Showing 1 - 10 of 19
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.
Unplayable lies: Know the three relief options
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 04/02/2026
» You have basically three options if your golf ball finds itself in an unplayable lie. An unplayable lie allows a golfer to take relief almost anywhere on the course but comes with a one-stroke penalty, excluding penalty areas. The player is the sole judge of whether a ball is unplayable. The 3-options for relief are -- stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line, or lateral relief within two club-lengths of where the ball is at rest.
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.
One wrong move, two strokes gone
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 31/12/2025
» Giving or asking for advice like "What club did you use?" from anyone except your caddie or playing partner results in a penalty of two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. Unsolicited advice from strangers or spectators is okay, but the player must not encourage it.
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?
Golf made simple: Key rules every player should know
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 01/10/2025
» Carrying on with some basic 'easy to understand' golf rules that we all need to know well. To correctly drop a golf ball, you must release the ball from your hand at knee height, allowing it to fall straight down without touching your body or equipment before hitting the ground. The ball must then land and come to rest within the defined relief area for that required situation. Should it bounce away from the dropping area you can try two more times. If still unsuccessful -- you can then place the ball. If you drop the ball incorrectly, you simply must re-drop it without penalty, but you incur a penalty if you play the ball from a wrong place after dropping it.
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.
How mental barriers affect a player's game
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 06/11/2024
» The psychological area that comes with the game of golf is hugely underestimated. If you don't think hard about how your brain is working, as you are walking around the course it is important, think of all the players who used to play great yet couldn't even hit a cow's backside with a cricket bat.
Planned payout for rich golfers raises questions
Sports, Brett Brasier, Published on 02/01/2022
» Phil Mickelson claims he has won the year-long Player Impact Program (PIP) and the US$8 million bonus while Tiger Woods reportedly took second place and $6 million, although the PGA Tour said the results will not be official until next month.