You don’t have to dig very far into the Rules of Golf to find out that golfers who are competing can’t agree to ignore any rules when they play. In fact, Rule 1.3b(1) says that if two or more players agree to ignore any rule or penalties and someone in that group starts the round, everyone is disqualified, even if they haven’t yet acted on the agreement.
What does that mean for you and the rest of your foursome if you decide on the first tee that anyone can take a lateral drop for a ball that lands out of bounds? Well, let’s just say that if it’s a casual match, no one is likely to care about your agreement—especially the group behind you who doesn’t want to wait for someone in your foursome to walk back to the tee.
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Where this agreement to ignore the rules will get you in real trouble is in a tournament or an event with multiple players participating (and/or money on the line). So you might want to think twice.
Now here’s an interesting dilemma. You can’t ignore the rules in a match, but what if you don’t know a rule and proceed incorrectly? An example: You and your opponent get into a debate (argument?) about whether you’re allowed to take relief from a ball in play but next to an out-of-bounds fence. After some back and forth, you both agree that you can take up to one clublength, no closer to the hole, and play on. (Keep in mind that this right to decide rules by agreement only applies in match play.)
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This relief gives you enough room to hit a shot on the green and ultimately win the hole. When you get in after the match is concluded, you find the head pro to ask if you proceeded correctly. The pro says, “no,” you should have played the ball as it lies or take an unplayable-lie penalty. Should the match now be adjusted with you losing the hole? Should you and your opponent be disqualified for unknowingly agreeing to a rules violation?
It might seem like there’s going to be a reckoning here but Rule 20.1b provides some welcome forgiveness. It says “during a round, the players in a match may agree how to decide a rules issue. The agreed to outcome is conclusive even if it turns out to have been wrong under the rules, so long as the players did not agree to ignore any rule or penalty they knew applied.”
You might be surprised by this, but think about one of the game’s most important elements—playing without unreasonable delay. It’s not likely there will be a referee following you around on a Saturday morning, so waiting for a ruling might not be practical. As long as both sides think it’s fair to proceed in a certain way, then the rules makers acknowledge that this will keep pace of play in line. You’re good to go. No penalty.
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