You’ll never see these Open rules in play at your club!

We all play to the same rules. That’s what they say, isn’t it? But while that big thick Rules of Golf book is employed this week at Royal Troon – as it is at your own clubs – there are other regulations you’ll never see enforced in your monthly medal.

For each of its championships and International Matches – it doesn’t matter whether it’s the Under 16s Amateur or The Open – The R&A uses Local Rules and Terms of Competition.

It’s otherwise known as the ‘Hard Card’.

There are 21in all. Sometimes they amend or alter a rule, or use specific Local Rules to apply to a whole variety of situations that might be found in play.

On top of that, there are additional Local Rules in effect just for the duration of this championship. The chances are, though, you’ll never see them in play during your own competitions.

So here are some of the more interesting on show at The Open this week…

Open rules you won’t see at your club

R&A Open golf rules: No practise putting!

Did you know you can practise putting or chipping “on or near the putting green of the hole last completed”? So if you’ve had a shocker with a tiddler at your club, you are allowed to try and right that wrong once the hole is over. It’s there in Rule 5.5b.

I say, YOU are allowed, because the competitors at The Open are not. Model Local Rule I-2 modifies the rule to prohibit the practice. It’s a two-shot penalty if they try and have another go.

R&A Open golf rules: Check your golf balls

There is a whole raft of Local Rules covering equipment at The Open that I promise your competition committee won’t even know exist.

So while you’ve never had to think about whether your driver head is conforming (Model Local Rule G-1), or whether the grooves on your irons are legal (Model Local Rule G-2), competitors at The Open need to be spot on with their equipment set up.

But the one that will catch your eye, even though you’ll never have used it yourself, is the One Ball Rule – or Model Local Rule G-4 to pronounce its correct title.

Each time a player makes a stroke, they need to use the same brand and model of ball with which they started their round. That ball also has to be on a conforming list.

The point is to stop them switching balls with different characteristics depending on the hole they are facing.

You only really see this rule in elite professional and amateur events. It used to catch the odd amateur out in Regional Open Qualifying but it’s no longer in force at that event.

It’s really, really, strict. Have I got that across? Each individual listing is considered a different ball.

Got two Titleist Pro V1s? One with a dash and one without? In this rule they are not the same type of ball.

Even using different coloured balls – even if they’ve got identical markings – falls foul of this rule.

The sanctions for getting this one wrong are severe. It’s a penalty stroke for each hole where a player is in breach of the Local Rule.

Once they’ve figured out they messed up, they must go back to their original brand and model from the next tee they step onto.

If they don’t, they get disqualified.

R&A Open golf rules: Embedded balls in the stacked turf face above a bunker

A ball is not in a bunker when it’s in the wall or face. There is a big diagram included in Rule 12.1 which says so. If your ball embeds in one at your club, it’s part of the general area and you are allowed free relief under Rule 16.3.

Not at Royal Troon this week. “No free relief is allowed for a ball embedded in the stacked turf face above a bunker.”

There are some links courses that do this as standard but what counts as a stacked turf face? Think revetted bunkers and you’ll get the idea. And there are plenty of these at Royal Troon.

How damaged is that club?

Club break during a round? You know you can repair or replace a club that’s damaged, except in cases of abuse. It’s all outlined in Rule 4.1a (2).

At The Open, though, the privileges you receive come with a significant caveat thanks to Model Local Rule G-9.

It says a club can only be replaced if it is “broken or significantly damaged”.

So what is “significant”. It’s helpful that Local Rule gives us a list. Some of those are obvious. “The clubhead is detached or loose from the shaft”.

Well, yes, that would be pretty significant.

But this doesn’t count and I’m sure it’s going to surprise you. “A club face or clubhead is not ‘broken or significantly damaged’ solely because it is cracked’. If it happens this week, the unfortunate victim will just have to get on with it.

No green books allowed!

We all know the fuss about green books and we know the rules already limit the size and scale of what you can use. But at The Open it reaches a new level.

Model Local Rule G-11 requires players to only use the yardage book that’s been approved for use in the competition. So remember that home made book that Arnold Palmer had at the Masters – the fruits of all those years of experience? Yep, that’s out.

The aim, the rule says, is to ensure “players and caddies use only their eyes and feel to help them read the line of play on the putting green”.

Now have your say

What do you make of these R&A Open golf rules? Let me know whether you face these at your own club or whether they’re unique to the world’s oldest major! Send me a comment on X.

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• NOW READ: Everything you need to know about The Open at Royal Troon