EWGA-Long Island

Notes about the game from Patty Ellis, Past Rules Chair
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Commonly held INCORRECT beliefs
about the Rules of Golf

Mulligan:
Belief: When you make a shot that is really, really bad, the Rules of Golf allow you an occasional “do-over” called a Mulligan.
Reality: The Rules Of Golf should only be so lenient… THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A MULLIGAN!!!

Whiff (common term for completely missing the ball with the intention of hitting it):
Belief: If a player completely misses the ball, it doesn’t count as a stroke.
Reality: It’s like salt in a wound, but yes, when you completely miss the ball while intending to hit it, not only is it embarrassing, but it counts as a stroke, too!

Relief from Trouble:
Belief: When taking relief from an unplayable lie behind a tree, in weeds, or when your ball is compromised by some other natural aspect of the golf course, you get complete relief from that natural aspect if you charge yourself a penalty stroke.
Reality: Under Rule 28, a player has 3 options when she deems her ball unplayable. 1) Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played; 2) Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole; 3) Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped (with no limit how far back she may drop). So, complete relief from the current trouble is assured only under option #1.
The confusion arises because Rule 24 (which covers obstructions) allows for complete relief (without having to use a penalty stroke). Here, a player gets full relief from ARTIFICIAL parts of the course such as cart paths, electrical boxes, rain shelters, benches, and the like.

Lost Ball:
Belief: If you can’t find your ball, you can drop a ball close to where it was lost if you charge yourself a penalty stroke (or some players believe two penalty strokes).
Reality: Rule 27 states that when your ball is lost (or out of bounds) a player has only one option: Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played. So, if your lost ball was hit from near the 150 yard marker on the right side of the fairway, a player must go back to this place and hit again counting the errant shot and adding a penalty stroke. Therefore, if she had been lying 1 before the errant shot, she would be lying 3 before her next shot! OUCH, I know this hurts.
To save time, a player should hit a “provisional” ball anytime she thinks there’s a chance her ball is lost or out of bounds. This will be used as the next shot, saving her from having to walk back to where she had made the errant shot.
(Note: This rule does not cover balls lost in water hazards, see Rule 26).