Is It Golf That You Play, Or Another Similar Game?

Golf is played by 60 million players many of whom have only a limited knowledge of the Rules agreed and governed by the Royal and Ancient and United States Golf Association. Some players only play casual golf, some play competitively, as amateurs, and some play the game for a living. Does it matter that many golfers break the Rules, either knowingly or unknowingly but do not penalise themselves or their fellow competitors for the breaches?

Here's a leading question that I would like you to think about;

Have you ever been guilty of any of the following actions on the golf course, without declaring a penalty on yourself?

* Moved a ball while searching for it in the rough?
* Touched a ball in play, perhaps to identify it, without marking it first and asking a fellow competitor to witness the lift?
* Finished out a hole with a ball that you are not absolutely certain was the one that you were playing with?
* Discontinued play during a competition while a heavy rain shower passes over?
* Given advice to a fellow competitor on his grip, swing or which option to take, during a round?
* Moved your ball fractionally while removing a leaf, twig or stone that was lying close to your ball?
* Played a ball from the fairway, or on the putting green, that moved just as you were starting your downstroke?
* Improved your intended area of swing by knocking down a small branch of an overhanging tree with a practice swing?
* Placed a ball when preferred lies are in operation and then placed it again because it rolled of the original spot?
* Moved something growing (e.g. a bramble), thinking that it was a loose impediment?

Well, all of the above instances do incur a penalty under the Rules of Golf. I strongly suspect that there are very few of us that can honestly answer that we have always penalised ourselves in these situations. So, under what circumstance do you call a penalty on yourself and when do you ignore it, because it does not seem to be relevant? Here are a few sample situations to consider:

* You are playing a practice round on your own.
* You are playing casual golf with friends and there are no bets on the result.
* You are playing casual golf with friends and the loser has to buy the lunches.
* You are playing winter golf at your Club in a non-counting sweep of 20 players.
* You are playing in your Club's monthly medal.
* You are playing in your Club's Captain's prize.
* You are playing in an Open competition at a neighbouring Club.
* You are representing your Club at provincial level with a referee monitoring the game.
* You are playing in a qualifying round of The Open Championship.
* You are playing in a match and your opponent did not witness your breach.

You may have guessed by now that it is my contention that it does not matter which of the above situations apply, players must be totally honest to themselves, their fellow competitors, or their opponents. Whatever game you play there has to be rules. There is no personal satisfaction in finishing out a game of solitaire if you have bent the rules along the way. Surely, there can be no pleasure in winning any game if you know that you have deliberately deceived others in order to do so. Rules have to be respected and observed in order that the competitors are playing against each other on an equal footing. It makes no sense at all for one player to be penalised for an action if others are not also penalised for the same action. If players participate in the same game but apply different rules it will almost certainly lead to arguments, confusion, disagreement and mayhem. Without rules and regulations there cannot be a satisfactory outcome to the game, competition or match

Golf is very special in that the vast majority of rounds are played without the intervention of any referee, umpire, judge or arbiter being present, so it up to the players to apply the Rules to the best of their ability and integrity. Ignorance of the Rules cannot be used as any kind of excuse, as Rule 6-1 states;
"The player and his caddie are responsible for knowing the Rules."

My conclusion is that if you are not playing golf to its Rules, you are not playing golf.