Just When You Thought You Knew the Rules of Golf...

The rules of golf are in effect to protect all players - they can either help or hurt players during a round but it is essential to learn their lessons.

Below are several recent rules infractions and how professional golfers dealt with the consequences.

RULES INFRACTION #1: Rule 15-3b

This week, the world of golf is discussing the former NCAA women's champion who was DQ'd after playing a ball which had been deemed out of bounds and moved back into bounds, reportedly by her mother!

Former NCAA individual champion at USC, Doris Chen, played a golf ball that she knew had been moved back into bounds resulting in the rules breach. "Ms. Chen did not correct her error before teeing off on the next hole, thus resulting in the DQ penalty."

Golf Lesson learned by Doris Chen? "My caddie and I didn’t see anything happen. We were looking for the ball. I didn’t see the ball move,” Chen said. “It was just what the homeowner said. … In my mind, I thought I was just supposed to play the ball as it lied. … "

For all of the inexperienced golfers reading this, Miss Chen stated, "I realize now I should have called for a rules official to investigate."

RULES INFRACTION #2:  Scorecard Snafu

A group of Oregon State teens, unaware that they were playing from the wrong tee box were disqualified after reading a scorecard incorrectly.

Twelve high school students were supposed to play a hole which was 172 yards - even though they were playing the blue tees, the scorecard said that, for this hole, the red tees were playing a similar distance. The teens switched tee boxes and were made aware of their mistake after they finished the hole.

Golf Lesson Learned by the Oregon golfers? If there are any rules handed out before a tournament, read and stick to them. If there are any questions about the rules, see golf lesson learned by Doris Chen.

RULES INFRACTION #3: Golf ball collision

For the majority of players, knowing the rules of golf can also help you when there are no officials around, case in point, Xander Schauffele at the WGC-HSBC Champions Tournament.

Picture this: Final hole on Sunday with three golfers in contention, Schauffele, Finau, and Rose - Rose's golf ball collides with Schauffele, sending both balls into the water. After gasps subsided, Schauffele remembered Rule 18-5:

"According to the rule, which covers a ball at rest moved by another ball, Schauffele must replace his ball where it was previously on the green at no penalty. Rose, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. He had to play his ball wherever it came to rest after the collision, and for him, that meant he had to take a drop on his way to a bogey 6."

The Rules of Golf are there to protect you and to make the game fair for all - sometimes, however, golfers, such as Justin Rose, suffer from them. Still, it's better to know the rules of any game in order to protect yourself.

Tiger Woods' Tour Championship Game Plan Can Help You Win at Golf

There was always a mystique that surrounded Tiger Woods; whether he won or not in golf, throngs of fans have followed his progress (and decline) through a five-year winless streak on the PGA Tour. The influence Woods has had in over the past twenty years has changed the face of golf.

The outcome of the Tour Championship changed both our perception of the former number one player in the world as well as his own self-esteem as he smiled broadly during his round knowing he also had the slim possibility of a FedEx Cup victory.

Tiger Woods' Strategy for Tour Championship victory

Woods looked like the Tiger of old as he proceeded to implement his plan for victory and he could not hide his joy as he stepped out onto the 18th green, sunk a par putt, and accepted his reward for a job well done.

"The game plan was to shoot under par, and I birdied the first hole right out of the gate,'' Tiger Woods said after winning the Tour Championship. "I just had to suck it up and hit shots."

But there was more to Tiger Woods' plan than to shoot under par and "suck it up" on the course. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced amateur, creating a strategy before playing your round will benefit you by lowering your score.

Below are three golf tips which Tiger Woods implemented at the Tour Championship.

1. Leave your ball below the hole - an uphill putt is better than a downhill slide as you can give the ball a good, solid roll as opposed to tenderly judging your speed.

2. View putt from behind the hole. Tiger Woods looked at the green from several angles to determine the lie and angle of his putt.

3. Place your tee shot on the correct side of the fairway to give yourself the right approach onto the green. Take trouble out of play and visualize your next shot.

Tiger Woods went back to the basics to win after a five-year drought - if he can do it, so can you.

Although Justin Rose struggled to a FedEx Cup victory while Tiger Woods dominated at the Tour Championship, Golf for Beginners wishes hearty congratulations to both the current and former world number-one golfers in the world.

Can Online #Golf Tips Do More Harm than Good to Your Game?

I am a proponent of professional golf instruction - meeting with a teacher and getting help with your game works for golfers from beginners through to the best in the world (even Tiger Woods needs an instructor).

But, what differences does a face-to-face experience offer vs a magazine article ....or, can we essentially learn proper technique either way?

With more and more posting golf blogs, articles from renowned players and teachers, and videos, it would seem that an online tutorial can also help your game, however...

A teaching pro is right in front of you, showing you how to execute a shot. In stark contrast, golf tips we receive from PGA Tour pros who tell us via magazine article or show us what to do via youtube video cannot give us any feedback.

Justin Rose in a recent blog, offers how to pull off certain shots as well as recovery techniques for an amateur who has been playing the game for a while and who understands course management and shot making but may confuse the beginner.

In other words, not all learning methods are best for every student.

Tips such as golf etiquette and understanding overall swing concepts are fine to learn from an established online source but, after you have gotten to the next level, it might be better to incorporate lessons if you are to improve in this game.

Two-way communication is essential in golf training - an instructor will watch your swing, talk to you to determine the source of the problem and may add the latest technology to the mix in order to show you where you need help. It's like when you are sick - if it's just the sniffles you may choose to take basic cold medicine but, at that point do you choose to visit the doctor?

My golf blog tip of the week? Take tips from magazines and videos with a grain of salt - you have to know when to take advice and when to get advice in person.

Do you take online golf tips with a grain of salt? Let us know which pro rely on for advice in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Golf Psychology: Tips to Avoid Choking

Thanks to My Golf Locker for this thought-provoking blog on how to avoid the dreaded golf choke!

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Let’s face it; we have all choked. In fact, just last week, I played a round of golf with my dad and everything was absolutely perfect: the sun was shining, the course was immaculate and the golf on display was absolutely superb (even if I do say so myself).

As a 15 handicapper, it is not often that you get these types of rounds, so you have to make the most of them! Luckily, for 15 holes, I did just that and raced into a four-shot lead with three holes to play. Surely my dad couldn’t overtake me now? 

WRONG! I lost by one stroke… I was (and still am) absolutely gutted.

The story of choking in golf, however, isn’t unique to me. Who could forget Adam Scott at the 2012 Open? 

Could you imagine the pain and heartache that Adam Scott experienced that day? Many predicted that he would never get over it; he did, however, and in spectacular style by winning the 2013 Masters. 

Adam Scott went on to win the 2013 Barclays and with a final bogey-free round. Still, Adam Scott believed his final round wasn't good enough to win. Caddy Steve Williams was seen packing Scott's golf bag with the Aussie player thinking that he "really didn't think I had much of a chance."

The reason behind Adam Scott's win at The Masters was undoubtedly the change in his psychology. He didn’t play flawless golf at Augusta, but he got the job done.

The same can be said for this year’s US Open Champion Justin Rose who has also had his demons. After coming in fourth at the Open at the age of just fifteen, Rose went on to miss twenty-one consecutive cuts! Since then, however, Rose has rebounded and can now also call himself a major champion; something that fellow Brits Lee Westwood and Luke Donald can only dream of.

Although our golfing exploits are nowhere near on par with those of our idols, we can take similar steps to avoid choking in a similar fashion.

1. Accept your handicap:

Your handicap exists for a reason and your aim is to reduce it. We cannot expect to be perfect every time we play golf. We can, however, accept the situation and deal with it accordingly. The key is getting into a positive mindset.

Often, there is no need to go ‘birdie searching’ when a par will do. Try adopting the stableford scoring system as this will give you an accurate reflection of your round- you could be doing a lot better than you think!

2. Play the hole, not the situation:

If you’re having a good round, focus on the positives and play the shots you’re capable of achieving. If you start trying to lay-up or play shots that you haven’t been playing during the round, you increase the risk of ‘choking’.

Always play your natural game despite what those around you may be saying!

3. Dress for success:

In order to play well you have to look, and feel, the part. Although some courses do not enforce a dress code, it is still important that you maintain proper golf etiquette. Dressing in golf attire regardless will help get you into the right mindset and will ensure that you ‘feel the part’. Yes, golf etiquette does mean that what you wear is a reflection on you.

Contrary to popular belief, golf clothing is also less expensive than you’d imagine. Try checking out My Golf Locker to see what’s on offer. 

Join the conversation on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend me on Facebook.

photo credit: ESPN, Brentgolf.com

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