Tips

LOST AND FOUND Rules Guy, I topped my tee shot into the bank above a water hazard not far from the tee box. It was close enough for me to look for the ball, but after a couple of minutes I got nervous that we'd be holding up traffic, so I declared my ball lost, scampered back up to the tees and hit again. As I drove my golf cart towards my second drive, I spotted my first ball on the far bank, in the hazard but playable. I had no idea what to do: I definitely found my ball before the five minute "time limit," but I had already declared it lost and played a ball that I had no intention of being provisional. Could I have played the first ball? SHOULD I have played it? I've never been so confused on the golf course! -- Tim Becker, Hoboken, NJ This question hits upon one of the most misunderstood Rules of Golf: You can't actually "declare" a ball as lost; it's either lost or it isn't. According to Decision 21-1/1, your second ball was not actually considered in play, as you found your original ball before taking a second stroke at the provisional. This, however, does not mean that you were forced to play your first shot. You were, of course, more than within your rights to go back to the tee and take a penalty of stroke and distance. So, as it turns out, whichever choice you made would have been legal. The only thing not to do was stand around looking confused.   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy

WHO: Kyle Stanley WHAT: A 65-yard wedge into the water WHEN: Final round of the 2012 Farmers Insurance Open WHERE: 570-yard par-5 18th hole at Torrey Pines   Golf is easy looking in the rearview mirror. Still, it's hard to understand how Stanley couldn't make a double-bogey at 18, which would've given him the title. It took several huge mistakes for Stanley to make an eight, which dropped him into a playoff that he lost to Brandt Snedeker. Stanley's mistakes included laying up with his second shot instead of blasting his second shot at or over the green; hitting a wedge approach with so much spin that it sucked back off the green and into the water; and finally, three-putting. The wedge into the water might be the shot that Stanley most regrets, because hitting a no-spin wedge from 65 yards is easy.   THE DRILL: To take the spin off a wedge, you've got to radically decrease the angle of attack into the ball by using what I call a "sweepy" instead of a steep release. You also need to move the ball a little further back than normal in your stance and shift your weight a little more to the target side than you would do with a standard shot. To practice no-spin wedges, take practice swings by holding the club with only your right hand. Hold the club at the bottom of the grip so that your right hand (for a right-hander) touches both the grip and the shaft; the butt end of the grip should be near the middle of your right forearm. Make a little backswing and sweep through impact. Just after impact, the butt end of the shaft should hit your right forearm and the shaft should align down your arm. The club and your right arm should remain in that synchronized position for the first half of the follow-through. I like doing this drill without a ball, but you can hit shots using the same technique. Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brian Manzella teaches at English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans.   Article & Image Information Kyle Stanley, 72nd hole, final round at Torrey Pines

SAND SLIDE Rules Guy, I hit a drive into a bunker with a steep slope and carefully made my way down to my ball. Apparently I wasn’t quite as careful as I thought though, because the sand started to slide out from under my feet, all the way to the ball, moving it several inches back away from the hole. Not knowing what to do, I asked my (very competitive) friend/opponent, who said that I had to take a penalty stroke for moving my ball., and replace it in the original spot I decided to believe him, even though it seemed fishy since I didn’t actually touch the ball and since it moved away from the hole. Was my friend right, or should I find a new playing partner? -- Tim Smith, Portland, Ore.   This is one case where the Rules Guy feels your pain: there is nothing worse than having to tip-toe into a deep bunker for fear of starting a sand slide. Unfortunately, the Rules of Golf are not nearly as sympathetic. According to Decision 18 2b/3, if your approach to the ball or the act of taking your stance in the bunker is what caused the ball to move, you were in violation of Rule 18-2a which prohibits moving a ball at rest. Your buddy even got the penalty right—replacing the ball and taking a one-stroke penalty. Keep your honest playing partner around, and next time try to be a little bit lighter on your feet.  Article & Image Information Ask The Rules Guy

WHO: Mark Wilson WHAT: 279-yard drive into the fairway WHERE: 543-yard par-5 18th hole at the Palmer Course at PGA West WHEN: Final round of the Humana Challenge Mark is playing great golf because he's projecting so well, and he has become an expert at a skill that I call Target Projection. In his pre-shot routine, Mark visualizes the entire shot: impact, the starting point (the spot the ball flies over 20 feet out from impact), the ball flight, where the ball lands and finally how the ball bounces and rolls to its final target. Mark uses this precise Target Projection technique with woods, irons and the putter. Doing that helps Mark relax and avoid getting caught up in mechanical swing thoughts, which he used to do while lingering over the ball way too much. To help Mark stay focused on his routine and do his Target Projection, Chris Jones, Mark's caddie, tells him before every shot, "Narrow your focus." A huge Key in Mark's victory was driving, as he hit all six of the fairways on the back nine. Mark drove so well largely because he was focused before each shot, projecting exactly how the club would hit the ball and then how and where the ball would fly. His drive at 18 was especially strong. A huge lake runs down the entire left side of the hole, and Mark had just a one-stroke lead, so it was crucial to hit the fairway. THE DRILL: Most golfers don't use Target Projection or visualization. Even players who attempt to use the technique often do it incorrectly because they picture the ball only sailing through the air. The correct Target Projection technique involves visualizing the entire shot, from impact until the ball stops moving. If you're on the green, you want to see in your mind exactly how the ball will fall into the hole. On an approach shot, you should picture the exact number of bounces the ball will take on the green and then how far it will roll. To practice Target Projection, hit shots to a practice green. Put a pole in the ground 20 feet ahead of your ball. Also place four towels on the green by dividing the green into four quadrants and putting one towel in the middle of each quadrant. On each shot, visualize how the ball will fly past the pole -- on the right, the left or over the top -- and then which quadrant the ball will land in. When hitting the shot, watch the ball's path to see if it flies over the pole as planned. The ball should then land on the towel in the quadrant to which you were aiming. When playing, you likely won't hit shots as precisely as you visualize them, but that's okay. Target Projection will take your mind away from mechanical swing thoughts and dramatically increase your precision. Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Jim Suttie is Mark Wilson's longtime instructor. He teaches at The Club at TwinEagles in Naples, Fla. Article & Image Information Mark Wilson, final round, 2012 Humana Challenge

THREE-DAY SCHOOLS Boca Raton Resort & Club; Boca Raton, Fla.; Weekly, through May 26 PGA National Resort & Spa; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Weekly – May 19 Cimarron Golf Resort; Palm Springs, Calif.; Weekly – May 19 Chateau Elan Winery & Resort; Atlanta, Ga.; Now – May 27 Centennial Golf Club, Carmel, N.Y.; May 25 – July 2 The Homestead, Traverse City, Mich., June 8 – Aug. 25 TWO-DAY SCHOOLS (Wedge Only) PGA National Resort & Spa; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Mar. 13 – 14; April 17 - 18 Chateau Elan Winery & Resort; Atlanta, Ga.; Mar. 15 - 16; Apr. 4 - 5 Boca Raton Resort & Club; Boca Raton, Fla.; Mar. 6 – 7; Apr. 3 - 4 Cimarron Golf Resort; Palm Springs, Calif.; Mar. 12 - 13 Centennial Golf Club, Carmel, N.Y.; July 17 - 18 The Homestead, Traverse City, Mich., July 6-7; Aug. 29-30 ONE-DAY CLINICS Catta Verdera C.C.; Sacramento, Calif.; Feb. 7 – 11 The Grand Del Mar; San Diego, Calif.; Feb. 14 - 16 Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia; Phoenix, Ariz.; Feb. 22 – 25 Wolfdancer G.C.; Austin, Tex.; Mar. 6 – 10 Cypresswood G.C.; Houston, Tex.; May 9 – 12 Centennial Golf Club; New York, NY; May 17 – July 28 Cog Hill G.C.; Chicago, Ill.; June 5 - 9   Article & Image Information Dave Pelz, Golf Magazine

WHO: Johnson Wagner WHAT: 34-yard shot from a bunker to 11 feet from the hole WHERE: 351-yard par 4 10th hole at Waialae Country Club WHEN: Final round of the Sony Open   After the round, Johnson said that his up-and-downs from greenside bunkers at the 9th and 10th holes were the key shots of his round. At nine, he made a great up-and-down after blasting out from 36 feet for a tap-in birdie. At 10, he holed his 11-footer for birdie. So Johnson made two straight birdies from bunkers, which is darn good. Johnson's bunker stats haven't been good (he was 134th in 2011), but he's actually a pretty good bunker player. Johnson just wasn't making the five- to 10-footers that you need to make to have good sand numbers. The whole key for Johnson in bunkers is setting up properly and staying steady. His motion is fine. Sometimes, though, he responds to sand shots too much with his body and moves around. When you move, the club doesn't land in the right spot. So I always work with Johnson on staying steady so he'll hit that spot right behind the ball.   The Drill: When practicing in bunkers, I draw two five-foot lines. The lines should be parallel and three inches apart. I place one ball at the end of the line closer to the target. I start at the end of the lines that is furthest from the ball, and I take about 10 swings moving down the line. In each swing, the goal is to hit the back line as the club enters the sand and then take out the forward line in the follow-through. After covering those five feet of lines, you reach the end where you're finally ready to hit the ball. By taking swings without a ball, you will free up your mind to focus on the most important thing in a bunker: where your club hits the sand. After each swing, inspect the lines to see where the club hit the sand. The average golfer rarely hits the sand in the right place. Bobby Heins, the 2008 Metropolitan PGA section Teacher of the Year, has been the head professional at Old Oaks Country Club in Purchase, N.Y. for 30 years. He has taught Johnson Wagner for over a decade. Article & Image Information Johnson Wagner, 10th hole, final round, 2012 Sony Open

BOUNDARY ISSUES Rules Guy, I hit my drive close to a fence and the only way to advance my ball would be to stand on the other side of the fence (out of bounds) and hit it from there. Is this possible to do without penalty? -- Michael Munday, via Facebook This is a shockingly common question, as a lot of players are confused by the rules regarding out of bounds. These players are easily recognized, as they can be seen scurrying to their rulebooks every time their ball comes within a few yards of an OB marker. Assuming that you are able to actually swing at your ball "through" the fence (and I doubt you'd be asking this question if you couldn't), this particular situation is anything but unusual, and the answer is so simple that it's dealt with right up at the front of the Rules of Golf. According to the very definition of out of bounds, a ball is only OB "when all of [the ball] lies out of bounds." In fact, the USGA specifically states that a player is entitled to stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds. So, the next time you find your feet crossing that imaginary line, have no fear -- you're doing it without penalty.   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy

SLOW POKE Rules Guy, My best friend and I have teamed up for weekly matches against another twosome every week for the last few years. Even though it’s always competitive, I’m constantly annoyed at my buddy’s habit of practicing by taking and retaking a putt after he misjudges a break. He never slows down the group behind us, but it always irks me anyway. During our last round I got fed up and teed off on the next hole with him still on the putting green. Finally playing at my own pace, I striped my drive, but the guys we were playing with said that leaving my partner was a violation of the rules. I had the honor and I know it’s legal to take practice putts after you finish a hole, so was this really a violation? -- Kyle P, Seattle, Wash. Needless to say, the Rules of Golf and general rules of golf etiquette are by no means he same thing, but in this case you managed to violate both. You’re right that you are allowed to practice on the previous green between holes, but there are limits to what the rules allow. According to Decision 29/3, when you teed off, your team officially started the next hole. Once you did so, your partner was in violation of Rule 7-2, which prohibits practicing during the play of a hole, even though it was you who actually got the ball rolling. By leaving your partner in the dust, you two automatically lost the hole that you began while he was working on his short game. But cheer up, even if your partner decides he’s better off without you at the next match, you can always team up with Rory Sabbatini.   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy

The holes you play on your home course provide you with consistent full-swing challenges week in and week out because the fairways and landing areas are set in stone. This story changes, however, once you reach the greens. Pin positions move, winds blow, grass grows, seasons and green speeds change. And you seldom hit shots to—or putt from—the same positions on any of those greens. As a result, almost every putt you face is a completely new and unique experience that demands a unique aim and stroke. To help get a better feel for the new putts you'll face, start using your practice strokes to provide a "preview" of the stroke you want to make before you actually execute it. Here's how: 1. As you look along the line of your putt during your first practice stroke, ask yourself, "Will this stroke roll the ball along my line and into the hole at good speed?" If your mind's eye says, "Yes, I like it," then move in and use it to roll the actual putt. 2. If you didn't like the first practice stroke, change your speed and try another one. Again, see how it feels. You're looking for a stroke that you feel will match your putt's speed to the chosen line. 3. Once you can say "That's it," make it the "preview" of the stroke you want to make. You've felt the stroke and seen the ball roll into the hole. Now just do it again! In the picture above I'm stroking a real putt, but the "preview" stroke that I made looked exactly the same. Use this habit of creating a meaningful preview stroke both during practice and on the course, and I'm sure you'll start holing more putts. For more tips from Dave Pelz, visit his homepage on Golf.com. This article first appeared in the February 2012 issue of Golf Magazine. The February issue is on newsstands and the tablet version is available for free for magazine subscribers on iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, Nook Color and Samsung Galaxy Tab. Learn more Article & Image Information Dave Pelz, Golf Magazine, February 2012

• Got a Rules question? Zip it to rulesguy@golf.com LOST AND LOST AND FOUND Rules Rep: After hitting my drive into the rough, I walloped my second shot and lost my ball out of bounds. Or at least I thought it was my ball. After dropping (taking stroke and distance) and hitting my next shot into the green, I found my real ball just a few yards ahead. I finished out with my original ball, but neither I nor my opponent had any idea how to score the hole. What should I have done? -- Kellen Fein, Astoria, N.Y. You know what they say about assuming: It makes a mess of your scorecard. According to Decision 15/11, the ball you hit out of bounds is still considered a "wrong ball" (and the ball you dropped afterward a "continuation of play" on that wrong ball). If you were scoring in stroke play, you should have taken a two-stroke penalty for your mistake (Rule 15-3a) and continued the hole playing your original ball. If you were scoring in match play the answer is even simpler: You lost the hole. But look on the bright side -- at least you didn't lose your ball. ANGER MISMANAGEMENT Hey Rules Guy: My temperamental friend took a big hack in a fairway bunker and moved his ball all of about 3 feet, still in the bunker. Disgusted, he slammed his club into the sand. Looking to kick him when he was down, I informed my buddy that he had to take a penalty for touching the bunker with his club. He claimed that since he had already taken a stroke in it, he could no longer "test" the bunker's condition. Was he right? -- Howard Steller, Washington, D.C. If your buddy keeps up his angry antics it's going to cost him a lot of friends and a lot of strokes. Decision 13-4/35 reinforces your argument that your friend's action was in violation of the rule prohibiting players from touching the bunker with their clubs (Rule 13-4b), even though he had already played a ball in that trap. You should gently tell him that his temper tantrum cost him two strokes or the loss of the hole in match play. And if he's got a club in his hand, maybe you should tell him over the phone. DOUBLE TROUBLE Rules Guy: While hitting a ball out of a bunker, I hit it a second time with my club on the follow-through. What's the correct ruling? -- Duane F. Pruett, via Facebook While playing from a hazard can definitely make you second-guess your instincts on this double shot, the ruling is actually pretty straightforward. Rule 14-4 clearly states that in this circumstance, "the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all." The good news for you is that there is no additional penalty for being in any particular spot (whether it's the tee box, green or, in your case, a bunker), so you should have simply counted the two strokes and played your ball where it came to rest after your double hit. And keep your chin up -- lots of amateurs take two shots to get out of a bunker. This article first appeared in the February 2012 issue of Golf Magazine. The February issue is on newsstands and the tablet version is available for free for magazine subscribers on iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, Nook Color and Samsung Galaxy Tab. Learn more   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy

• Got a Rules question? Zip it to rulesguy@golf.com SPIN SPAT Hey Rules Guy: I was playing what I thought was a friendly game with a co-worker last week. We were both on the green and, to save time, I decided to do away with marking my ball and simply rotate it a bit so that the ball's logo faced the hole. My "friend" called me out, saying that you have to mark your ball if you are going to move it. I replied that not only had I not changed the location of the ball, I hadn't even lifted it off the ground -- I just rotated it. Still, he insisted I had to mark my ball. Tell me I can tell him off. -- Jon M., via e-mail This is why you should never mix business with pleasure. According to Decision 18-2a/33, any time a player adjusts his ball on the green for a reason not provided for in the Rules, he must mark the position of his ball. By touching your ball (much less actually moving or rotating it), you were in violation of Rule 18-2, and earned a one-stroke penalty. If you had listened to your co-worker, you would have saved yourself a shot. Sounds like you've got some apologizing to do at the water cooler. HIS NAME IS MUD Rules Responder: My buddy chunked his ball into very wet rough, and when we got to where we thought it had landed, there were two balls there. My friend said he was going to have to rub off some mud to identify his ball, but when I looked he had all but completely cleaned it! My friend said that once you lift a ball you are allowed to clean it. Is he right? -- Cory Doan, Woodstock, N.Y. That's one dirty trick. While Rule 21 does state that a ball may be cleaned when it's lifted on or through the green, there are exceptions. According to Rule 21b, when a ball is lifted to be examined (under Rule 12-2), it may only be cleaned to "the extent necessary for identification." Assuming that your friend didn't need to examine every dimple on his ball to determine that it was his, he was in violation, and that cost him a one-stroke penalty. If you let your buddy get away with this move, he took you to the cleaners. SPIKEY SITUATION RG: As I was walking toward my ball on the green, I stopped to fix some spike marks that an inconsiderate group in front of us had left near the hole. The guy I was playing with immediately protested, saying that it was against the rules to fix spike marks on the green. I told him that since I was just doing maintenance it wasn't a penalty, and that the spike marks weren't in my line of putt, anyway. I was in the clear, right? -- Tom Sensale, Jacksonville, Fla. Since there's no guarantee that you're going to make your putt, virtually any spot on the green could be the next place you end up putting from. That's why, according to Decision 16-1c/4, it's illegal to repair spike marks anywhere in the vicinity of the hole, regardless of whether or not they were in your current line of putt. I applaud your civic-minded green maintenance, but next time it might be a good idea to wait until you've holed out to do it -- you'll save yourself a one-stroke penalty. This article first appeared in the January 2012 issue of Golf Magazine. The tablet version of Golf Magazine is available for free for magazine subscribers on iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, Nook Color and Samsung Galaxy Tab. Learn more   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy

• Got a Rules question? Zip it to rulesguy@golf.com DEFYING GRAVITY Rules Guy: I was playing a tournament at an unfamiliar course last week. Twice I putted the ball into the hole, only to have it bounce right back out again. Everyone in the group said they clearly heard the ball hit the bottom of the cup, and the cups definitely seemed shallow. At the 19th hole afterward, someone said the putts should have counted and I should have won. What's the rule? -- J. Shorrow, via e-mail It's not unheard of to have a ball jump out of the cup, but to have it happen twice in one round should have you checking behind the bushes for the people from Punk'd. Even though it sounds like this course has a prankster for a greenskeeper, your buddy at the bar was way off. By definition, for a ball to be "holed," it must come to rest inside the circumference of the hole and below the lip for the hole to be over. By taking a leap out of the cup, your ball was most assuredly not at rest, and therefore your hole wasn't over. It's a raw deal, but you lost. Take your lumps...and then pass them on to whoever cut those holes. DRAIN PAIN Rules Rectifier: I hit a perfect layup tee shot in the middle of the fairway, 10 yards short of the water. When I got to the ball, half of it was buried. Thinking it had landed in an old divot, I swung down as hard as I could. Up went the ball, 20 yards and into the water. After taking the shot, I noticed that the ball hadn't been in a divot but actually on a drain with grass growing around it. I thought I had no choice but to drop, playing 4, but my playing partners told me I shouldn't take a penalty, since the ball was on a drain. I took the free drop, landed on the green, two putts for a par 4. Were they right? -- Lael Mendoza, Hoffman Estates, Ill. Much like a good deed, it is often said that no good layup goes unpunished. Had you noticed that your ball was on top of a drain and not in a divot, you obviously would have been entitled to a free drop under Rule 24-2. Unfortunately, your discovery was too little, too late. Once you hit your ball, you lost any claim you had to relief, and instead were required to play from where it landed (or, in this case, sank). You should have trusted your instincts -- your drain shot counted and should have been treated like any other splashdown. HIDDEN TREASURE Ruler: My approach flew long and my friend found my ball buried in calf-high grass behind the green. We verified it was my ball and I took a hack at it. My friend said, "Nice shot," which I thought was sarcastic because I saw a ball fly out short and left. Turns out that my ball was a few feet from the pin. I had also dislodged a second ball, unseen by either of us before my swing. I putted out for par, but did I incur a penalty for striking two balls? -- T. Subias, Eugene, Ore. Believe it or not, you're in the clear. According to Decision 15/2, you're not responsible for abandoned balls that you accidentally dislodge from their hiding places. Not only are you not penalized for hitting the "wrong" ball, you are also not required to hit your ball again, so you were free to putt out. That means that your shot was doubly great. Not only did you save par, but you also got to pocket a free ball! This article first appeared in the December 2011 issue of Golf Magazine. The tablet version of Golf Magazine is available for free for magazine subscribers on iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, Nook Color and Samsung Galaxy Tab. Learn more   Article & Image Information Ask the Rules Guy, December 2011

Luke isn't normally too flashy when celebrating a good shot, but he let himself go at 15.

Big Play: Michael Thompson's sliced drive on 18th hole in final round at McGladrey Classic

The World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame was founded in 1998 by Golf Magazine to ensure that the theories and philosophies of the game's greatest instructors live on.