line to judge the slope. To do this, you need to stand behind your ball, at a right angle to the hole, and hold up your putter so it covers the ball. Then, you align the shaft of your putter with the ball. If the shaft seems to tilt to one side, it indicates that the green also slopes in that direction and you then allow for this.
Choosing the right putter is important
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 20/08/2025
» Putters come in many shapes and sizes: blade putters and mallet putters. Some are more traditional, have a simple design and are often favoured by 'feel' putters who rely more on their intuition and touch. Mallet putters have larger heads and offer more forgiveness on off-centre hits, making them ideal for golfers who prefer a 'straight-back-straight-through' stroke.
Putting is game's ultimate test of both skill and nerve
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 13/08/2025
» The four basics of putting are reading, aiming correctly, stroke mechanics and distance control, which sounds simple but in reality, getting all four of these essentials working at the same time is not so easy.
One swing for pitch shots
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 30/07/2025
» Are you having problems with pitch shots around the green, perhaps you're undecided to hit it high or low or make it stop quickly. Here's a way of making the shot selection and execution process simpler.
Why pressure and practice games matter
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 16/07/2025
» It's been proven that the brain can't learn unless you are challenging it with random tasks. Showing up to the range and hitting your driver for hours on end won't do much to improve your golf game. This is exactly why practice games are so effective. They simulate real pressure that you will feel on the course and encourage you to practise like you play.
Play it smart, watch your game soar
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 07/05/2025
» Good decisions on the golf course make up a good score and therefore allows you to feel good about yourself. Well thought out actions on the links will express your talents, skills, and knowledge. A good decision will silence many when you come in with a good score, and move you closer to your golfing goals. Your frustrations and anger disperse with a good decision on the golf course.