Isn’t it great to back out playing golf? Apologies to those of you who are shielding – hopefully you’ll be able to join us soon. I’ve really enjoyed playing without a card in my hand. I have a selective memory – I only remember the good shots, so I walk off the course thinking I’ve played great golf, when in fact I’ve erased the thinned approach shots and sliced drives from my memory!
I definitely wouldn’t claim to be an expert on the rules of golf, but I do enjoy reading about them, especially finding out what the rulings are on unusual situations. I stumbled upon the “Rules from the Garden” series of short videos, produced by Grant Moir of The R&A’s Rules Team. At the beginning of lockdown, Grant was working from home, staring into his back garden, when he realised that he could recreate some of the situations that golfers often find themselves in, and so he decided to produce a series of videos explaining the relief options or penalties from a variety of situations. Each video is around one and a half minutes long, so they’re easily watched.
I’ve watched a number of these short videos, however I particularly enjoyed a special episode which was released on Friday. Host New Zealander George Harper Jnr, asks Grant some questions on the rules sent in by viewers and we also gain a “behind the scenes insight” on refereeing at some of the biggest golf tournaments across the world including The Open Championship. This video is 26 minutes long though, so pour yourself a long drink and get comfortable…